Henry took part in the
Second Crusade under the leadership of
Louis VII of France. He carried a letter of recommendation from
Bernard of Clairvaux addressed to
Manuel I Komnenos,
Byzantine Emperor. He is listed among the notables present at
the assembly held by
Baldwin III of Jerusalem at
Acre on 24 June 1148. On his father's death, Henry chose to take
Champagne, leaving the family's older holdings (including
Blois,
Chartres,
Sancerre, and
Châteaudun) to his younger brothers. At the time this may have been surprising, because the other territories were richer and better developed. Henry must have foreseen the economic possibilities of Champagne, and it is during his rule that the county achieved its high place as one of the richest and strongest of the French principalities. Henry established orderly rule over the nobles of Champagne, and could fairly reliably count on the aid of some 2,000 vassals, which just by itself made him a power few in France could equal. This order in turn made Champagne a safe place for merchants to gather, and under the count's protection, the
Champagne Fairs became a central part of long-distance trade and finance in
medieval Europe. In addition, the count's court in
Troyes became a renowned literary center.
Walter Map was among those who found hospitality there. The scholar
Stephen of Alinerre was among Henry's courtiers, becoming
chancellor of the county in 1176. In 1179, Henry went to
Jerusalem again, with a party of French knights including his relatives
Peter of Courtenay (brother of Louis VII) and
Philip of Dreux,
bishop of Beauvais. He may have assisted to the wedding of his niece,
Agnes, in Constantinople, as she wed
Alexios Komnemos at the same date. Henry returned towards Europe by the land route across Asia Minor, and was captured and held to ransom by
Kilij Arslan II,
Seljuk sultan of
Rüm. The ransom was paid by the Byzantine Emperor. Henry died on 16 March 1181. In 1164, Henry married
Marie of France, daughter of
Louis VII of France and
Eleanor of Aquitaine. They had four children: •
Scholastique of Champagne (died 1219), married William IV of
Mâcon •
Henry II (1166–1197) •
Marie of Champagne (died 1204), married
Baldwin I of Constantinople •
Theobald III of Champagne (1179–1201) Henry built the collegiate church of
Saint-Étienne in Troyes between 1157 and 1171, which he planned as a necropolis for the
House of Blois. He was buried there, as was his son
Theobald III, but most of his descendants were buried elsewhere. He was succeeded by their elder son Henry. ==References==