feudatory
Count of Boulogne
Matthew of Alsace was the count of Boulogne from 1160. A second son of Count Thierry of Flanders, Matthew was selected by his cousin King Henry II of England to marry Mary of Blois, heiress to Boulogne, Lens, and Mortain as well as vast estates in England. Because Mary was an abbess, the marriage was opposed by the Church and led to Matthew's excommunication. As Henry refused to cede Mortain, Matthew allied with King Louis VII of France against him. He finally separated from Mary in 1170, but continued to rule Boulogne in the name of their daughters, Ida and Matilda. The following year, he married Eleanor of Vermandois. In 1173, he allied with Henry's son Henry the Young King and together with his brother Count Philip I of Flanders invaded Normandy, where he was mortally wounded.
In the Arcade
Studio characters
On-theme arcade editions starring the Matthew of Alsace parody.