Women who were passed over – France (Part one)

The Kingdom of France, with Charles the Bald as its first King, has never had a woman rule as Queen in her own right, although it has known several female regents. The Kingdom operated under salic law, which barred women from the throne. If we assume absolute primogeniture at any point, how many women missed out on being Queen in their own right?

Judith of Flanders

It is unclear if Judith even lived long enough to theoretically succeed her father, but if she did live until 877, she was passed over for a younger brother. Judith was born in either 843 or 844, but was certainly the eldest child of Charles the Bald and Ermentrude of Orléans.  Judith married Æthelwulf, King of Wessex, in 856, who already had children from his first marriage. Æthelwulf died on 13 January 858, and he was succeeded by his son, Æthelbald. In a controversial move, Æthelbald married his stepmother. This marriage would be short as well. Æthelbald died in July 860. Judith was now around 17 years old, and she had had no children by either of her husbands. She returned home to her father, who sent her to the monastery at Senlis. At the end of 861 or early 862, Judith eloped with or was kidnapped by Baldwin I, Margrave of Flanders. They were probably married shortly before the elopement/kidnapping. They pleaded their case to the Pope, and Judith’s father eventually forgave them. Judith and Baldwin went on to have at least three sons and possibly two daughters as well.

The daughters of Charles the Simple

Charles the Simple had several daughters with his first wife, Frederuna. Their birth order, their names, and even their existence are debated.¹
In any case, they had to be older than Charles’s son from his second marriage to Eadgifu of Wessex and were thus passed over.

Gisela of France

Gisela was born circa 968 as the eldest daughter of o Hugh Capet, future King of the Franks, and Adelaide of Aquitaine. She had a younger sister, Hedwig, and a younger brother, who eventually succeeded as King Robert II. In 994, Gisela married Hugh I, Count of Ponthieu, and they had at least four children together. She died circa 1002.

Hedwig (or Advisa) of France

Hedwig was born circa 1003 as the eldest daughter of King Robert II. She had several younger brothers and sisters, including Hugh Magnus, who was co-king from 1017 to 1025, and the future King Henry I. Hewdig married Renauld I, Count of Nevers, in 1016 and had at least five children with him.

Constance of France

Constance was born circa 1078 as the eldest child of King Philip I of France and Bertha of Holland. Her younger brother would succeed their father as King Louis VI of France. Constance’s first husband was Hugh I, Count of Troyes. They had at least one son together, but he died young. Their marriage ended in an annulment in 1105.² Two years later, she married Bohemond I, Prince of Antioch, and they went on to have two sons, of whom one survived to adulthood. She died on 14 September 1126.

Marie of France

Marie of France was born in 1145 as the eldest daughter of Eleanor of Aquitaine and King Louis VII of France. She had a younger sister named Alix. Her parents’ marriage was annulled in 1152, and her mother went on to marry the future King Henry II of England. Her father went on to marry Constance of Castile, who also gave him two daughters. She died in childbirth, and Louis married Adela of Champagne a few weeks later. The long-awaited heir, the future King Philip II of France, was born in 1165. By then, Marie was married to Henry I, Count of Champagne, and they had at least four children together. She died on 11 March 1198.

Isabella of France

Isabella of France was born on 2 March 1241 as the eldest surviving child of King Louis IX of France and Margaret of Provence. She had eight surviving younger siblings, including the future King Philip III of France. In 1255, Isabella married King Theobald II of Navarre, but they did not have any children together. She was widowed in 1270, and Isabella died the following year on 17 April 1271. If she had succeeded as Queen in her own right, her reign would have been short, as her father died on 25 August 1270.

Joan II of Navarre 

Joan was born on 28 January 1312 as the only child of King Louis I of Navarre (later also King Louis X of France) and Margaret of Burgundy. Margaret was later imprisoned in Château Gaillard on charges of adultery, and she died there. Her father remarried in 1315 to Clementia of Hungary, who was around four months pregnant when Louis died in June 1316. She gave birth to a son on 15 November 1316, and he became King John I of France and Navarre. Tragically, he lived for just four days. Joan was eventually allowed to succeed as Queen in her own right in Navarre after the death of her youngest uncle. The throne of France went to her uncle, King Philip V, and then her younger uncle, King Charles IV. They were the last of the main Capet line, and their successor had no claim to Navarre. In 1318, Joan married Philip of Évreux, and they had nine surviving children together. She died on 6 October 1349.

Joan III, Countess of Burgundy

Joan was born in May 1308 as the eldest child of the future King Philip V of France and Joan II, Countess of Burgundy in her own right. She had three younger sisters and a short-lived younger brother. Joan married Odo IV, Duke of Burgundy, in 1318, and they had one surviving son together. Her father died on 3 January 1322, and the French throne passed to her uncle, King Charles IV. When her mother died in 1330, Joan became the new Countess of Burgundy. Joan died in August 1347.

Part two coming soon.

1. Women in Historical and Archaeological Video Games by Jane Draycott
2. Royal Bastards: The Birth of Illegitimacy, 800-1230 by Sara McDougall p.159