European Kingdoms

Margraves & Counts of Flanders
AD 862 - 1405

The County of Flanders began with Judith (844-870), daughter of the Carolingian king of the West Franks and Frankish Roman Emperor, Charles the Bald. She married twice to English kings of Wessex (Aethulwulf and then his son), but returned and eloped with Baldwin Iron Arm. Charles disapproved, but Judith could not be induced to return, so Charles relented and granted Flanders to the two of them.

At first a 'march county' (margraviate), with West-Frisia on its northern border, Flanders soon reverted to a simple county. Finally, it passed by marriage first to the dukes of Burgundy and then to the Habsburgs. Because of the inheritance of the Habsburgs, Flanders ended up, uniquely, as the only territory that began Middle Ages as part of France but ended them, as it still is, alienated from France. Today, most of historical Flanders, except for Picardy, is part of Belgium.

862 - 879

Baldwin I Iron Arm

m Judith. Flanders granted to them by Emperor Charles.

879 - 918

Baldwin II

918 - 958

Arnulf I the Elder

Dau Hildegard m Dirk II, Count of West-Frisia.

958 - 962

Baldwin III

962 - 965

Arnulf I the Elder

Restored.

965 - 988

Arnulf II the Younger

988 - 1035

Baldwin IV the Bearded

1035 - 1067

Baldwin V the Pious

1067 - 1128

The succession becomes confused after the death of Baldwin V. Baldwin's grandson Arnulf III seems to have been murdered by his uncle, Robert I; but then the main line of succession from Robert I dies out, and the county passes to Charles the Good, grandson of Robert through his daughter Adele, who had married Canute IV the Holy of Denmark and went on to marry Roger Borsa, Duke of Apulia, and become of the mother of William, Duke of Apulia.

Charles the Good, in turn, is murdered himself, and the county passes to a second cousin, William Clito of Normandy, the great grandson of Baldwin V through his daughter Matilda, who had married William the Bastard of Normandy (later William the Conqueror). The Norman doesn't last long (killed at the battle of Axspoele in 1128), and the succession passes to another grandson of Robert I, through his daughter Gertrude, who had married Dietrich / Theodoric II, Duke of Upper Lorraine.

Gertrude's son is also named Dietrich (in German), but his name turns up in various other languages, as Thierry (French), Dirk or Didrik (Dutch or Flemish). The House of Alsace flourishes in Flanders under Dietrich and his son and daughter, Philip of Alsace and Margareta.

1067 - 1070

Baldwin VI of Mons

1070 - 1071

Arnulf III

Probably murdered by his uncle, Robert I.

1071 - 1093

Robert I

Second husband of Gertrude. Count of Holland (1064-1093).

1093 - 1111

Robert II

1111 - 1119

Baldwin VII

1119 - 1127

Charles the Good

Grandson of Robert I. Murdered.

1127 - 1128

William Clito of Normandy

Son of Robert II Duke of Normandy. Died in battle.

1128 - 1157

Dietrich (Thierry / Dirk / Didrik) of Alsace

Brother of Simon I, Duke of Upper Lorraine.

1157 - 1191

Philip I of Alsace

On Crusade (1177-1178).

1191 - 1195

Baldwin V of Hainaut

1195 - 1205

Baldwin IX

Emperor in Constantinople (1204-1205).

1206 - 1216

Henry

Emperor in Constantinople.

1206 - 1244

Joanna

Daughter of Baldwin IX.

1217 - 1219

Yolanda

Empress in Constantinople.

1211 - 1233

Fernand of Portugal

1237 - 1244

Thomas

Count of Savoy (1189-1233).

1244 - 1279

Margaret

Daughter of Baldwin IX.

1280 - 1304

Guy de Dampierre

1304 - 1322

Robert III of Bethune

1322 - 1346

Louis I of Nevers

1328

A peasant revolt in Flanders forces Philip VI of France to fight the Battle of Cassel, 30kms south of Dunkirk, bringing the revolt to an end and bringing Flanders fully under French control.

1346 - 1384

Louis II of Mâle

1384 - 1405

Margaret of Mâle

m Philip the Bold of Burgundy (1368).

1405

Flanders becomes part of the territory of Burgundy.