Infante Fernando, Count of Flanders
Encyclopedia
Infante Ferdinand of Portugal, Count of Flanders (Coimbra
, March 24, 1188 – Noyon
, July 27, 1233; fɨɾˈnɐ̃du; Portuguese
Fernando; Old French
Ferrand) was a Portuguese
infante, fourth son of Portuguese
King Sancho I
and Dulce of Aragon. Born in 1188, he was Count of Flanders
by marriage to Countess Joan of Flanders, eldest daughter of Baldwin IX of Flanders.
Ferdinand married Joan on January 1212 in Paris
.
While on their way to Flanders
the newlyweds were captured by Joan's first cousin Louis (the future Louis VIII of France
), eldest son of Philip Augustus
and Joan's aunt, Isabella of Flanders
. Louis' aim was to acquire his dead mother's dowry, a large piece of Flemish territory including Artois
, which Joan's father had taken back by force after Isabella's death.
Released after this concession, Joan and Ferdinand soon joined the old allies of her father, king John of England
and Emperor Otto IV
, in an alliance against France. They were decisively defeated at Bouvines
in July 1214, where Ferdinand was taken prisoner.
Ferdinand was to remain in French hands for the next 12 years, while Joan ruled alone. He was released in 1226, by the French regent
, Blanche of Castile
, after the accession of her son Louis IX of France
.
He died in Noyon
on July 27, 1233.
Coimbra
Coimbra is a city in the municipality of Coimbra in Portugal. Although it served as the nation's capital during the High Middle Ages, it is better-known for its university, the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the...
, March 24, 1188 – Noyon
Noyon
Noyon is a commune in the Oise department in northern France.It lies on the Oise Canal, 100 km north of Paris.-History:...
, July 27, 1233; fɨɾˈnɐ̃du; Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
Fernando; Old French
Old French
Old French was the Romance dialect continuum spoken in territories that span roughly the northern half of modern France and parts of modern Belgium and Switzerland from the 9th century to the 14th century...
Ferrand) was a Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
infante, fourth son of Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
King Sancho I
Sancho I of Portugal
Sancho I , nicknamed the Populator , second monarch of Portugal, was born on 11 November 1154 in Coimbra and died on 26 March 1212 in the same city. He was the second but only surviving legitimate son and fourth child of Afonso I of Portugal by his wife, Maud of Savoy. Sancho succeeded his father...
and Dulce of Aragon. Born in 1188, he was Count of Flanders
Count of Flanders
The Count of Flanders was the ruler or sub-ruler of the county of Flanders from the 9th century until the abolition of the position by the French revolutionaries in 1790....
by marriage to Countess Joan of Flanders, eldest daughter of Baldwin IX of Flanders.
Ferdinand married Joan on January 1212 in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
While on their way to Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
the newlyweds were captured by Joan's first cousin Louis (the future Louis VIII of France
Louis VIII of France
Louis VIII the Lion reigned as King of France from 1223 to 1226. He was a member of the House of Capet. Louis VIII was born in Paris, France, the son of Philip II Augustus and Isabelle of Hainaut. He was also Count of Artois, inheriting the county from his mother, from 1190–1226...
), eldest son of Philip Augustus
Philip II of France
Philip II Augustus was the King of France from 1180 until his death. A member of the House of Capet, Philip Augustus was born at Gonesse in the Val-d'Oise, the son of Louis VII and his third wife, Adela of Champagne...
and Joan's aunt, Isabella of Flanders
Isabelle of Hainaut
Isabella of Hainault was queen consort of France as the first wife of King Philip II of France.- Early life :...
. Louis' aim was to acquire his dead mother's dowry, a large piece of Flemish territory including Artois
Artois
Artois is a former province of northern France. Its territory has an area of around 4000 km² and a population of about one million. Its principal cities are Arras , Saint-Omer, Lens and Béthune.-Location:...
, which Joan's father had taken back by force after Isabella's death.
Released after this concession, Joan and Ferdinand soon joined the old allies of her father, king John of England
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
and Emperor Otto IV
Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Otto IV of Brunswick was one of two rival kings of the Holy Roman Empire from 1198 on, sole king from 1208 on, and emperor from 1209 on. The only king of the Welf dynasty, he incurred the wrath of Pope Innocent III and was excommunicated in 1215.-Early life:Otto was the third son of Henry the...
, in an alliance against France. They were decisively defeated at Bouvines
Battle of Bouvines
The Battle of Bouvines, 27 July 1214, was a conclusive medieval battle ending the twelve year old Angevin-Flanders War that was important to the early development of both the French state by confirming the French crown's sovereignty over the Angevin lands of Brittany and Normandy.Philip Augustus of...
in July 1214, where Ferdinand was taken prisoner.
Ferdinand was to remain in French hands for the next 12 years, while Joan ruled alone. He was released in 1226, by the French regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
, Blanche of Castile
Blanche of Castile
Blanche of Castile , was a Queen consort of France as the wife of Louis VIII. She acted as regent twice during the reign of her son, Louis IX....
, after the accession of her son Louis IX of France
Louis IX of France
Louis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was an eighth-generation descendant of Hugh Capet, and thus a member of the House of Capet, and the son of Louis VIII and...
.
He died in Noyon
Noyon
Noyon is a commune in the Oise department in northern France.It lies on the Oise Canal, 100 km north of Paris.-History:...
on July 27, 1233.