Matilda of Béthune

Mathilda of Béthune (died: 8 November 1263) was a countess consort of Flanders, the daughter and heir of Robert VII, Lord of Béthune, Dendermonde, Richebourg and Warneton, and his wife Elisabeth of Morialmez.

She married Guy of Dampierre in 1246. She was his first wife and had the following children:

• Marie of Dampierre (d. 1297), married:
  1. in 1266 William V, Count of Jülich (d. 1278), son of William IV, Count of Jülich. They had two sons, both named William; both died in the ongoing war between Flanders and France. William the Elder died in the Battle of Bulskamp, his younger brother William the Younger died in 1304 in the Battle of Mons-en-Pévèle.
  2. in 1285 Simon II de Château-Villain (d. 1305), Lord of Bremur
• Robert III (1249–1322), succeeded her husband as Count of Flanders
• William of Dendermonde (after 1249 – 1311), Lord of Dendermonde and Crèvecoeur, married in 1286 Alix of Beaumont, daughter of Raoul of Clermont and had issue
• John of Flanders (1250 – 4 October 1290), Bishop of Metz and Bishop of Liège
• Baldwin (1252–1296)
• Margaret (c. 1253 – 3 July 1285), married in 1273 John I, Duke of Brabant
• Beatrix of Flanders (c. 1260 – 5 April 1291), married c. 1270 to Floris V, Count of Holland
• Philip (c. 1263 – November 1318), Count of Teano, married:
  1. Mahaut de Courtenay, Countess of Chieti (d. 1303)
  2. c. 1304 to Philipotte of Milly (d. c. 1335), no issue

Death

Matilda died in 1263 and, like her husband, she was buried in the abbey in Flines-lez-Raches.