I
The Double marriage
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Constance of Brittany died, age 40, on 5 September 1201 at Nantes. She was buried at Villeneuve Abbey in Nantes.
Constance's cause of death is debated. Some historians believe she died of leprosy. Others believe she died from complications of childbirth, shortly after delivering twin daughters. Still others believe that she had leprosy, leading to a difficult delivery, and ultimately to her death shortly after the birth of the twins.
Hearing the birth of her sisters and the burial of his own mother was very traumatic and left a mark on him he decided that he is the duke and a heir would be needed and a marriage between him and Sanchia of Aragon rather than a young princess of France would be a good scenario.
Arthur would negotiate for the hand of Princess Eleanor of Aragon, the eldest unmarried sister of the King of Aragon in exchange for his older sister’s hand to the King of Aragon, he would betroth his sister, Margaret to Philippe, a younger son of Philippe Auguste, apparently, Philippe II seen the need of a heir in Arthur’s point of view which is more important than an alliance to him and besides he had betrayed Arthur in the treaty of La Goulet.
The King of Aragon, Peter II or Peter the Catholic of Aragon, he would accept the marriage and Eleanor of Brittany becomes the bride of Peter II of Aragon, it was apparent that Peter II needs a wife in order to provide himself of a heir, the bride and groom are almost the same age and Arthur thinks Peter II can make his own sister happy.
On 1202, Eleanor of Brittany is married in proxy to Peter II of Aragon once the dispensation to Pope Innocent has been settled the same was for Eleanor of Aragon to Arthur of Brittany, Eleanor of Brittany and Arthur met their respective spouses on Commingues on the same year.
The religious marriage between Eleanor of Brittany and Peter II and coronation as Queen of Aragon happened later in Barcelona so does the marriage between Eleanor of Aragon and Arthur, the dowry of Eleanor is Val D’Aran and the disputed areas between the English and the Aragonese, per the double marriage treaty Arthur of Brittany would renounce his claims to Bearn, Val d’Aran and Commingues which lie in the border of Aquitaine and those will be under Aragon and he transfers his rights to the County of Toulouse to Peter II as a part of the marriage arrangement , each side paid 20,000 marks which off-setted the dowries of their brides.
One of the conflict the marriage treaty will produce is a conflict between Castile, France who claimed Gascony and King John as Eleanor of Aquitaine’s heir since those lands were recognized as parts of Gascony.
This was said to be a double marriage that would cause more conflict than the peace it was intended to make as Aragon had a legitimate claim to the supposed fiefs inside Gascony.
I
Constance of Brittany died, age 40, on 5 September 1201 at Nantes. She was buried at Villeneuve Abbey in Nantes.
Constance's cause of death is debated. Some historians believe she died of leprosy. Others believe she died from complications of childbirth, shortly after delivering twin daughters. Still others believe that she had leprosy, leading to a difficult delivery, and ultimately to her death shortly after the birth of the twins.
Hearing the birth of her sisters and the burial of his own mother was very traumatic and left a mark on him he decided that he is the duke and a heir would be needed and a marriage between him and Sanchia of Aragon rather than a young princess of France would be a good scenario.
Arthur would negotiate for the hand of Princess Eleanor of Aragon, the eldest unmarried sister of the King of Aragon in exchange for his older sister’s hand to the King of Aragon, he would betroth his sister, Margaret to Philippe, a younger son of Philippe Auguste, apparently, Philippe II seen the need of a heir in Arthur’s point of view which is more important than an alliance to him and besides he had betrayed Arthur in the treaty of La Goulet.
The King of Aragon, Peter II or Peter the Catholic of Aragon, he would accept the marriage and Eleanor of Brittany becomes the bride of Peter II of Aragon, it was apparent that Peter II needs a wife in order to provide himself of a heir, the bride and groom are almost the same age and Arthur thinks Peter II can make his own sister happy.
On 1202, Eleanor of Brittany is married in proxy to Peter II of Aragon once the dispensation to Pope Innocent has been settled the same was for Eleanor of Aragon to Arthur of Brittany, Eleanor of Brittany and Arthur met their respective spouses on Commingues on the same year.
The religious marriage between Eleanor of Brittany and Peter II and coronation as Queen of Aragon happened later in Barcelona so does the marriage between Eleanor of Aragon and Arthur, the dowry of Eleanor is Val D’Aran and the disputed areas between the English and the Aragonese, per the double marriage treaty Arthur of Brittany would renounce his claims to Bearn, Val d’Aran and Commingues which lie in the border of Aquitaine and those will be under Aragon and he transfers his rights to the County of Toulouse to Peter II as a part of the marriage arrangement , each side paid 20,000 marks which off-setted the dowries of their brides.
One of the conflict the marriage treaty will produce is a conflict between Castile, France who claimed Gascony and King John as Eleanor of Aquitaine’s heir since those lands were recognized as parts of Gascony.
This was said to be a double marriage that would cause more conflict than the peace it was intended to make as Aragon had a legitimate claim to the supposed fiefs inside Gascony.