Constance Guiscard 1
Another name for Constance was Constance of Antioch. General Notes: Constance Guiscard was the only daughter of Bohemund II of Antioch by his wife Alice, princess of Jerusalem. She became princess of Antioch with only four years old, under the regency of Baldwin II of Jerusalem (1130-1131) and Fulk of Jerusalem (1131-1136). Her mother Alice did not want the principality to pass to Constance, preferring to rule in her own name. Alice attempted to ally with the Muslim atabeg of Mosul, Zengi, offering to marry Constance to a Muslim prince, but the plan was foiled by Alice's father Baldwin, who exiled her from Antioch. In 1135 Alice attempted once again to take control of the principality, and sought a husband for Constance in Manuel Comnenus, at that time the heir to the Byzantine throne. Fulk exiled her again and re-established the regency for Constance. In 1136, while still a child, Constance was married to Raymond of Poitiers, whom the noble supporters of the regency had secretly summoned from Europe; Alice was tricked into believing Raymond was going to marry her, and, humiliated, left Antioch for good when the marriage was performed. From this union three children were born: Noted events in her life were: • She was a ruler from 1130 to 1163 in the principality of Antioch. Constance married Raymond of Antioch, son of William IX the Troubador of Aquitaine and Mathilde-Philippa of Toulouse, in 1136. (Raymond of Antioch was born in 1099 and died on 27 Jun 1149.) The cause of his death was killed in the battle of Inab. Constance next married Raynald of Châtillon in 1153. (Raynald of Châtillon died on 4 Jul 1187.) |