Beatrice of England

Beatrice of England (25 June 1242 – 24 March 1275) was a member of the House of Plantagenet, the daughter of Henry III of England and Eleanor of Provence. Childhood Born 25 June 1242, Beatrice was the second-eldest daughter of King Henry III of England and Eleanor of Provence. Beatrice's childhood was plagued by tragedy, and by the stresses of her father's reign coupled with her mother's unpopularity with the English people. Her oldest brother Edward became dangerously ill when she was very young, though he recovered. However, their youngest sister Katherine, who possibly had a degenerative disease which caused her to become deaf, died at the age of three, leaving Beatrice's parents grief-stricken. The English were unhappy with King Henry III owing to the influence that Eleanor and her Savoyard kinsmen exercised on the monarchy, and the barons demanded more power. In 1263, Eleanor was sailing on a barge that was attacked by London citizens. This harsh, bitter dislike created several problems for Henry III and his family. On the other hand, Eleanor and Henry enjoyed a happy marriage, and Beatrice grew up in a loving environment, close to her siblings.