Henry II of Champagne

Henry was the eldest son of Count Henry I of Champagne and Marie de Champagne, a daughter of King Louis VII of France and Eleanor of Aquitaine. His father died in 1181, and his mother ruled as regent until 1187.

In 1190 Henry left for the East, after having his barons swear to recognize his younger brother Thibaut as his successor should he fail to return. He joined the Third Crusade alongside both his uncles, King Philip II of France and King Richard I of England. When they arrived in Palestine, King Richard sent Henry as his representative to Tyre, which was ruled by the widowed Queen Isabella of Jerusalem. She was so taken with Henry's youth and handsomeness that she asked him to marry her. He asked for permission from his uncle Richard, who gladly gave it. Henry then married Isabella, becoming king of Jerusalem in right of his wife in 1192. The couple had two daughters, Alice and Philippa of Champagne.

Henry died in 1197, under mysterious circumstances, falling from a tower. He left behind several difficulties for Champagne. He had borrowed a great deal of money to finance his expedition to Jerusalem, and for his marriage; and the succession to the county of Champagne would later be contested by his daughters. His heir-general was his eldest daughter Alice who was soon married to her stepbrother King Hugh I of Cyprus and whose heirs represent the senior line of Counts of Champagne.

His widow Isabella continued to reign as Queen of Jerusalem, and was soon compelled to marry the Lusignan magnate Amalric I of Cyprus who thus succeeded Henry as King Consort of Jerusalem.

Sources

• Payne, Robert. The Dream and the Tomb, 1984
• Wheeler, Bonnie. Eleanor of Aquitaine: Lord and Lady, 2002

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