War of the Succession of Flanders and Hainault
Encyclopedia
The War of the Succession of Flanders and Hainault was a series of feudal conflicts in the mid-thirteenth century between the children of Margaret II, Countess of Flanders
. They concerned the succession to the two counties, the first a fief of the King of France and the latter of the King of Germany.
, Count of Flanders
and Hainault, left on the Fourth Crusade
in 1202, he left his western domains under his eldest daughter Joanna
. Joanna inherited the counties on Baldwin's death and, despite two marriages, died without heirs in 1244. She was succeeded by her younger sister, the aforementioned Margaret.
Margaret's first marriage, to Bouchard of Avesnes, was broken in 1221 per orders from Joanna and the excommunication of Bouchard. By Bouchard, however, she had already had three children, including John I of Avesnes
. Nevertheless in 1223, Margaret remarried with William II of Dampierre
(d.1231), who likewise gave three offspring, including William III
and Guy of Dampierre
.
The rights to Margaret's inheritance between the sons of Avesnes and those of Dampierre were the cause of the conflicts known as the "war of the succession of Flanders and Hainault."
intervened in 1246. Louis gave Hainault (technically not his to give) to John I of Avesnes and Flanders (indeed his vassal) to William of Dampierre. Margaret, in light of this judgement, gave the government of Flanders over to William of Dampierre in 1247. She did not however relinquish her governance of Hainault to John I of Avesnes.
In 1251, William III of Dampierre died and Flanders passed to his brother Guy of Dampierre.
and remained abroad for six years. John I of Avesnes quickly apprehended that his mother did not intend to give him the government of Hainault as she had that of Flanders to her other sons. John I of Avesnes revolted against his mother and attacked his half-brother Guy of Dampierre, recently become count of Flanders.
The war continued with John I of Avesnes convincing the German anti-king William of Holland, to seize Hainault and Flemish territory within the empire. The fighting continued until the Battle of West-Capelle of 4 July 1253, where John I of Avesnes gained a brilliant victory over Guy of Dampierre and forced him and his mother to respect the division of Louis and grant him Hainault.
and just missed being killed in a skirmish. When Louis returned in 1254, he reaffirmed his earlier arbitration and ordered his brother to get out of the conflict. Charles returned to Provence
. With this second arbitration of the holy king, the conflict closed and John I of Avesnes was secure in Hainault.
Margaret II, Countess of Flanders
Margaret, called of Constantinople was countess of Flanders from 1244 to 1278 and also, countess of Hainaut from 1244 to 1253 and again from 1257 until her death.-History and Family:...
. They concerned the succession to the two counties, the first a fief of the King of France and the latter of the King of Germany.
Origins
When Baldwin IXBaldwin I of Constantinople
Baldwin I , the first emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople, as Baldwin IX Count of Flanders and as Baldwin VI Count of Hainaut, was one of the most prominent leaders of the Fourth Crusade, which resulted in the capture of Constantinople, the conquest of the greater part of the Byzantine...
, 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....
and Hainault, left on the Fourth Crusade
Fourth Crusade
The Fourth Crusade was originally intended to conquer Muslim-controlled Jerusalem by means of an invasion through Egypt. Instead, in April 1204, the Crusaders of Western Europe invaded and conquered the Christian city of Constantinople, capital of the Eastern Roman Empire...
in 1202, he left his western domains under his eldest daughter Joanna
Jeanne, Countess of Flanders
right|thumb|Statue of Joan of FlandersJoan, called of Constantinople was countess of Flanders and Hainaut....
. Joanna inherited the counties on Baldwin's death and, despite two marriages, died without heirs in 1244. She was succeeded by her younger sister, the aforementioned Margaret.
Margaret's first marriage, to Bouchard of Avesnes, was broken in 1221 per orders from Joanna and the excommunication of Bouchard. By Bouchard, however, she had already had three children, including John I of Avesnes
John I of Avesnes
John I of Avesnes was the count of Hainaut from 1246 to his death. Born in Houffalize, he was the eldest son of Margaret II of Flanders by her first husband, Bouchard IV of Avesnes...
. Nevertheless in 1223, Margaret remarried with William II of Dampierre
William II of Dampierre
William II was the lord of Dampierre from 1216 until his death. He was the son of Guy II, constable of Champagne, and Matilda, heiress of Bourbon.His brother, Archambaud VIII, inherited Bourbon and he Dampierre...
(d.1231), who likewise gave three offspring, including William III
William III of Dampierre
William III was the lord of Dampierre from 1231 and count of Flanders from 1247 until his death. He was the son of William II of Dampierre and Margaret II of Flanders....
and Guy of Dampierre
Guy of Dampierre
Guy of Dampierre was the count of Flanders during the Battle of the Golden Spurs in 1302.Guy was the second son of William II of Dampierre and Margaret II of Flanders. The death of his elder brother William in a tournament made him joint Count of Flanders with his mother...
.
The rights to Margaret's inheritance between the sons of Avesnes and those of Dampierre were the cause of the conflicts known as the "war of the succession of Flanders and Hainault."
First conflict
The first conflict opened with Margaret's succession in 1244. John I of Avesnes and William of Dampierre, half brothers, fought between themselves until King Louis IXLouis 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...
intervened in 1246. Louis gave Hainault (technically not his to give) to John I of Avesnes and Flanders (indeed his vassal) to William of Dampierre. Margaret, in light of this judgement, gave the government of Flanders over to William of Dampierre in 1247. She did not however relinquish her governance of Hainault to John I of Avesnes.
In 1251, William III of Dampierre died and Flanders passed to his brother Guy of Dampierre.
Second conflict
In 1248, Louis had left on the Seventh CrusadeSeventh Crusade
The Seventh Crusade was a crusade led by Louis IX of France from 1248 to 1254. Approximately 800,000 bezants were paid in ransom for King Louis who, along with thousands of his troops, was captured and defeated by the Egyptian army led by the Ayyubid Sultan Turanshah supported by the Bahariyya...
and remained abroad for six years. John I of Avesnes quickly apprehended that his mother did not intend to give him the government of Hainault as she had that of Flanders to her other sons. John I of Avesnes revolted against his mother and attacked his half-brother Guy of Dampierre, recently become count of Flanders.
The war continued with John I of Avesnes convincing the German anti-king William of Holland, to seize Hainault and Flemish territory within the empire. The fighting continued until the Battle of West-Capelle of 4 July 1253, where John I of Avesnes gained a brilliant victory over Guy of Dampierre and forced him and his mother to respect the division of Louis and grant him Hainault.
Third conflict
Margaret did not rest in her defeat and did not recognise herself as overcome. She instead granted Hainault to Charles of Anjou, the brother of King Louis, who had recently returned from the crusade. Charles took up her cause and warred with John I of Avesnes, but failed to take ValenciennesValenciennes
Valenciennes is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It lies on the Scheldt river. Although the city and region had seen a steady decline between 1975 and 1990, it has since rebounded...
and just missed being killed in a skirmish. When Louis returned in 1254, he reaffirmed his earlier arbitration and ordered his brother to get out of the conflict. Charles returned to Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
. With this second arbitration of the holy king, the conflict closed and John I of Avesnes was secure in Hainault.