Wolfert VI of Borselen

Wolfert VI of Borselen

Wolfert VI of Borselen (c. 1433 – 29 April 1486, Saint-Omer) was stadholder of Holland, Friesland and Zeeland, Admiral of the Netherlands outside Flanders and Lord of Veere.

He was the son of Henry II of Borselen, and was able, through his fathers good relations, to marry in 1444 with Princess Maria Stewart, daughter of King James I of Scotland. By his marriage he became Earl of Buchan. They had two sons.
After the death of Mary on 20 March 1465, Wolfert remarried in 1468 with Charlotte of Bourbon-Montpensier (1445–1478), youngest daughter of Louis I, Count of Montpensier. They had two daughters.

In 1464 he was made Marshal of France by Louis XI of France.
In 1466 he became Admiral of the Netherlands outside Flanders (general admiral de la mer d'Artois, Boulonnais, Hollande, Zélande et Frise).
The next year, he became stadholder of Holland and Zeeland, and in 1478 Knight in the Order of the Golden Fleece.

When Wolfert VI of Borselen could no longer control the situation in the Holland and Zeeland, during the Hook and Cod wars in 1479, he was replaced by Joost de Lalaing.

He held his other functions, but when he chose the side of the Flemish Revolt against Maximilian of Austria, he lost all his powers.

References

• Raphael de Smedt (Ed.): Les chevaliers de l’ordre de la Toison d’or au XVe siècle. Notices bio-bibliographiques. (Kieler Werkstücke, D 3) Verlag Peter Lang, Frankfurt 2000, ISBN 3-631-36017-7, p. 192-194.