Theobald III, Count of Champagne

Theobald III. (French: Thibaut; * May 13, 1179 in Troyes, † May 24, 1201 in Troyes ) was a Count of Champagne from the house Blois since 1197. He was the younger son of Count Henry I of Champagne and Marie, the daughter of King Louis VII of France.

Biography

Theobald followed his older brother Henry II as Count of Champagne, as these had died in 1197 in the Kingdom of Jerusalem. In this case, any inheritance of those born in Palestine daughters of Henry were ignored. Initially led Theobalds mother for him the regency, which he took over after her death in 1198 itself. In April this year, he made his uncle, King Philip II fealty and was thus recognized as the rightful Count.

Also in the same year, Pope Innocent III. to a fourth crusade, which should be directed to the Orient against the Muslims. At first it was under the French nobility little enthusiasm for another train to Jerusalem, but when in November 1199 occurred at a tournament at Theobalds Court to Écry the preacher Fulk of Neuilly, many took from them the cross and elected Theobald their leader. He still joined his cousin, Count Louis of Blois and Count Baldwin IX. of at Flanders. The three counts decided to appoint two delegates (including Godfrey of Villehardouin and Conon de Béthune ) to Italy, which should find a suitable harbor there who was willing to provide a crossing of the crusader army to the Holy Land.

Before the train started Theobald died at his residence at Troyes from typhoid. According to his last will, he was buried in the garb of a crusader in the church of Saint -Etienne, Troyes. The leadership of the crusade was transmitted to the Marquis Boniface of Montferrat, not without the help of Theobalds Marshal Geoffrey of Villehardouin.

Theobald married in 1195 in Chartres, the Princess Blanche of Navarre, daughter of King Sancho VI .. A 1200 born daughter died soon after birth. One week after Theobald's death gave birth en Blanka his heirs Theobald IV ( 1201-1253 ). Blanka ruled the county in the next 21 years as regent, in which they had to deal with the Erbansprüchen the daughters of Henry II.