Beatrice of England
| Beatrice of England | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Countess of Richmond | |
| Tenure | 1268–1275 |
| Born | 24 June 1242 Bordeaux, France |
| Died | 24 March 1275 (aged 32) London, England |
| Burial | Grey Friars Church, London |
| Spouse | John II, Duke of Brittany |
| Issue |
Arthur II, Duke of Brittany John, 1st Earl of Richmond Marie, Countess of Saint Pol Blanche, Countess of Artois Eleanor of Brittany, Abbess of Fontevrault |
| House | Plantagenet |
| Father | Henry III of Winchester, King of England |
| Mother | Eleanor of Provence |
Beatrice of England (24 June 1242 – 24 March 1275), also known as Beatrice de Dreux, was a Princess of England as the daughter of King Henry III of England and Eleanor of Provence. Her siblings were Edward I of England, Margaret, Queen of Scotland, Edmund Crouchback, 1st Earl of Lancaster, Richard of England, John of England, Katherine of England, William of England, and Henry of England. She and her family were members of the Royal house of Plantagenet, which first ruled in the 12th century and was founded by Henry II of England.
Beatrice was the second eldest daughter of King Henry III of England and Eleanor of Provence. According to Matthew Paris, she was born in Bordeaux, France on the Nativity of St. John the Baptist (24 June). Beatrice's childhood was plagued by tragedy, and the stresses of her father's reign coupled with her mother's unpopularity with the English people.
Her oldest brother Edward became dangerously ill when she was very young. Though he recovered, Beatrice's youngest sister Katharine died at a very young age leaving Beatrice's parents grief-stricken. Katharine, who possibly had a degenerative disease that had caused her to become deaf, died at the age of three.
The English were unhappy with King Henry III owing to the influence that Eleanor and her Savoyard kinsmen exercised on the monarchy, and the Barons demanded more power. In 1263, Eleanor was sailing on a barge that was attacked by London citizens. This harsh, bitter dislike created several problems for Henry III and his family. On the other hand, Eleanor and Henry enjoyed a happy marriage, and Beatrice grew up in a loving environment, close to her siblings.
At one point, Henry conducted negotiations for Beatrice to marry the king of France and also rejected a proposal that she should wed the son of the King of Norway. When she was eighteen she married John de Dreux, heir to the duchy of Brittany. It was a love match. Beatrice later changed her name to Beatrice de Dreux, and she and John II had six children:
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