Adeliza of Louvain

Adeliza of Louvain, born in 1103, was a significant figure in English history, serving as Queen of England from 1121 to 1135 as the second wife of King Henry I. The daughter of Godfrey I, Count of Louvain, and Ida of Chiny, she married Henry when she was about eighteen years old, while he was around fifty-four. This union followed the tragic death of Henry's only legitimate son, William Adelin, in 1120, prompting the king to seek a new wife in hopes of having another heir.

Although their marriage was marked by a shared interest in the arts, particularly the promotion of French poetry at court, it did not produce any children. Despite this, Adeliza played a supportive role in the royal family, pledging her allegiance to her stepdaughter, Empress Matilda, during the latter's struggle against Henry's nephew, Stephen of Blois, who claimed the throne after Henry's death in 1135.

After Henry's passing, Adeliza became queen dowager and chose to live in a convent for three years. In 1138, she remarried William d'Aubigny, the 1st Earl of Arundel, with whom she had seven children. However, in 1150, she left her husband to reside at the Affligem Abbey in Brabant, where she ultimately passed away the following year.