Marie of Brienne
| Marie of Brienne | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Latin Empress consort | |
| Tenure | 1234–1261 |
| Born | April 1225 Capua |
| Died | after 5 May 1275 in Italy |
| Burial | Assisi |
| Spouse | Baldwin II of Constantinople |
| Issue |
Philip of Courtenay Artesia XIV. |
| House |
House of Brienne Capetian House of Courtenay |
| Father | John of Brienne, Latin Emperor |
| Mother | Berengaria of León |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Marie of Brienne (c. 1225–1275) was the Empress consort of Baldwin II of Courtenay, Latin Emperor of Constantinople. She served as regent of Constantinople during the absence of Baldwin II twice: in 1237-1239, and in 1243-1257.
She was a daughter of John of Brienne and his third wife Berenguela of Leon. Marie was a younger, paternal half-sister of Yolande of Jerusalem. She was also a sister of Alphonso of Brienne.
On 19 April 1229, Marie was betrothed to Baldwin II, junior co-ruler of her father in the throne of the Latin Empire. The marriage was intended to establish a dynastic alliance between the two co-rulers. Marie was at most four-years-old at the time of her betrothal, her parents having married in 1224.
Their marriage took place in 1234. The bride was about nine-years-old, the groom seventeen. By her marriage Marie became the junior co-empress of the Latin Empire. The senior one being her mother. Their marriage was recorded in the chronicle of Alberic of Trois-Fontaines.
In 1236, Constantinople was besieged by the combined forces of Ivan Asen II of Bulgaria and John III Doukas Vatatzes of the Empire of Nicaea. The city was only defended by its small garrison of knights, the fleet of the Republic of Venice and a minor force sent by Geoffrey II of Villehardouin, Prince of Achaea to reinforce the defense. The city was only spared conquest because of a quarrel between the two allies over who would receive command of the city in the event of a success. John V.A. Fine has suggested that Ivan Asen realised the greater threat posed to the Second Bulgarian Empire by the expansion of Nicaea rather than the weakened Latin Empire.
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