Count of Flanders
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The counts of Flanders ruled over the county of Flanders from the 9th century. The early rulers from Arnulf I onwards were sometime referred to as margraves (or marquis). This alternate title largely fell out of use by the 12th century.
The counts of Flanders enlarged their estate through a series of diplomatic manoeuvres. The counties of Hainaut, Namur, Béthune, Nevers, Auxerre and Rethel were acquired via marriage with the respective heiresses. Ironically, the county of Flanders itself suffered the same fate. By the marriage of Margaret III (1384-1405) with Philip of Valois, Duke of Burgundy the county was absorbed into the duchy of Burgundy in 1405.
- Baldwin I Iron Arm (864-879)
- Baldwin II the Bald (879-918)
- Arnulf I the Great (918-964)
- Baldwin III (958-962), died before his father, was co-ruler
- Arnulf II (964-988)
- Baldwin IV the Bearded (988-1037)
- Baldwin V of Lille (1037-1067)
- Baldwin VI (1067-1070), also count of Hainaut
- Arnulf III (1070-1071), also count of Hainaut
- Robert I the Frisian (1071-1093)
- Robert II of Jerusalem (1093-1111)
- Baldwin VII Hapkin (1111-1119)
- Charles the Good (1119-1127)
- William I Clito of Normandy (1127-1128), great-grandson of Baldwin V, grandson of William I of England
House of Alsace:
- Derrick of Alsace (1128-1168), grandson of Robert I
- Philip of Alsace (1168-1191)
- Margaret I of Alsace (1191-1194), with her husband
House of Hainaut:
- Baldwin VIII (1191–1195, who ruled as Baldwin V of Hainaut
- Baldwin IX of Constantinople (1195-1205), also count of Hainaut and Byzantine emperor
- Jeanne of Flanders of Constantinople (1205-1244), also countess of Hainaut, married Ferrand of Portugal and count Thomas II of Savoy
- Margaret II of Constantinople (1244-1278), sister of Jeanne. She was also countess of Hainaut.
- William III of Dampierre, son of Margaret II and William of Dampierre. Regent between 1246 and 1251.
House of Dampierre:
- Guy of Dampierre (1252-1305)
- Robert III of Bethune (1305-1322)
- Louis I of Nevers, count of Nevers and Rethel (1322-1346)
- Louis II of Male (1346-1384)
- Margaret III of Male (1384-1405), who married Philip of Valois, Duke of Burgundy
Dukes of Burgundy
The county passed to the Dukes of Burgundy by heritage:
- John the Fearless (1405-1419)
- Philip the Good (1419-1467)
- Charles the Bold (1467-1477)
- Mary of Burgundy (1477-1482)
Habsburg
The county of Flanders passed by marriage to the Habsburgs.
When the Habsburg empire was divided among the heirs of Charles V, the Low Countries (including Flanders, etc.) went to Philip, king of Spain:
- Philip II of Spain, son of Charles V, 1556 - 1598
- Isabella Clara Eugenia and Archduke Albert 1598 - 1621
- Philip IV of Spain 1621 - 1665
- Charles II of Spain 1665 - 1700
...
In 1714 after the War of the Spanish Succession, Flanders went back to the Austrian Emperors:
The title was abolished in the aftermath of the French revolution and the annexation of Flanders by France in 1795 ...
In modern times, the title of count of Flanders has been given to younger sons of the kings of Belgium:
- Philippe, son of Leopold I of Belgium
- Charles, son of Albert I of Belgium
