Yolanda of Courtenay

Yolanda of Courtenay, born around the year twelve hundred, emerged as a significant figure in Hungarian history as the second wife of King Andrew II. She was the daughter of Count Peter II of Courtenay and his second wife, Yolanda of Flanders, linking her to the imperial lineage of Constantinople through her maternal relatives, Baldwin I and Henry I.

The marriage between Yolanda and King Andrew II was orchestrated by her uncle, Emperor Henry I, following the tragic murder of Andrew's first wife, Gertrude, in September of twelve thirteen. Their union was celebrated in February of twelve fifteen in Székesfehérvár, where she was crowned queen consort by John, Archbishop of Esztergom. This coronation, however, sparked controversy as Bishop Robert of Veszprém lodged a complaint with Pope Innocent III regarding the traditional privileges of his see.

Yolanda's reign as queen was marked by her active involvement in governance, as evidenced by her correspondence with Pope Honorius III and her authority to grant land to citizens. Following the death of her uncle in July of twelve sixteen, her husband aspired to claim the imperial crown, but the barons of the Latin Empire instead proclaimed her father as emperor.

Throughout her time as queen, Yolanda maintained amicable relations with her husband's children from his previous marriage, showcasing her diplomatic skills. She passed away in June of twelve thirty-three and was laid to rest in the Egres Abbey of the White Monks. Notably, she played a crucial role around the year twelve thirty in arranging the marriage between her niece Matilda and John Angelos, further solidifying her family's influence.