Baldwin VII, Count of Flanders

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Baldwin VII of Flanders (b. 1093 - d.July 17, 1119) was count of Flanders from 1111 to 1119.

1 Life
- 1.1 Family Relations
- 1.2 Reign as Count and Death
2 Marriage

[edit] Life

[edit] Family Relations

He was the son of Robert II of Flanders and Clementia of Burgundy. Two of his maternal uncles were the later Pope Calixtus II and Raymond of Burgundy, Count of Coimbra and husband of the future Queen Urraca of Castile and Leon. In consequence, Baldwin and the later King Alfonso VII of Castile and Leon -son of Raimond and Urraca- were first cousins. Two of Baldwin's other first cousins were the Count Amadeus III of Savoy and the Margrave William V of Montferrat; both were son of one of his maternal aunts, Gisela of Burgundy -married firstly with Humbert II of Savoy (father of Amadeus III) and secondly with Renier I of Montferrat (father of William V).

[edit] Reign as Count and Death

Baldwin succeeded his father as Count of Flanders when he died, on 5 October 1111. Only eighteen years old, the new Count solicited the advice of his cousin, Charles of Dennmark, several years older. It was Baldwin who arranged the marriage of Charles to the heiress of the County of Amiens, Margaret of Clermont, in 1118.

He died after being wounded at the Battle of Bures-en-Brai, where he was fighting Henry I of England, on behalf of Louis VI of France. When he was dying, Baldwin declared his cousin Charles his heir. Charles became the new Count of Flanders after his death.

[edit] Marriage

In 1105, Baldwin married Hawise (also called Havide), daughter of Alain IV Fergent, Duke of Britany. The groom was twelve, and the bride, only nine. The union, in all probability, was never consummated. They were divorced in 1110. Neither of them remarried.