Marie of Valois was born in 1309 as the daughter of Charles of Valois by his third wife Mahaut of Châtillon. She was a half-sister of Philip VI of France. At the age of just 14, she married the heir to the Kingdom of Naples, Charles, Duke of Calabria. Her husband was nine years older and had already been married once before. His first wife had been Catherine of Austria (1295–1323), but she had died childless.
Charles and Marie had five children, though just two would survive to adulthood. Her eldest surviving daughter would succeed her father-in-law as Queen of Naples.
- Eloisa (b. January or February 1325 – d. December 27, 1325).
- Maria (b. April 1326 – d. 1328).
- Charles Martel (b. Florence, April 13, 1327 – d. Florence, April 21, 1327).
- Joanna (b. Naples, March 1328 – d. castello di San Fele, May 22, 1382)
- Maria (b. Naples, May 1329 – d. Naples, May 20, 1366)
Tragically Charles died in 1328, after contracting a fever by overexerting himself during falconry, leaving behind a pregnant Marie. Their second surviving daughter Maria was born the following year. Marie would follow her husband to the grave just three years later. She died at the age of just 22 during a pilgrimage to Bari. Her children were now orphaned. Joanna and Maria were raised at the court of their grandfather, King Robert of Naples. 1
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