Marguerite of Blois
Overview
Biography
(See also Genealogical Table(s): 2.3, 2.4.1, 2.4.2, 4.1.)
Marguerite/Margaret was countess of Blois in her own right from 1218 to 1230, after the death of her nephew, Thibaut VI. She was the daughter of Thibaut V of Blois and Alix of France, thus the granddaughter of Louis VII and Eleanor of Aquitaine. She married three times: first, Hugh of Oisy (died 1190), second, Otto I of Burgundy, Count Palatine (died 1200), and third, Walter/Gautier, Lord of Avesnes.
With Otto, Marguerite had two daughters, Joanna and Beatrice; with Walter she had a son who died young and a daughter, Marie, who succeeded her as Countess of Blois. Margaret had no children with Hugh, whom Bumke describes as “a French poet of the high nobility who erected a literary monument to her in his politico-satirical “Tournament of the Ladies” (Tournoiement des dames).[i] Two of the verses are cited here.[ii]
(I)En l’an que chevalier sont/ Abaubi, In the year that knights are/ stunned (?)
Ke d’armes noient ne font/ Li hardi, so they do nothing with arms,/ the bold ones,
Lez damez tournoier vont/ A Laigni. the ladies go to tourney/ at Laigny.
Le tournoiement plevi The countess of Crespin
La contesse de Crespi and my lady of Coucy
Et ma dame de Couci; committed to the tournament;
Dient que savoir voudront they say they want to know
Quel li colp sont what the blows are
Que pour el(e)s font/ Lour ami. that their friends/lovers strike for them.
Les damez par tout le mont The ladies throughout the world
Pourchacier font proclaim
Qu’elez menront that they will bring
Chascune od li each one with her
Quant es prez venuez sont when they come to the meadows
Armer se font; they will bring arms;
Assembler vont they go to do battle
Devant Torchi. before Torchy.
Yolenz de Cailli Yoland of Cailly
Vait premierz assambler; is the first to attack;
Margerite d’Oysi Marguerite d’Oisy
Muet a li pour jouster; moves towards her to joust;
Amisse au corz hardi Amisse of the bold spirit
Li vait son fraim haper. goes to seize her reins.
(II)Quant Margerite se vit/Rauser, When Marguerite sees herself forced back,
“Cambrai” crie, son fraim prist/ A tirer; she shouts “Cambrai,” and starts/ to pull on her reins;
Qui deffendre le veist/ Et meller! if one could see her defend/ and engage!
Quant Katherine au viz cler When Catherine of the bright face
Se coumence a desrouter, begins to advance,
Et “Passe avant” a crier. and to shout “Forward.”
Ki donc la veist aler, One might have seen her go,
Resnes tirer pull the reins
Et cops douner and strike blows
Et departir and separate
Et grossez lancez quasser and break great lances
........... .........
Et ferz souner and irons sound
Et detentir and resound
Des hiaumez le capeler the crest of the helmets
Faire effondrer shattered
................ .................
Par grant air! with great violence!
Deverz la coue vint Towards her [neck] comes
Une rescousse grant, a great rescue,
Ysabel, ki ferir Isabel, who goes
Les vait de maintenant; quickly to strike them;
La ............ausi She ...
Nez vait mie espargnant. does not spare herself.