Eustace III of Boulogne
Encyclopedia
Eustace III, was a count of Boulogne
, successor to his father Count Eustace II of Boulogne
. His mother was Ida of Lorraine
.
His father Eustace II appeared at the Battle of Hastings
in 1066 as an ally of William the Conqueror, and is listed as a possible killer of Harold II
; he is also believed to have given William his own horse after the duke's was killed under him by Gyrth, brother of Harold.
Eustace III succeeded as Count of Boulogne
in 1087.
He went on the First Crusade
in 1096 with his brothers Godfrey of Bouillon
(duke of Lower Lotharingia) and Baldwin of Boulogne
. He soon returned to Europe to administer his domains. He married Mary of Scotland
, daughter of King Malcolm III of Scotland
, and Saint Margaret of Scotland
. Eustace and Mary had one daughter, Matilda of Boulogne
.
When his youngest brother king Baldwin I of Jerusalem
died in 1118, the elderly Eustace was offered the throne. Eustace was at first uninterested, but was convinced to accept it; he travelled all the way to Apulia
before learning that a distant relative, Baldwin of Bourcq
, had been crowned in the meantime. Eustace returned to Boulogne and died about 1125.
On his death the county of Boulogne was inherited by his daughter, Matilda, and her husband Stephen de Blois, count of Mortain
, afterwards king of England, and at the death of Matilda in 1152 it was inherited by their son, Eustace IV of Boulogne
, later their second son William and ultimately by their daughter Marie of Boulogne
, since both sons died without children.
Count of Boulogne
The county of Boulogne was a historical region in the Low Countries. It consisted of a part of the present-day French département of the Pas-de-Calais , in parts of which there is still a Dutch-speaking minority....
, successor to his father Count Eustace II of Boulogne
Eustace II of Boulogne
Eustace II, , also known as Eustace aux Gernons was count of Boulogne from 1049–1087, fought on the Norman side at the Battle of Hastings, and afterwards received a large honour in England. He is one of the few proven Companions of William the Conqueror.He was the son of Eustace I...
. His mother was Ida of Lorraine
Ida of Lorraine
Ida of Lorraine was a saint and noblewoman.She was the daughter of Godfrey III, Duke of Lower Lorraine and his wife, Doda. Ida's grandfather was Gothelo I, Duke of Lorraine and Ida's brother was Godfrey IV, Duke of Lower Lorraine.-Family:In 1057, she married Eustace II of Boulogne...
.
His father Eustace II appeared at the Battle of Hastings
Battle of Hastings
The Battle of Hastings occurred on 14 October 1066 during the Norman conquest of England, between the Norman-French army of Duke William II of Normandy and the English army under King Harold II...
in 1066 as an ally of William the Conqueror, and is listed as a possible killer of Harold II
Harold Godwinson
Harold Godwinson was the last Anglo-Saxon King of England.It could be argued that Edgar the Atheling, who was proclaimed as king by the witan but never crowned, was really the last Anglo-Saxon king...
; he is also believed to have given William his own horse after the duke's was killed under him by Gyrth, brother of Harold.
Eustace III succeeded as Count of Boulogne
Count of Boulogne
The county of Boulogne was a historical region in the Low Countries. It consisted of a part of the present-day French département of the Pas-de-Calais , in parts of which there is still a Dutch-speaking minority....
in 1087.
He went on the First Crusade
First Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
in 1096 with his brothers Godfrey of Bouillon
Godfrey of Bouillon
Godfrey of Bouillon was a medieval Frankish knight who was one of the leaders of the First Crusade from 1096 until his death. He was the Lord of Bouillon, from which he took his byname, from 1076 and the Duke of Lower Lorraine from 1087...
(duke of Lower Lotharingia) and Baldwin of Boulogne
Baldwin I of Jerusalem
Baldwin I of Jerusalem, formerly Baldwin I of Edessa, born Baldwin of Boulogne , 1058? – 2 April 1118, was one of the leaders of the First Crusade, who became the first Count of Edessa and then the second ruler and first titled King of Jerusalem...
. He soon returned to Europe to administer his domains. He married Mary of Scotland
Mary of Scotland (1082–1116)
Mary of Scotland was the younger daughter of Malcolm III of Scotland and his second wife Margaret of Wessex. Mary was a member of the House of Dunkeld and was Countess of Boulogne by her marriage.- Family :...
, daughter of King Malcolm III of Scotland
Malcolm III of Scotland
Máel Coluim mac Donnchada , was King of Scots...
, and Saint Margaret of Scotland
Saint Margaret of Scotland
Saint Margaret of Scotland , also known as Margaret of Wessex and Queen Margaret of Scotland, was an English princess of the House of Wessex. Born in exile in Hungary, she was the sister of Edgar Ætheling, the short-ruling and uncrowned Anglo-Saxon King of England...
. Eustace and Mary had one daughter, Matilda of Boulogne
Matilda of Boulogne
Matilda I was suo jure Countess of Boulogne. She was also queen consort of England as the wife of King Stephen.-Biography:...
.
When his youngest brother king Baldwin I of Jerusalem
Baldwin I of Jerusalem
Baldwin I of Jerusalem, formerly Baldwin I of Edessa, born Baldwin of Boulogne , 1058? – 2 April 1118, was one of the leaders of the First Crusade, who became the first Count of Edessa and then the second ruler and first titled King of Jerusalem...
died in 1118, the elderly Eustace was offered the throne. Eustace was at first uninterested, but was convinced to accept it; he travelled all the way to Apulia
Apulia
Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...
before learning that a distant relative, Baldwin of Bourcq
Baldwin II of Jerusalem
Baldwin II of Jerusalem , formerly Baldwin II of Edessa, also called Baldwin of Bourcq, born Baldwin of Rethel was the second count of Edessa from 1100 to 1118, and the third king of Jerusalem from 1118 until his death.-Ancestry:Baldwin was the son of Hugh, count of Rethel, and his wife Melisende,...
, had been crowned in the meantime. Eustace returned to Boulogne and died about 1125.
On his death the county of Boulogne was inherited by his daughter, Matilda, and her husband Stephen de Blois, count of Mortain
Mortain
Mortain is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.-Geography:Mortain is situated on a rocky hill rising above the gorge of the Cance, a tributary of the Sélune.-Administration:Mortain is the seat of a canton...
, afterwards king of England, and at the death of Matilda in 1152 it was inherited by their son, Eustace IV of Boulogne
Eustace IV of Boulogne
Eustace IV was a Count of Boulogne and the son and heir of King Stephen of England. He became the Heir Apparent to his father's lands by the death of an elder brother before 1135, and inherited Boulogne through his mother, Matilda of Boulogne.In 1137, he did homage for Normandy to Louis VII of...
, later their second son William and ultimately by their daughter Marie of Boulogne
Marie of Boulogne
Marie I was the suo jure Countess of Boulogne from 1159 to 1170. She also held the post of Abbess of Romsey for five years until her abduction by Matthew of Alsace, who forced her to marry him.-Early years:Marie was the youngest daughter of King Stephen of England and his wife Matilda I, Countess...
, since both sons died without children.
Ancestry
Sources
- Payne, Robert. Dream and the Tomb, 1984
- Howarth, David Armine. 1066: The Year of the Conquest, 1977