Theresa of Portugal, Countess of Flanders

Theresa of Portugal
Teresa in Genealogy of the Kings of Portugal (António de Holanda, 1530–1534)
Countess consort of Flanders
Tenure	1183–1191
Duchess consort of Burgundy
Tenure	1194–1195
Born	c. 1157 Coimbra, Kingdom of Portugal
Died	6 May 1218 (aged 60–61) Veurne, Flanders
Burial	Clairvaux Abbey, Aube
Spouse	Philip I, Count of Flanders Odo III, Duke of Burgundy
House	Burgundy
Father	Afonso I of Portugal
Mother	Maud of Savoy
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Infanta Theresa of Portugal (Coimbra, c. 1157; – Veurne, May 6, 1218; Portuguese pronunciation: [tɨˈɾezɐ] or [ˈtɾezɐ]), was a Portuguese infanta (princess), being the third daughter of Portuguese 1st King Afonso Henriques and Maud of Savoy. She was a countess consort of Flanders and a duchess consort of Burgundy by marriage.

Biography

Around 1183 she married Philip of Alsace, Count of Flanders, becoming Countess consort of Flanders. Because of the difficulty of pronouncing her name, she changed it to Matilde (Matilda or Mahaut). She has been reported to be Afonso I of Portugal's favourite daughter. In a work by Portuguese historian Maria Roma, she is described as beautiful and as a "prideful woman with a vyril energy", of the fibre of her grandmother Theresa, Countess of Portugal.

Countess of Flanders

Her marriage was celebrated (in the Tournai Cathedral, Bruges) after the death of Elisabeth of Vermandois, first wife of Philip, who hadn't given him any children, and was because Philip needed an heir so that his county wouldn't fall into French hands. For its part, Portugal, a new-born country, managed to secure an important alliance with Flanders, and European recognition. Theresa brought a considerable dowry, something that helped Philip manage his war with France for a couple of more years, before making peace in 1186. A reasonable number of Portuguese immigrants (mainly merchants) also went to Flanders with the infanta.

Matilda lived in one of the most luxurious royal courts of Europe, in which Philip patronized Chrétien de Troyes, author of a famous cycle of Arthurian stories and one of the fathers of the Holy Grail theme in literature. However, like Elisabeth of Vermandois, Matilda never gave birth, and after Philip's death, the county went to his sister Margaret I, Countess of Flanders.

Duchess of Burgundy

After Philip's death in August 1191, she would marry again, this time to Odo III, Duke of Burgundy, in 1193. Her second marriage produced no children, and so, she ended up being repudiated by the Duke, so that he could marry Alice of Vergy. She returned to Flanders and would be instrumental in arranging the marriage of her nephew Ferdinand to her first husband's grandniece Joan. She died when her carriage accidentally fell into a marsh near Veurne where she drowned.

She is celebrated in Bruges every year.

Ancestors

Ancestors of Theresa of Portugal, Countess of Flanders

16. Robert I, Duke of Burgundy               8. Henry of Burgundy                       17. Helie of Semur               4. Henry, Count of Portugal                             2. Afonso I of Portugal                                   20. Ferdinand I of León and Castile               10. Alfonso VI of León and Castile                       21. Sancha of León               5. Theresa, Countess of Portugal                             11. Jimena Muñoz                       1. Theresa of Portugal                                         24. Amadeus II, Count of Savoy               12. Humbert II, Count of Savoy                       25. Joan of Geneva               6. Amadeus III, Count of Savoy                             26. William I, Count of Burgundy               13. Gisela of Burgundy                       27. Stephanie               3. Maud of Savoy                                   28. Guigues II of Albon               14. Guigues III of Albon                       29. Adelaide of Royans               7. Mahaut of Albon                             15. Mahaut of Albon