BEATRICE OF PROVENCE

'Beatrice of Provence' (1231 – 23 September 1267, Nocera) was the first wife and Queen of Charles I of Sicily.
The youngest daughter of Raymond Berenguer IV of Provence and Beatrice of Savoy, Beatrice was married in 1246 to Charles of France, Count of Anjou and Maine, the youngest brother of King Louis IX of France.
Raymond Berenguer, the Count of Provence and Forcalquier, had four daughters, but no sons. Of his daughters, apart from Beatrice, the eldest, Marguerite, had married King Louis and was Queen of France; the second, Eleanor, had married King Henry III of England, and the third, Sanchia, had married the wealthy Richard, Earl of Cornwall, brother of King Henry. Louis had originally been married to Marguerite by his mother, Blanche of Castile, in the belief that he would inherit Provence and Forcalquier; however, Raymond Berenguer decided to bequeath them instead to Charles, whom he viewed as having the least prospects.
Charles and Beatrice had the following children:

★ Louis (1248-1248)

★ Blanche (1250-1269), married in 1265 Robert III of Flanders (1249-1322)

★ Beatrice (1252-1275), married in 1273 Philip of Courtenay (1243-1283), titular emperor of Constantinople

★ Charles II of Naples (1254-1309), Count of Anjou and of Provence, King of Naples

★ Philippe (1256-1277), prince of Achaïea, married in 1271 Isabella of Villehardouin (1263-1312), princess of Achaïea and Morea

★ Robert (1258-1265)

★ Élisabeth (1261-1300), married to Ladislaus IV of Hungary (1262-1290)
Beatrice, like her sister Sanchia, would eventually become a Queen before her death: Sancha became 'Queen of the Romans' after the Earl of Cornwall was elected as King; Beatrice became Queen consort of Sicily, after that realm was bestowed upon Charles by the Pope.

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