Alix I of Arendaal

Alix I of Arendaal ("Alix the Beautiful" "The Rose of the North") (1060 - 1141) was the Co-Ruler of Arendaal with her husband King Niklaas II of Arendaal between 1090 and her death in 1114 (Niklaas would continue to rule until he died in 1121). As such she was both Queen Regent and Queen Consort for over two decades.

She was among the most influential and powerful women in the History of Arendaal, considered a pioneer of feminism, because of the laws she passed, increasing the rights of women. As a result of Leonor's efforts, the status of women in the the Aren Kingdom was elevated far above that of women in the rest of Europe. She was also one of the few medieval women to have been a respected military strategist in her own right. The joint efforts of herself and her husband X as military commander gained Arendaal the advantage in their war with XX. As a legislator she did much to protect the poorest and most vulnerable members of society. Most notably, she expanded the rights of women in divorce and property ownership, instituted the death penalty for rape, forbade exposure of unwanted infants, gave mothers relatively far-reaching guardianship rights over their children, and forbade the ostracization of a wife who committed adultery or of prostitutes who wished to renounce their profession. Leonor is also one of the few medieval women to be remembered for her military accomplishments. Alongside her husband, regarded as perhaps the greatest military mind of the middle ages, Leonor was responsible for the policies and battle plans that turned the tide in the war against x.

The reign of Niklaas II and Alix was a unique one in Aren history. The young Princess married the Duke of Stockholm in 1180 at the age of 15. Unusually for the time, it was a love match. Some years later, as her brother King Bjorn II had no surviving issue with his wife x, Alix should have been named his heir. Instead, Bjorn decreed that Niklaas, as his chief military commander, would succeed him. Although he was meant to rule jointly with Alix, political power seems to have rested mostly in his hands throughout his reign and certainly it is he who is credited with ending the war between x and Arendaal. As Queen, Alix acted as a kind of chief advisor to her husband. Bjorn’s actions are credited to the heightened militant atmosphere of the period when Arendaal was engaged in a prolonged and brutal war with x. Historians have argued that Alix herself did not wish to rule alone, given that she never contested her brother’s decision.

Alix was famed for her beauty throughout Europe, hailed as the “Rose of the North” or the “Helen of Troy” of the Middle Ages, called the “most beautiful woman in the world”. Though the claim is not unusual for a medieval Queen, the sheer scale of praise lavished on Alix suggests that she was considered exceptionally attractive. Contemporary critics painted her as a beautiful but vain Queen lacking the political skill to rule. Others suggests that in many respects she resembled her formidable mother, Queen Leonor I, who was celebrated for her brilliant mind. Certainly Alix’s intellect was respected by her dotting husband, who consulted his Queen on virtually every significant matter of state during his reign.

In many respects Alix remains the most enigmatic of Aren monarchs. Her influence has been debated hotly by historians, with some claiming that she cannot be considered more than a consort whereas others credit her as being a co-ruler in her own right. She and Niklaas appear to have been exceptionally happy in their marriage, there remains no record of the King ever having a mistress and his decrees and court records repeatedly make reference to his affection for the Queen. He established and dedicated the famous Queen’s college at Sylnarsson University Emyn Arnen to his wife with his declaration reading “for the glory of our most beloved Queen, for whose sake the very sun does shine.”

Family, Marriage and Children
Alix I married Niklaas, Grand Duke of Stockholm (later Niklaas II) at the age of 15 in 1080. Their children included:
 * Ragnvald II of Arendaal (1091 - 1140) - who succeeded his parents as King of Arendaal in 1121
 * Eleonora of Arendaal, Queen of Belmont (b. 1085) - Consort of King Philippe V of Belmont
 * Inga of Arendaal, Empress of the Talemantine Empire (b. 1096) - Consort of Emperor Luciano II of the Talemantine Empire (Luciano II Porphyrogenitus)

Siblings

 * Bjorn II of Arendaal (1059 - 1090) - Alix I's brother and predecessor on the throne
 * Kaisa of Arendaal, Countess of Schlesitz (b. 1066) - Alix I's sister. Consort of Knut Knýtling, founder of the House of Knýtling
 * Eliska of Arendaal, Holy Germanic Empress (b.1067) - Alix I's sister. Consort of Emperor Heinrich III von Schwaben

Other Royal Relations

 * Isabelle of Franken, Queen of Arendaal - Alix I's daughter-in-law
 * Sven II of Arendaal - Alix I's uncle
 * Sibylla I of Arendaal - Alix I's granddaughter
 * Eliska of Arendaal, Queen of Montelimar - Alix I's greataunt. Consort of Philipe I of Montelimar
 * Vanja of Arendaal, Duchess of Franken - Alix I's greataunt. Consort of Uwe II von Franken
 * Sigrid of Arendaal, Queen of Éireann - Alix I's great-greataunt. Consort of King Donnchad mac Máel Uí Néill of Éireann

Ancestors
's ancestors in three generations: