Histoire du Comté de Hainaut(english)
Baudouin de Flandre, Comte de Hainaut(1030-1085)
(At the end of his life- Duc de Flandre, Comte de Brugge, Comte de Gens and Comte de Hainaut.)
Early life
Baudouin de Flandre son of Baudouin de Flandre and Audele Capet was born in the year 1030. He received a martial education like most children of those times. He was trained to use every weapon of war. After some years it was evident that the young Baudouin prefered to lead people than to fight himself. Even though this seemed like lazyness he became a very good tactician. At the age of fifteen, he was married with Richilde de Lorraine. To celebrate his wedding, his father, Duc de Flandre, gave his son a small piece of land. Baudouin thus became Comte de Hainaut. In 1052, Baudouin de Flandre, Comte de Hainaut, sick of Henri Capet, Roi de France, pledged alliegance to the Duc de Lorraine thus breaking his alliegance to his own father Baudouin de Flandre, Duc de Flandre. By 1067, Baudouin de Flandre, Comte de Hainaut, had three children: two sons Arnolph(11 years old) and Baudouin(10y) and a daughter Agnes(8y).
Territorial fights
During his reign, Baudouin had many ennemies and arguments with his neighbours. Some of these were prestigious men like the Duc du Luxembourg, Konrad von Luxembourg, Herbert de Vermandois Duc de Valois or even the Bishop of Sticht, Willem von Sticht. The last one accusating Baudouin of Heresy in front of his liege (which did nothing to defend Baudouin). During many years those rivals claimed the Comté de Hainaut to be rightfully theirs, but Baudouin never abandonned the fight to preserve his Comté given to him by his own father.
Crusade
December 1, 1075, the pope called a crusade to retake the holy city of Jerusalem. Baudouin who knew only too well the cost of such expedition did not send troops at first, but when his father asked him personally to join him Baudouin had no other choice to accept. This left his coffers empty, he even had to take huge debts to pay his two expeditions. Those two expeditions resulted in no gain at all only leaving Baudouin with debts he would have to repay until his death in 1085.
Daughter
In 1070, the daughter of Baudouin catched an illness. During four long years, every prayers, remedies, doctors were unsuccessful. In 1074, Agnes de Flandre daughter of Baudouin de Flandre died of a 'fever' as would the priest call it.
Controversy
In November 13, 1076, after several problems with his liege, Baudouin declared the independance from the Duché de Basse-Lorraine to pledge allegiance to his father Duc de Flandre once more. Many people saw a way to be sure to get his father titles when he would die, in this new allegiance.
Duc de Flandre
On the date of September 25 in the year of our lord 1084, Baudouin de Flandre(father) died of old age. His son Baudouin de Flandre, Comte de Hainaut, inherited the titles and money of his father thus becoming the Duc de Flandre, Comte de Brugge, Comte de Gens et Comte de Hainaut. Because the money he had borrowed, for the crusade, was his father's, every debts of Baudouin were erased. The first action of Baudouin was to consolidate his Duché. The Comte d'Artois was very disloyal seeing nothing in his new liege that was so great about his father. Thus Baudouin decided to revoke his titles. He had, to do so, to use force with the help of the Roi de France. He finally granted the title of Comte d'Artois to his son Baudouin. Unfortunatly for Baudouin, he did not enjoy his new land for long, because six months later on May 9, 1085 he passed away giving his titles to his son Arnolphe de Flandre
Comté de Hainaut
Armoirie du Comté de Hainaut
Dynastie de la famille De Flandre
Baudouin de Flandre, Comte de Hainaut(1030-1085)
(At the end of his life- Duc de Flandre, Comte de Brugge, Comte de Gens and Comte de Hainaut.)
Early life
Baudouin de Flandre son of Baudouin de Flandre and Audele Capet was born in the year 1030. He received a martial education like most children of those times. He was trained to use every weapon of war. After some years it was evident that the young Baudouin prefered to lead people than to fight himself. Even though this seemed like lazyness he became a very good tactician. At the age of fifteen, he was married with Richilde de Lorraine. To celebrate his wedding, his father, Duc de Flandre, gave his son a small piece of land. Baudouin thus became Comte de Hainaut. In 1052, Baudouin de Flandre, Comte de Hainaut, sick of Henri Capet, Roi de France, pledged alliegance to the Duc de Lorraine thus breaking his alliegance to his own father Baudouin de Flandre, Duc de Flandre. By 1067, Baudouin de Flandre, Comte de Hainaut, had three children: two sons Arnolph(11 years old) and Baudouin(10y) and a daughter Agnes(8y).
Territorial fights
During his reign, Baudouin had many ennemies and arguments with his neighbours. Some of these were prestigious men like the Duc du Luxembourg, Konrad von Luxembourg, Herbert de Vermandois Duc de Valois or even the Bishop of Sticht, Willem von Sticht. The last one accusating Baudouin of Heresy in front of his liege (which did nothing to defend Baudouin). During many years those rivals claimed the Comté de Hainaut to be rightfully theirs, but Baudouin never abandonned the fight to preserve his Comté given to him by his own father.
Crusade
December 1, 1075, the pope called a crusade to retake the holy city of Jerusalem. Baudouin who knew only too well the cost of such expedition did not send troops at first, but when his father asked him personally to join him Baudouin had no other choice to accept. This left his coffers empty, he even had to take huge debts to pay his two expeditions. Those two expeditions resulted in no gain at all only leaving Baudouin with debts he would have to repay until his death in 1085.
Daughter
In 1070, the daughter of Baudouin catched an illness. During four long years, every prayers, remedies, doctors were unsuccessful. In 1074, Agnes de Flandre daughter of Baudouin de Flandre died of a 'fever' as would the priest call it.
Controversy
In November 13, 1076, after several problems with his liege, Baudouin declared the independance from the Duché de Basse-Lorraine to pledge allegiance to his father Duc de Flandre once more. Many people saw a way to be sure to get his father titles when he would die, in this new allegiance.
Duc de Flandre
On the date of September 25 in the year of our lord 1084, Baudouin de Flandre(father) died of old age. His son Baudouin de Flandre, Comte de Hainaut, inherited the titles and money of his father thus becoming the Duc de Flandre, Comte de Brugge, Comte de Gens et Comte de Hainaut. Because the money he had borrowed, for the crusade, was his father's, every debts of Baudouin were erased. The first action of Baudouin was to consolidate his Duché. The Comte d'Artois was very disloyal seeing nothing in his new liege that was so great about his father. Thus Baudouin decided to revoke his titles. He had, to do so, to use force with the help of the Roi de France. He finally granted the title of Comte d'Artois to his son Baudouin. Unfortunatly for Baudouin, he did not enjoy his new land for long, because six months later on May 9, 1085 he passed away giving his titles to his son Arnolphe de Flandre
Last edited:
