William III of Dampierre
Encyclopedia
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.
Margaret inherited Flanders and Hainault
in 1244 and immediately the War of the Succession of Flanders and Hainault
began between William and his brothers, the Dampierre claimants, and the children of Margaret's first marriage to Bouchard of Avesnes. Margaret favoured William and declared him her heir. In 1246, Louis IX of France
intervened to arbitrate the conflict and declared Flanders to William and Hainault to John I of Avesnes
. Margaret officially invested William as count in 1247 and he is known, as count, as "Willem (or Guillaume) II."
In November of that year, William married Beatrice, daughter of Henry II, Duke of Brabant
and Marie of Hohenstaufen
. They had no children. Meanwhile the fight continued over Namur
between the Dampierres and the Avesnes. On 19 May 1250, peace was signed. On 6 June the next year, William was assassinated at a tournament
in Trazegnies by a group of knights financed by Avesnes. The war began anew with Guy
, William's younger brother, taking up Flanders and the Dampierre claim.
Dampierre
Dampierre is the name of several communes in France:*Dampierre, Aube, in the Aube département*Dampierre, Calvados, in the Calvados département*Dampierre, Haute-Marne, in the Haute-Marne département*Dampierre, Jura, in the Jura département...
from 1231 and 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....
from 1247 until his death. He was the son of 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...
and Margaret II of Flanders.
Margaret inherited Flanders and Hainault
County of Hainaut
The County of Hainaut was a historical region in the Low Countries with its capital at Mons . In English sources it is often given the archaic spelling Hainault....
in 1244 and immediately the War of the Succession of Flanders and Hainault
War of the Succession of Flanders and Hainault
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...
began between William and his brothers, the Dampierre claimants, and the children of Margaret's first marriage to Bouchard of Avesnes. Margaret favoured William and declared him her heir. In 1246, 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...
intervened to arbitrate the conflict and declared Flanders to William and Hainault to 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...
. Margaret officially invested William as count in 1247 and he is known, as count, as "Willem (or Guillaume) II."
In November of that year, William married Beatrice, daughter of Henry II, Duke of Brabant
Henry II, Duke of Brabant
Henry II of Brabant was Duke of Brabant and Lothier after the death of his father Henry I in 1235...
and Marie of Hohenstaufen
Marie of Hohenstaufen
Marie of Hohenstaufen was a member of the powerful Hohenstaufen dynasty of German kings which lasted from 1138 to 1254. She is also known to history as Maria of Swabia....
. They had no children. Meanwhile the fight continued over Namur
Namur (city)
Namur is a city and municipality in Wallonia, in southern Belgium. It is both the capital of the province of Namur and of Wallonia....
between the Dampierres and the Avesnes. On 19 May 1250, peace was signed. On 6 June the next year, William was assassinated at a tournament
Tournament
A tournament is a competition involving a relatively large number of competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:...
in Trazegnies by a group of knights financed by Avesnes. The war began anew with Guy
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...
, William's younger brother, taking up Flanders and the Dampierre claim.