Chapter 1 - The origins
This is the chronicle of a family that rose from humble beginnings to become one of the greatest houses of Holy Roman Empire. The first member of the house that is mentioned in the church annals was Arnulf (955-993), count of Westfriesland. Arnulf had a son, Dirk Hierosolymita (985-1035), who obtained the lands from which the family drew its name, Holland. Dirk had a son Floris (1017-1061) who obtained Zeeland for the family. Floris was murdered, leaving his young son Dirk I (1054-1101) to rule the counties of Holland, Westfriesland and Zeeland, as shown on the map below, surrounded by white border:
As Dirk was thrust into rulership at a young age, he was able to accomplish much during his long reign. He took advantage of the many wars fought between the Holy Roman Empire and the then separate kingdom of France, expanding the van Holland lands into Flanders. He also made a daring endeavour to seize the title of duke of Francia from the excommunicated archbishop of Francia. This would have very lasting consequences, as the family is still known as van Hollands of Francia by their primary dukedom. He also found time to go crusading, as the emperor had problems with dealing a decisive blow to the Fatimid kingdom. This was rewarded by Dirk obtaining the brightest jewel of Levant, Alexandria, that has remained a great source of wealth for the family ever since. Dirk had many sons, the eldest of whom, Arnulf I (1071-1117) inherited the realms. Arnulf's reign was quite short and rather uneventful, as he was a sickly man, not amounting to much. Arnulf's heir was Jan I (1087-1149), during whose reign the kingdom of France was incorporated into Holy Roman Empire, while the van Holland domains were expanded into Picardie and also Breda was obtained during internal strifes in Lower Lorraine. While Jan had many sons, he had few grandsons. He was first succeeded by his son Karel I (1106-1159) and then by another of his sons Lambert I (1113-1167). During the reigns of Karel and Lambert, the van Hollands fought England to obtain lands in Normandy. Lambert also led the Aquitanian Crusade against dukes of Poitou, who had renounced christianity and taken up the faith of Islam. The gains from this endeavour are thus far the largest gains made by any single duke. After Lambert, the dukedom passed to Coenraad I (1123-1172), who was quite incompetent ruler and died of sickness after five years of reign. He was succeeded by Floris I (1160-present), the current ruling duke of Francia, Artois, Flanders, Picardie and Poitou. His domains are shown bordered by white on the following map:
The van Holland house also claims many territories as rightfully theirs, as shown with red on the following map:
The van Hollands are a very extended family and in the following tracing we shall concentrate only on branches that are counts or dukes. The branches are ordered in primogeniture order from duke Floris I.
Counts of Westfriesland: This branch was began by Guy (1134-1167), son of duke Jan I. Guy was succeeded by his son Mauger (1162-present), who is also the heir-presumptive for the dukedom itself by virtue of primogeniture.
Counts of Boulogne: This branch was begun by Maertyn (1141-present), also son of duke Jan I. Maertyn is third in the line of succession for the dukedom, after count Mauger of Westfriesland and Mauger's brother Alphonse.
Counts of Arques: This branch was begun by Huughe (1143-present), also son of duke Jan I. Huughe is fifth in the line of succession for the dukedom.
Counts of Guines: This branch was begun by Simon (1091-1136), son of duke Arnulf I. He was succeeded by his son Jan (1120-present).
Counts of Holland: This branch was begun by Arnulf (1097-1166), son of duke Arnulf I. He was succeeded by his madman son Lodewijk (1117-1166) who was locked up in the same year as his father died and was succeeded by his son Floris (1138-present).
Counts of Labourd: First van Holland count of Labourd is Willem (1134-present), who is the son of Reynaerd (1096-1131), who was the son of Jan Dirkszoon (1076-1142), who was the son of duke Dirk I.
Dukes of Normandy: First van Holland duke of Normany was Simon (1123-1172), who was the son of Pieter (1099-1131), who was also son of Jan Dirkszoon. Simon was succeeded by his son Ernst (1142-present).
Counts of Evreux: This branch was begun by Jaecob (1146-present), son of duke Simon of Normandy.
Counts of Poitiers: First van Holland count of Poitiers is Dirk (1139-present), who is the son of Willem (1117-1166), who was the son of Dirk Janszoon (1100-1171), who was the son of Jan Dirkszoon.
Counts of Saintonge: First van Holland count of Saintonge is Boudewijn (1127-present), who is the son of Dirk Janszoon.
Counts of Agen: First van Holland count of Agen is Eduard (1146-present), who is the son of Karel (1125-1170), who was the son of Arnulf Janszoon (1108-1157), who was the son of Jan Dirkszoon.
Counts of Amiens: Current line of van Holland counts of Amiens was begun by Boudewijn (1126-present), who is the son of Arnulf Janszoon.
Counts of Tourraine: First van Holland count of Tourraine is Floris (1145-present), who is the son of Reynaerd Arnulfszoon (1127-present), who is the son of Arnulf Janszoon.
Counts of Angouleme: First van Holland count of Angouleme is Dirk (1146-present), who is also the son of Reynaerd Arnulfszoon.
Counts of Lusignan: First van Holland count of Lusignan is Antoon (1129-present), who is the son of Pawel (1112-present), who is the son of Ziemowit (1094-1153), who was the son of duke Dirk I.
Addendum: Bold letters indicate the first appearance of a name in the document. Duke is to be assumed to indicate the dukes of Francia, unless otherwise clearly stated in the context. Numbering for the dukes of Francia begins from Dirk I, the first duke, ie previous numberings for counts of Holland are disregarded.
Compiled by Lambert van Holland, at the request of duke Floris I, in Gent, anno domini 1177.
This is the chronicle of a family that rose from humble beginnings to become one of the greatest houses of Holy Roman Empire. The first member of the house that is mentioned in the church annals was Arnulf (955-993), count of Westfriesland. Arnulf had a son, Dirk Hierosolymita (985-1035), who obtained the lands from which the family drew its name, Holland. Dirk had a son Floris (1017-1061) who obtained Zeeland for the family. Floris was murdered, leaving his young son Dirk I (1054-1101) to rule the counties of Holland, Westfriesland and Zeeland, as shown on the map below, surrounded by white border:
As Dirk was thrust into rulership at a young age, he was able to accomplish much during his long reign. He took advantage of the many wars fought between the Holy Roman Empire and the then separate kingdom of France, expanding the van Holland lands into Flanders. He also made a daring endeavour to seize the title of duke of Francia from the excommunicated archbishop of Francia. This would have very lasting consequences, as the family is still known as van Hollands of Francia by their primary dukedom. He also found time to go crusading, as the emperor had problems with dealing a decisive blow to the Fatimid kingdom. This was rewarded by Dirk obtaining the brightest jewel of Levant, Alexandria, that has remained a great source of wealth for the family ever since. Dirk had many sons, the eldest of whom, Arnulf I (1071-1117) inherited the realms. Arnulf's reign was quite short and rather uneventful, as he was a sickly man, not amounting to much. Arnulf's heir was Jan I (1087-1149), during whose reign the kingdom of France was incorporated into Holy Roman Empire, while the van Holland domains were expanded into Picardie and also Breda was obtained during internal strifes in Lower Lorraine. While Jan had many sons, he had few grandsons. He was first succeeded by his son Karel I (1106-1159) and then by another of his sons Lambert I (1113-1167). During the reigns of Karel and Lambert, the van Hollands fought England to obtain lands in Normandy. Lambert also led the Aquitanian Crusade against dukes of Poitou, who had renounced christianity and taken up the faith of Islam. The gains from this endeavour are thus far the largest gains made by any single duke. After Lambert, the dukedom passed to Coenraad I (1123-1172), who was quite incompetent ruler and died of sickness after five years of reign. He was succeeded by Floris I (1160-present), the current ruling duke of Francia, Artois, Flanders, Picardie and Poitou. His domains are shown bordered by white on the following map:
The van Holland house also claims many territories as rightfully theirs, as shown with red on the following map:
The van Hollands are a very extended family and in the following tracing we shall concentrate only on branches that are counts or dukes. The branches are ordered in primogeniture order from duke Floris I.
Counts of Westfriesland: This branch was began by Guy (1134-1167), son of duke Jan I. Guy was succeeded by his son Mauger (1162-present), who is also the heir-presumptive for the dukedom itself by virtue of primogeniture.
Counts of Boulogne: This branch was begun by Maertyn (1141-present), also son of duke Jan I. Maertyn is third in the line of succession for the dukedom, after count Mauger of Westfriesland and Mauger's brother Alphonse.
Counts of Arques: This branch was begun by Huughe (1143-present), also son of duke Jan I. Huughe is fifth in the line of succession for the dukedom.
Counts of Guines: This branch was begun by Simon (1091-1136), son of duke Arnulf I. He was succeeded by his son Jan (1120-present).
Counts of Holland: This branch was begun by Arnulf (1097-1166), son of duke Arnulf I. He was succeeded by his madman son Lodewijk (1117-1166) who was locked up in the same year as his father died and was succeeded by his son Floris (1138-present).
Counts of Labourd: First van Holland count of Labourd is Willem (1134-present), who is the son of Reynaerd (1096-1131), who was the son of Jan Dirkszoon (1076-1142), who was the son of duke Dirk I.
Dukes of Normandy: First van Holland duke of Normany was Simon (1123-1172), who was the son of Pieter (1099-1131), who was also son of Jan Dirkszoon. Simon was succeeded by his son Ernst (1142-present).
Counts of Evreux: This branch was begun by Jaecob (1146-present), son of duke Simon of Normandy.
Counts of Poitiers: First van Holland count of Poitiers is Dirk (1139-present), who is the son of Willem (1117-1166), who was the son of Dirk Janszoon (1100-1171), who was the son of Jan Dirkszoon.
Counts of Saintonge: First van Holland count of Saintonge is Boudewijn (1127-present), who is the son of Dirk Janszoon.
Counts of Agen: First van Holland count of Agen is Eduard (1146-present), who is the son of Karel (1125-1170), who was the son of Arnulf Janszoon (1108-1157), who was the son of Jan Dirkszoon.
Counts of Amiens: Current line of van Holland counts of Amiens was begun by Boudewijn (1126-present), who is the son of Arnulf Janszoon.
Counts of Tourraine: First van Holland count of Tourraine is Floris (1145-present), who is the son of Reynaerd Arnulfszoon (1127-present), who is the son of Arnulf Janszoon.
Counts of Angouleme: First van Holland count of Angouleme is Dirk (1146-present), who is also the son of Reynaerd Arnulfszoon.
Counts of Lusignan: First van Holland count of Lusignan is Antoon (1129-present), who is the son of Pawel (1112-present), who is the son of Ziemowit (1094-1153), who was the son of duke Dirk I.
Addendum: Bold letters indicate the first appearance of a name in the document. Duke is to be assumed to indicate the dukes of Francia, unless otherwise clearly stated in the context. Numbering for the dukes of Francia begins from Dirk I, the first duke, ie previous numberings for counts of Holland are disregarded.
Compiled by Lambert van Holland, at the request of duke Floris I, in Gent, anno domini 1177.
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