She was married twice, to wealthy men and into wealthy families in England. Her descendants went on to become royal members of society in England and Scotland. She was a third daughter of her parents. Her mother was descended from Charlemagne. Her father was a great-grandson of Charlemagne and a son of Bermard of Italy. He was also a younger brother of Philip I of France. Elizabeth, by birth, was related to most of the royal families of Europe.
When she was VERY young, probably 10 or 11, she married Robert de Beaumont, who was 35 years older than she was. He had fought at the Battle of Hastings when he was very young himself...probably only 16. His parents died before his date of maturity and Robert became a close companion of William the Conqueror, who looked after his interests. Thus, with his father dead, the young Robert inherited his father's lands in Normandy as well as some in England.
Apparently Elizabeth agreed to this marriage and it seemed a happy one (...insert eye roll here...) Together they had several children, including twins. Another child of this union was a daughter, Isabel de Beaumont, who became a mistress of Henry II. This child was Richard "Strongbow" de Clare, the 2nd Earl of Pembroke. She actually had her first child when she was about 14 years old.
At some point in this marriage, Elizabeth became...uh...should we say "tired" of her aging husband. A much younger gentleman, William de Warenne, caught her eye. In 1115, she fell in love with him which resulted in the separation and end of her marriage to Robert. Then Robert, humiliated and shamed by his wife's behavior died, leaving his properties to his two elder sons. Elizabeth thus married William and had several children by him. I believe, at one point, that between the two men, she had 14 children...I'll have to research this number. That was the number which I've seen... Believe me, she was ONE busy woman!!!!
Unfortunately, there are no biographies of this amazing woman. Frankly, I'm surprised. She certainly was ahead of her time and I have a feeling that she would fit right into today's busy-paced society!
Here's a couple of links for you to follow and read more about her:
Geni (this actually has a short biography of her) and I wish to thank those who maintain her site there.
http://www.geni.com/people/Isabel-Elizabeth-de-Vermandois-Countess/6000000005861973018
And, here is info about her from Geni:
Isabella Elizabeth de Vermandois, Countess of Leicester
Place of Burial: | Priory of Lewes, Lewes, East Sussex, England, UK |
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Birth: | circa 1085 Valois, Picardy, West Francia, France |
Death: | February 13, 1131 (46) Saint-Nicaise, Val-de-Saâne, Upper-Normandy, France |
Immediate Family: |
Daughter of Hugues Magnus, comte de Vermandois and Adelaide, Countess of Vermandois
Wife of Robert Bacon of Bilemont; William II de Warenne, 2nd Earl Of Surrey and Robert de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Leicester, Comte de Meulan Mother of Henry I (King of England); Ella De Warenne; Reginald Renaud Rainald de Warenne, II; Gundred de Warenne, Countess of Warwick; William III de Warenne, Earl of Surrey and 14 others Sister of Mathilde de Vermandois; Henri de Vermandois, Seigneur de Chaumont-en-Vexin; Beatrice de Vermandois; Constance de Vermandois; Agnès de Vermandois and 4 others Half sister of Marguerite de Clermont |
Here's another link to more info about her:
And, here's a picture of her pedigree:
Here are a couple of photos of Pembroke Castle:
She is my 25th great grandmother.
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