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Robert II (September 1250 – 11 July 1302) was the Count of Artois, the posthumous son and heir of Robert I and Matilda of Brabant.[1]

An experienced soldier, he took part in the Aragonese Crusade and attempted an invasion of Sicily in 1287.[2] He defeated the Flemings in 1297 at the Battle of Furnes.[3] He was again sent into Flanders in July 1302, where he began to ravage the countryside and attempted to take the town of Kortrijk. He then met the Flemish army at the Battle of the Golden Spurs. His infantry advanced with great success against the Flemings (mostly city militia), but he ordered their recall to allow his cavalry to make the final, victorious charge. But on the broken, marshy ground, his knights were unable to gain enough momentum to break the Flemish shieldwall, and they were knocked down and slaughtered. Robert led some of the reserves in a second charge in an attempt to reverse their fortunes, but was cut down by the Flemish infantry.[4]

In 1262 in Paris Robert married Amicie de Courtenay (1250–1275), daughter of Pierre de Courtenay, Seigneur de Conches, a great-grandson of Louis VI, and Perronelle de Joigny.


They had three children:


Mahaut (1268–1329)
Philip (1269–1298)
Robert (born 1271, died young)
After Amicie's death, Robert married twice more: first, in 1277, to Agnes of Dampierre (1237–1288), heiress of Bourbon, and then, on 18 October 1298 to Margaret (died 1342), daughter of John II, Count of Hainaut. After Robert's death, his daughter Mahaut inherited Artois, but his grandson Robert III unsuccessfully tried to claim it.

Mahaut of Artois (1268 – October 28, 1329, Paris), also known as Mathilda, was the only daughter, and eldest child of Robert II, Count of Artois and Amicie de Courtenay.

Her paternal grandparents were Robert I, Count of Artois and Matilda of Brabant. Her maternal grandparents were Pierre de Courtenay, Seigneur de Conches, and Perronelle de Joigny.[1]

[edit] Siblings1.Philip of Artois (1269–1298). Married Blanche de Dreux, daughter of John II, Duke of Brittany, by whom he had five children.
2.Robert of Artois (born 1271). Died young.
[edit] Marriage and issueIn 1291,[1] Mahaut married Otto IV, Count of Burgundy, to whom she bore three children, including two girls who married kings of France, Blanche and Joan. Her married name became de Chalon. Because of the premature death of her brother Philip in 1298, she inherited the County of Artois at her father's death in 1302, rather than her nephew Robert (her inheritance being based upon proximity of blood). Although he repeatedly challenged the decision, her rights to the county were consistently upheld. She was an able administrator and managed to defeat the many rebellions perpetrated by members of the nobility. Upon her death in 1329, the county was inherited by her daughter Joan II, Countess of Burgundy (d 1329), who was married to Philip V of France.

Egilona was the wife of the last Visigothic King Roderic in the early years of the 8th Century during the Muslim invasion of the Iberian Peninsula. When he died in the Battle of Guadalete she was captured by the Moorish leader Abd al-Aziz ibn Musa. The Emir fell in love with her, and in the year 717 AD she agreed to be his wife.

Egilona was one of the most influential people in this time. She was able to influence Abd al-Aziz ibn Musa to show more clemency with captured Christians. This was not well received by the Umayyad Caliph Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik in Damascus who had Abd al-Aziz ibn Musa killed for attempting to establish his own monarchy.

Christopher Lekapenos or Lecapenus was the eldest son of Emperor Romanos I Lekapenos (r. 920–944) and co-emperor from 921 until his death in 931.

Christopher was the oldest son of Romanos Lekapenos and the second-oldest child after his sister Helena. Younger siblings were Agatha, who married Romanos Argyros, Stephen and Constantine (co-emperors from 924 until 945), Theophylact (Patriarch of Constantinople in 933–956), and two unnamed younger sisters.[1][2]

Nothing is known of Christopher's early life. He was certainly an adult by 919–920, and had a daughter of marriageable age in 927,[3] hence he was probably born around 890–895. Already before his father's rise to power, he had been married to Sophia, the daughter of the wealthy patrikios Niketas, a Slav from the Peloponnese.[4]

When Romanos succeeded in having his daughter Helena Lekapene married to the young emperor Constantine Porphyrogennetos in spring 919 and assumed the role of guardian of the emperor with the title basileopator, Christopher succeeded him in his post as megas hetaireiarches, commander of the palace guard.[5][6] Romanos soon crowned himself emperor (December 920), and eventually advanced himself before the young Constantine in precedence. To further cement his position, and planning to advance his own family over the legitimate Macedonian line, Romans crowned Christopher also as co-emperor on 20 May 921.[3][6][7] Furthermore, when Christopher's mother, the Augusta Theodora died in February 922, his wife Sophia was raised to the dignity of Augusta alongside Helena Lekapene.[8]

In 927, as part of a peace agreement, Christopher's daughter Maria, renamed Eirene ("peace") for the occasion, was married to the Bulgarian emperor Peter I (r. 927–969).[9] Romanos used the occasion to advance Christopher before Constantine Porphyrogennetos, making him first among the rather large group of co-emperors (in 924, Christopher's younger brothers Stephen and Constantine had also been crowned as co-emperors).[3][6][10] In 928, his father-in-law, the patrikios Niketas, unsuccessfully tried to incite Christopher to depose his father, and was banished. The motive behind this was perhaps Christopher's poor health, and fears by his wife and her father that, should he die prematurely, they would lose their status.[6][11] In the event, Christopher died in August 931, much mourned by his father, who shed tears "like the Egyptians" and thereafter increasingly became devoted to religious pursuits. Soon after Christopher's death, Sophia too retired from the court and entered a monastery, where she died.[12][13]

[edit] FamilyThrough his marriage to Sophia, Christopher had three children:[12][14]

Maria-Eirene (died ca. 965), the Empress-consort of Peter I of Bulgaria.[15][9]
Romanos, still a child at the time of Christopher's death. According to Zonaras he was favoured by his grandfather, who thought about promoting him to his father's place as senior co-emperor, but for his death soon after.[12]
Michael, an infant at the time of Christopher's death, he was made a cleric at the time of the family's fall from power in 945. He eventually reached the high dignities of magistros and rhaiktor, but nothing further is known of his later life.[16].

Stephen Lekapenos (or Lecapenus) (died 18 April 963) was the second son of the Byzantine emperor Romanos I Lekapenos (r. 920–944), and co-emperor from 924 to 945. Along with his younger brother Constantine he deposed Romanos I in December 944, only to be themselves overthrown and exiled by the legitimate emperor Constantine VII (r. 913–959) a few weeks later. Stephen lived out his life in exile in Lesbos, where he died on Easter 963.

Stephen was the second oldest son of Romanos I and his wife Theodora. His older siblings were Christopher (co-emperor from 921 until his death in 931) and his older sisters Helena, who married Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos (r. 913–959), and Agatha, who married Romanos Argyros. His younger brothers were Constantine (co-emperor 924–945) and Theophylact (Patriarch of Constantinople in 933–956). He probably also had at least two unnamed younger sisters, known because of their marriages alone.[1][2]

[edit] ReignRomanos Lekapenos had risen to power in 919, when he had managed to appoint himself regent over the young Constantine VII and marry his daughter Helena to him. Within a year, he successively rose from basileopator to Caesar, and was eventually crowned senior emperor on 17 December 920.[3][4] To consolidate his hold on power, and with a view of supplanting the ruling Macedonian dynasty with his own family, he raised his eldest son Christopher to co-emperor in May 921, while Stephen and Constantine were proclaimed co-emperors on 25 December 924.[4][5]

Following Christopher's early death in 931, and given Constantine VII's de facto sidelining, Stephen and Constantine assumed an increased prominence, although formally they still ranked after their brother-in-law in the college of emperors. In 933, Stephen was married to Anna, the daughter of Gabalas, who was crowned Augusta on the same occasion.[6] The couple had one known son, Romanos. According to Kedrenos, he was castrated in 945, but later became a sebastophoros.[1][7]

In 943, Stephen and Constantine Lekapenos were noted for their opposition to a dynastic marriage for their nephew, Romanos II. Their father wanted to have his eldest surviving grandson married to Euphrosyne, a daughter of his successful general John Kourkouas. Although such a union would effectively cement the loyalty of the army, it would also strengthen the position of the legitimate Macedonian line, represented by Romanos II and his father Constantine VII, over the imperial claims of Romanos' own sons.[8][9][10] Predictably, Stephen and Constantine opposed this decision, and prevailed upon their father, who was by this time ill and old, to dismiss Kourkouas in the autumn of 944.[11][12] Romanos II instead married Bertha, an illegitimate daughter of Hugh of Arles, King of Italy, who changed her name to Eudokia after her marriage.[4][13]

With Romanos I approaching the end of his life, the matter of his succession became urgent. In 943, Romanos drafted a will which would leave Constantine VII as the senior emperor following his death. This greatly upset his two sons, who feared that their brother-in-law would have them deposed and force them to take monastic vows. Motivated, in the opinion of Steven Runciman, partially by self-preservation and partially from genuine ambition, they started planning to seize power through a coup d'état.[14]

Stephen was apparently the ringleader of their conspiracy, with Constantine a rather reluctant partner. Their fellow conspirators included Marianos Argyros, the protospatharios Basil Peteinos, Manuel Kourtikes, the strategos Diogenes, Clado and Philip. Kedrenos however considers Peteinos to have served as an agent of Constantine VII among the conspirators. On 20 December 944, the conspirators set their plans in motion. The two brothers smuggled their supporters in the Great Palace of Constantinople during the midday break in palace activities. They then led their men into the chamber of Romanos I, where they easily captured the "ill old man". They were able to transport him to the nearest harbour and from there to Prote, one of the Princes' Islands and a popular place of exile. There Romanos agreed to take monastic vows and retire from the throne.[15]

Having managed to quietly depose their father, the brothers now had to deal with Constantine VII. Unfortunately for them, their actions were no longer secret. Rumours of the deposition soon spread around Constantinople, to the effect that Constantine VII's life was in danger. Before long, crowds gathered before the palace, demanding to see their Emperor in person. Liutprand of Cremona notes that the local ambassadors and envoys from Amalfi, Gaeta, Rome, and the Provence also supported Constantine VII. Stephen and his brother had to succumb to the inevitable, recognizing their brother-in-law as the senior emperor.[16]

The new triumvirate lasted for about 40 days. The three emperors soon appointed new leaders for the military services. Bardas Phokas the Elder was appointed as the new Domestic of the Schools, and Constantine Gongyles as head of the Byzantine navy. Stephen and his brother managed to reward their fellow conspirators. Peteinos became patrikios and megas hetaireiarches, Argyros was appointed Count of the Stable, Kourtikes a patrikios and droungarios of the Vigla.[17] On 26 January 945 however, at the urging of their sister, the Augusta Helena, another coup removed the two Lekapenoi from power and restored the sole imperial authority to Constantine VII.[18][19]

[edit] ExileInitially, the two brothers were sent to Prote, where their father received them with bitter sarcasm, according to the chroniclers. Soon however Stephen was moved on to a prison at Prokonnesos, and then to Rhodes, before finally settling in Methymna, Lesbos.[20] A plot by some members of the imperial government to restore him was discovered in December 947 and the conspirators mutilated and publicly humiliated. Stephen died at Methymna on Easter Sunday, 963.[7][21] John Skylitzes claims that Stephen was poisoned by order of the Empress Theophano as part of her efforts to protect the rights to the throne of her sons Basil II and Constantine VIII, by eliminating other possible claimants to the throne. It should however be noted that several deaths of the extended imperial family at the time are attributed to Theophano by hostile sources, usually by poison.[22].

Constantine Lekapenos or Lecapenus was the third son of the Byzantine emperor Romanos I Lekapenos (r. 920–944), and co-emperor from 924 to 945. Along with his elder brother Stephen he deposed Romanos I in December 944, only to be themselves overthrown and exiled by the legitimate emperor Constantine VII (r. 913–959) a few weeks later. Constantine was exiled to Samothrace, where he was killed while attempting to escape sometime between 946 and 948.

Constantine was one of the youngest sons of Romanos I and his wife Theodora. Theophanes Continuatus mentions him as the youngest son of the imperial couple, while George Kedrenos mentions him as the third of four known sons. His older brothers were Christopher Lekapenos (co-emperor 921–931) and Stephen Lekapenos (co-emperor 924-945). It is unclear if Theophylact (Patriarch of Constantinople in 933–956) was his younger brother or slightly older than he was. His sisters included Helena, who married Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos (r. 913–959), and Agatha, who married Romanos Argyros. He probably also had at least two unnamed sisters, known because of their marriages alone.[1][2]

[edit] ReignRomanos Lekapenos had risen to power in 919, when he had managed to appoint himself regent over the young Constantine VII and marry his daughter Helena to him. Within a year, he successively rose from basileopator to Caesar, and was eventually crowned senior emperor on 17 December 920.[3][4] To consolidate his hold on power, and with a view of supplanting the ruling Macedonian dynasty with his own family, he raised his eldest son Christopher to co-emperor in May 921, while Stephen and Constantine were proclaimed co-emperors on 25 December 924.[4][5]

Following Christopher's early death in 931, and given Constantine VII's de facto sidelining, Stephen and Constantine assumed an increased prominence, although formally they still ranked after their brother-in-law in the college of emperors.[6] In 939, Constantine married his first wife Helena, a daughter of the patrikios Adrian, an Armenian.[7][8]

Symeon Magister records the death of Helena on 14 January 940, and on 2 February of the same year, Constantine married his second wife, Theophano Mamas. Constantine had a son, named Romanos, but it is not recorded by which of his two wives.[7][9] This Romanos was castrated in 945, after the Lekapenoi lost power, to prevent him from claiming the throne. He nevertheless pursued a career in the court, eventually reaching the rank of patrikios and the post of Eparch of Constantinople.[10]

In 943, Stephen and Constantine Lekapenos were noted for their opposition to a dynastic marriage for their nephew, Romanos II. Their father wanted to have his eldest surviving grandson married to Euphrosyne, a daughter of his successful general John Kourkouas. Although such a union would effectively cement the loyalty of the army, it would also strengthen the position of the legitimate Macedonian line, represented by Romanos II and his father Constantine VII, over the imperial claims of Romanos' own sons.[11][12] Predictably, Stephen and Constantine opposed this decision, and prevailed upon their father, who was by this time ill and old, to dismiss Kourkouas in the autumn of 944.[13][14] Romanos II instead married Bertha, an illegitimate daughter of Hugh of Arles, King of Italy, who changed her name to Eudokia after her marriage.[4][15]

With Romanos I approaching the end of his life, the matter of his succession became urgent. In 943, Romanos drafted a will which would leave Constantine VII as the senior emperor following his death. This greatly upset his two sons, who feared that their brother-in-law would have them deposed and force them to take monastic vows. Motivated, in the opinion of Steven Runciman, partially by self-preservation and partially from genuine ambition, they started planning to seize power through a coup d'état.[16]

Stephen was apparently the ringleader of their conspiracy, with Constantine a rather reluctant partner. Their fellow conspirators included Marianos Argyros, the protospatharios Basil Peteinos, Manuel Kourtikes, the strategos Diogenes, Clado and Philip. Kedrenos however considers Peteinos to have served as an agent of Constantine VII among the conspirators. On 20 December 944, the conspirators set their plans in motion. The two brothers smuggled their supporters in the Great Palace of Constantinople during the midday break in palace activities. They then led their men into the chamber of Romanos I, where they easily captured the "ill old man". They were able to transport him to the nearest harbour and from there to Prote, one of the Princes' Islands and a popular place of exile. There Romanos agreed to take monastic vows and retire from the throne.[17]

Having managed to quietly depose their father, the brothers now had to deal with Constantine VII. Unfortunately for them, their actions were no longer secret. Rumours of the deposition soon spread around Constantinople, to the effect that Constantine VII's life was in danger. Before long, crowds gathered before the palace, demanding to see their Emperor in person. Liutprand of Cremona notes that the local ambassadors and envoys from Amalfi, Gaeta, Rome, and the Provence also supported Constantine VII. Stephen and his brother had to succumb to the inevitable, recognizing their brother-in-law as the senior emperor.[18]

The new triumvirate lasted for about 40 days. The three emperors soon appointed new leaders for the military services. Bardas Phokas the Elder was appointed as the new Domestic of the Schools, and Constantine Gongyles as head of the Byzantine navy. Stephen and his brother managed to reward their fellow conspirators. Peteinos became patrikios and megas hetaireiarches, Argyros was appointed Count of the Stable, Kourtikes a patrikios and droungarios of the Vigla.[19]

On 26 January 945 however, at the urging of their sister, the Augusta Helena, another coup removed the two Lekapenoi from power under the accusation that they attempted to poison Constantine VII, and restored the sole imperial authority to the latter.[10][20]

[edit] Exile and deathInitially, the two brothers were sent to Prote. The Byzantine chroniclers have their father welcoming them by quoting a passage from the Book of Isaiah, specifically Chapter 1.2:[10] "Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for Jehovah hath spoken: I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me."[21] Liutprand of Cremona however gives a slightly different account, having Romanos I receive his sons with bitter sarcasm, thanking them for not neglecting him and begging them to excuse the monks for their ignorance on how to properly receive emperors.[10]

Constantine was soon transported to Tenedos, and then to Samothrace. There he was killed, attempting to escape, soon after. The exact date is unknown, but since Theophanes Continuatus claims that the exiled Romanos I saw a nightmare featuring his son's descent to Hell at the time of Constantine's death, it can be placed between 946 and Romanos' own death in 948.[22].