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Adela of Normandy, Countess of Blois
1062 - 1137

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• Suffix	Countess of Blois
  Birth	1062	Normandy, France
  Gender	Female
  Died	8 Mar 1137	Marcigny-sur-, Loire, France
  Buried	Holy Trinity Abbey, Caen, Normandy, France
  Person ID	I952	Descendants of William I
  Last Modified	27 May 2007

  
  

  Father	William I "The Conqueror" Conqueror, King of England,   b. 14 Oct 1024, Falaise, Normandy, France ,   d. 9 Sep 1087, Priory of St. Gervais near Rouen
  Mother	Matilda Flanders, of Flanders,   b. 1032, Flanders France ,   d. 2 Nov 1083, Caen, Normandy, France
  Married	1053	Cathedral of Notre Dame d'Eu, Normandy
  Family ID	F42791	Group Sheet

  
  

  Family 1	Henry of Blois, Count of Blois,   b. Abt 1045, Blois, Loire-et-Cher, France ,   d. 19 May 1102, Ramula, Holy Land
  Married	Abt 1081	Chartres Cathedral, France
  Children	> 1. William de Champagne, Count of Chartes,   b. Abt 1086, Blois, Loire-et-Cher, France ,   d. 1150   2. Matilda of Blois,   b. Abt 1090, Blois, Loire-et-Cher, France ,   d. 25 Nov 1120, Drowned in the White Ship > 3. Theobald III of Blois, Count of Blois 4,   b. 1093, Blois, Loire-et-Cher, France ,   d. 10 Jan 1152   4. Humbert of Blois, Count of Virtus,   b. Abt 1094, Blois, Loire-et-Cher, France   5. Etienne Blois,   b. Abt 1095,   d. 25 Oct 1154 > 6. Stephen of Blois, King of England,   b. 1096, Blois, Loire-et-Cher, France ,   d. 25 Oct 1154, Citadel at Dover   7. Lithiuse of Blois,   b. Abt 1098, Blois, Loire-et-Cher, France ,   d. 1118   8. Alice of Blois,   b. Abt 1100, Blois, Loire-et-Cher, France ,   d. Abt 1145   9. Henry of Winchester, Bishop of Winchester,   b. Abt 1101/1102, Blois, Loire-et-Cher, France ,   d. 6 Aug 1171, Winchester, Hampshire, England   10. Phillip of Châlon, Bishop of Chalon,   d. 1100 > 11. Agnes of Blois > 12. Eleanor of Blois,   b. Abt 1104, Blois, Loire-et-Cher, France ,   d. 14 Oct 1141   13. Emma of Blois,   b. Abt 1106, Blois, Loire-et-Cher, France   14. Odo of Blois,   b. 1107, Blois, Loire-et-Cher, France ,   d. 1107, Blois, Loire-et-Cher, France
  Family ID	F883	Group Sheet

  
  

  Family 2	Stephen Henry II (Etienne Henri) "The Sage", Count of Blois,   b. Abt 1045, Blois, Loire-et-Cher, France ,   d. 19 May 1102, Ramula, Holy Land
  Married	Abt 1081	Chartres Cathedral, France
  Children	> 1. William de Blois, Count of Chartres,   b. 1086,   d. 1150   2. Matilda (Maud) de Blois,   b. 1086,   d. 25 Nov 1120, Drowned in wreck of the White Ship near Barfleur, Manche, France   3. Agnes de Blois,   b. 1088,   d. 1129 > 4. Eleanor de Blois,   b. 1089,   d. 1147   5. Alice de Blois,   b. 1091, Blois, Loire-et-Cher, France   6. Eudes (Odo) de Blois, Count of Champagne and Brie,   b. Abt 1092 > 7. Theobald Iv de Blois, Count of Blois and Champagne,   b. 2 Apr 1093, Blois, Loire-et-Cher, France ,   d. 8 Jan 1151/1152   8. Humbert de Blois, Count of Virtus,   b. Abt 1094   9. Lithiuse (Adele) de Blois,   b. Abt 1094 > 10. Stephen de Blois, King of England,   b. Abt 1096, Blois, Loire-et-Cher, France ,   d. 25 Oct 1154, Dover Castle, Kent, England   11. Henry de Blois, Bishop of Winchester,   b. Abt 1099,   d. 6 Aug 1171   12. Phillip de Blois, Bishop of Chalon,   d. 1100
  Family ID	F42790	Group Sheet

  
  

• Notes

  Princess ENGLAND, became a Nun at Cluniac Priory in widowhood. Adela of Normandy, daughter of William the Conqueror, was the mother of Stephen, King of England, whose right to the throne derived through her. She was married to Stephen, Count of Meaux en Brie. Upon the death of his father in 1090, her husband succeeded to the counties of Blois and Chartres. She took an active interest in civil and ecclesiastical affairs and was instrumental in rebuilding the cathedral of Chartres in stone. In 1095 Adela became Regent when her husband took part in the first crusade. He had no enthusiasm for this duty but Adela considered that he ought to go, so he went. There was never any nonsense in their household about who made the decisions---she did. Stephen de Blois went together with Adela's brother, Robert, Duke of Normandy. In 1099, Stephen returned to France but was forced by Adela to return to the East to redeem his, according to Adela, 'tarnished' reputation, which he did by being killed in the battle of Ramleh, on 19 May 1102. Adela continued as Regent during the minority of her sons and was increasingly active in public life. Anselm, her guest and teacher in 1097, was often entertained by her during 1103 and 1105. Consequently she affected a temporary reconciliation between him and her brother, King Henry I of England. In 1107 Adela entertained Pope Pascal during Easter and the following year was hostess to Boemund of Antiochia. She made her son Thibaud her successor in 1109 and entered a convent in the diocese of Autun. Here she continued to wield an important influence in public and clerical affairs. She persuaded Thibaut to join her brother, Henri I, against France in 1117 and was a benevolent patroness of churches and monasteries. She died in 1137 and was buried at Caen. Became a Nun at Cluniac Priory in widowhood. GIVEN_NAMES: Also shown as Adela (Adelle) DEATH: Also shown as Died Marcigny-sur-Loire, France.