Constance of Castile 1141 - 1160

Known for: marrying Louis VII shortly after he divorced Eleanor of Aquitaine; mother of Alys de France, betrothed to Richard I of England and reportedly a mistress of Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine's husband

Dates: around 1138-1141 to October 4, 1160

Occupation: queen consort to Louis VII of France

Not to be confused with another Constance of Castile, married to John of Gaunt, first Duke of Lancaster

• Mother: Berenguela of Barcelona
• Father: Alphonse VII, king of Galicia, Leon and Castile

Marriage, Children:

• husband: Louis VII of France (married 1154)
• children:
  • Marguerite of France, married
    1. married Henry the Young King of England (Eleanor of Aquitaine's son)
    2. married Bela III of Hungary
  • Alys de France
    1. betrothed to Richard I of England (another of Eleanor of Aquitaine's sons)
       - reportedly a mistress of Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine's husband
    2. William IV of Ponthieu

Constance of Castile is among the many royal women of history known primarily for their marriages, often representing political alliances or a desire for male heirs or both, and their children.

Louis VII of France had divorced Eleanor of Aquitaine, by whom he had two daughters, Marie of France and Alix of France. The grounds for the divorce were consanguinity, but Constance of Castile was more closely related to Louis than Eleanor had been.

Constance of Castile promptly gave Louis two daughters, dying in childbirth after the second child.

Louis VII, now with four daughters and living under Salic law, remarried five weeks after Constance died, still hoping for a male heir.

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