Constance of Arles

Constance of Arles
14th-century depiction of Constance surrendering to her son Henry I of France.
Queen consort of the Franks
Tenure	1001–1031
Born	c. 986 Arles, France
Died	28 July 1032 Melun, France
Burial	Saint Denis Basilica, Paris, France
Spouse	Robert II of France
Issue	Hugh Magnus of France Henry I of France Adela of France, Countess of Flanders Robert I, Duke of Burgundy
House	House of Capet
Father	William I, Count of Provence
Mother	Adelaide-Blanche of Anjou

Constance of Arles (c. 986 – 28 July 1032), also known as Constance of Provence, was a queen consort of France as the third spouse of King Robert II of France.

Born c. 986 Constance was the daughter of William I, count of Provence and Adelaide-Blanche of Anjou, daughter of Fulk II of Anjou. She was the half-sister of Count William II of Provence. Constance was married to King Robert, after his divorce from his second wife, Bertha of Burgundy. The marriage was stormy; Bertha's family opposed her, and Constance was despised for importing her Provençal kinfolk and customs. Robert's friend, Hugh of Beauvais, tried to convince the king to repudiate her in 1007. Possibly at her request twelve knights of her kinsman, Fulk Nerra, then murdered Beauvais.

In 1010 Robert went to Rome, followed by his former wife Bertha, to seek permission to divorce Constance and remarry Bertha. Pope Sergius IV was not about to allow a consanguineous marriage which had been formally condemned by Pope Gregory V and Robert had already repudiated two wives. So the request was denied. After his return according to one source Robert "loved his wife more."

In the famous trial in 1022 of members of the clergy, including Constance's previous confessor Stephen, on charges of heresy Robert had his wife Queen Constance stand at the door to prevent any mob violence. However, as the condemned clerics left the trial the queen "struck out the eye of Stephen... with the staff which she carried". This was seen as Constance venting her frustration at anyone subverting the prestige of the crown.

At Constance's urging, her eldest son Hugh Magnus was crowned co-king alongside his father in 1017. But later Hugh demanded his parents share power with him, and rebelled against his father in 1025. Constance, however, on learning of her son's rebellion was furious with him, rebuking him at every turn. At some point Hugh was reconciled with his parents but shortly thereafter died, probably about age eighteen.