Alix de Thouars (my 25th grandmother) succeeded her half-brother Arthur Ier de Bretagne (1187-1203) in 1203 as Alix Duchess of Brittany, Countess of Richmond.
She is represented on a stained glass in the “Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres” (Our Lady of Chartres Cathedral), in France, as well as her husband Peter I, her son John I, and her daughter Yolande.
Going to church as a child with my parents and siblings, I was always fascinated by the beauty and bright colors of the « vitraux » (stained glass) in old churches. Realizing years later in my genealogy research that the people represented on those were actually our ancestors was very moving…
Alix de Thouars’ 5th grandmother, Saint Margaret of Scotland (ca 1045-1093) is also represented on a stained glass at St Margaret’s Chapel, Edinburgh Castle, Scotland. A trip to Scotland one of these days would be nice!
(Stained Glass Image of St Margaret, Edinburgh Castle (Douglas Strachan, 1922) Photo: Aaron G. Stock)
Genealogy
From her mother Constance de Bretagne (1151-1201), Alix de Thouars descends from, among many others, William the Conqueror (1027-1087) and his wife Mathilde de Flandres (ca 1031-1083), Henri Ier of England (ca 1068-1135), Malcolm III of Scotland (1031-1093) and his wife Saint Marguerite of Scotland (ca 1045-1093), Hugues Capet (ca 939-996) and his wife Adélaïde of Aquitaine (ca 950-? 1004), Anne de Kiev (ca 1024-ca 1075)…
Alix de Thouars married Pierre Ier de Bretagne (Pierre Mauclerc), grandson of Robert Ier de Dreux and Agnès de Baudément (you’ll find more information about them in my post titled “Brie-Comte-Robert, town of France founded by my ancestor“).
David and I both have direct lineage to Alix de Thouars.
I have a direct line from both her son Jean Ier de Bretagne (1217-1286) and her daughter Yolande de Bretagne (1218-1272). David has direct lineage from her daughter Yolande de Bretagne.
Here is Alix de Thouars on my Geneanet tree.
(FYI: on Geneanet, the little “green circle” indicates my direct lineage with the individuals).
My French Lineage 