Theobald III, Count of Blois
Theobald III of Blois (French:
Thibaut) (
1012 –
1089) was count of
Blois,
Meaux and
Troyes. He was son of
Odo II of Blois and
Ermengarde of Auvergne.
Theobald inherited amongst others the counties of Blois,
Tours,
Chartres.
Chateaudun and
Sancerre, and also in
Champagne:
Chateau-Thierry,
Provins and
St. Florentin. His brother
Stephen inherited the counties of Meaux, Troyes and
Vitry.
Theobald conspired against the king of France
Henry I, was beaten in
1044 and had to give up the county of Tours to regain his freedom. From then on the centre of power for the House of Blois moved to Champagne. Theobald found ways to become close to the royal court again and gain infuence. He got the title of Count Palatine, which his father had used before. He used this influence to get control over his brother's possessions in Champagne that were inherited by his minor nephew
Odo III. Odo later joined the army of
William the Conqueror, participated in the
battle of Hastings, married a sister of William and became
count of Aumale and Holderness.
Theobald had a position of considerable power, that increased when he married the daughter of Raoul de Valois. From
1074 onward, he left his son
Henry in control of Blois, Chateaudun and Chartres.
Theobald's first wife
Gersende of Main, daughter of
Herbert of Maine,
Count of Maine, bore him one child:#
Henry, who adopted the name of Stephen.His second wife Adèle of Valois, daughter of
Raoul II of Valois and Adélaide of Bar sur Aube, bore 3 children:#Philip, who became bishop of
Chalons.#
Odo, who inherited possessions in Champagne (Troyes). He died in 1093, leaving the possessions to his brother Hugh.#
Hugh, who became the first to be called count of Champagne.
