Dirk VI, Count of Holland
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Dirk VI of Holland was Count of Holland
between 1121 and 1157, at first, during his minority, under the regency of his mother Petronilla. He was the son of Count Floris II
. After his death he was succeeded by his eldest son Floris III
. He married Sofie of Salm
, Countess of Rheineck and Bentheim. She was heiress of Bentheim, which she ruled together with her husband and which was inherited by the couple's second son Otto after his parents' death.
against Emperor Henry V
. After Lothair had been elected king of Germany himself in 1125 he returned Leiden and Rijnland
to Holland, which had both been awarded to the Bishop of Utrecht in 1064 (Later on during Dirk's reign the wooden fortifications at Leiden would be replaced by a stone castle). Because Petronilla saw little ability or ambition in Dirk as he grew up, she stalled letting go of the regency when he reached adulthood (fifteen years old), until her favourite son Floris could attempt to take over the county.
to become lord of their entire territory, which reignited the conflict with his brother. After this the people from Kennemerland
joined the revolt as well. A year later, in August 1132 King Lothair intervened and managed to reconcile the brothers. This did not pacify the Frisians however, who continued their revolt, which was nonetheless eventually suppressed. Later that year, on 26 October Floris was ambushed near Utrecht
and murdered by Herman and Godfried of Kuyk, leaving Dirk to rule the county on his own. King Lothair punished this act by having Herman and Godfried's castle razed and banishing the two. Floris was buried at Rijnsburg Abbey.
against Henry V
and with his assistance parts of Holland were regained that had been awarded to and occupied by the Bishopric of Utrecht in 1064. Furthermore, with help from King Conrad III
and support of the counts of Cleves and Guelders
and his brother-in-law Otto II, Count of Rheineck, he was able to get a candidate of his own (Herman of Horne) recognised as bishop of Utrecht.
Dirk and Sophie went on a pilgrimage
to the Holy Land
in 1138 and it was on this pilgrimage that their first son Dirk, called Peregrinus ("Pilgrim"), was born, but he died when he was only 12 years old. On the return journey, in 1139, Dirk visited Pope Innocent II
and asked for the abbeys of Egmond and Rijnsburg to be placed under direct papal authority and this request was granted. In this way Dirk removed the Bishop of Utrecht's influence over those abbeys. Dirk's mother, Petronilla, died in 1144 and was buried at Rijnsburg.
In 1155 the Frisians revolted again and plundered the area of Santpoort nearby Haarlem
, but they were beaten back by the knights of Haarlem and Osdorp
.
In 1156 Count Dirk VI resolved the protracted conflict between the abbeys of Egmond and Echternach
, which had been ongoing ever since the establishment of Egmond in 923 by Count Dirk I. At the time of the establishment the Count had granted Egmond the rights over all the churches in the area, which had previously belonged to Echternach. Repeated attempts were made to regain these lost rights, initially with little result, but in 1063 William I, Bishop of Utrecht
, decided to split the rights between the two abbeys. This division was unacceptable to Egmond however, and its abbots pressed the counts for compensation. Finally, in 1156, Dirk VI resolved to give all the rights over the churches to Egmond again, compensating Echternach with the rights over the proceeds of the church in Vlaardingen
and lands on the island of Schouwen. Although the abbot of Egmond was a witness at the agreement, it seems he may have attended under pressure, as only a little while later he excommunicated both Count Dirk and his son Floris
. This perhaps is the reason that Dirk, unlike his forefathers, was not buried at Egmond, but at Rijnsburg.
. Dirk and Sophie had (at least) nine children:
Also, it was alleged that Count Dirk had fathered an illegitimate son, whose name was Robert.
County of Holland
The County of Holland was a county in the Holy Roman Empire and from 1482 part of the Habsburg Netherlands in what is now the Netherlands. It covered an area roughly corresponding to the current Dutch provinces of North-Holland and South-Holland, as well as the islands of Terschelling, Vlieland,...
between 1121 and 1157, at first, during his minority, under the regency of his mother Petronilla. He was the son of Count Floris II
Floris II, Count of Holland
Floris II, Count of Holland was the first from the native dynasty of Holland to be called Count of Holland.He was the son of his predecessor Dirk V and Othilde...
. After his death he was succeeded by his eldest son Floris III
Floris III, Count of Holland
Floris III of Holland , Count of Holland from 1157 to 1190. He was a son of Dirk VI and Sophie of Luxemburg, heiress of Bentheim.-Life:...
. He married Sofie of Salm
Salm (state)
Salm is the name of several historic countships and principalities in present Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and France.-Origins:The County of Salm arose in the 10th century in Vielsalm, in the Ardennes region of present Belgium...
, Countess of Rheineck and Bentheim. She was heiress of Bentheim, which she ruled together with her husband and which was inherited by the couple's second son Otto after his parents' death.
Petronilla's regency
When his father died in 1122, Dirk was only 7 years old and his mother, Petronilla, governed the county as regent. In 1123 she supported the uprising of her half-brother, Lothair of Süpplingenburg, Duke of SaxonyLothair III, Holy Roman Emperor
Lothair III of Supplinburg , was Duke of Saxony , King of Germany , and Holy Roman Emperor from 1133 to 1137. The son of Count Gebhard of Supplinburg, his reign was troubled by the constant intriguing of Frederick I, Duke of Swabia and Duke Conrad of Franconia...
against Emperor Henry V
Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry V was King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor , the fourth and last ruler of the Salian dynasty. Henry's reign coincided with the final phase of the great Investiture Controversy, which had pitted pope against emperor...
. After Lothair had been elected king of Germany himself in 1125 he returned Leiden and Rijnland
Rijnland
The name Rijnland means "Rhineland" in Dutch. When referring to the Rhine in Germany, "Rijnland" has the same meaning as "Rhineland" in English or "Rheinland" in German...
to Holland, which had both been awarded to the Bishop of Utrecht in 1064 (Later on during Dirk's reign the wooden fortifications at Leiden would be replaced by a stone castle). Because Petronilla saw little ability or ambition in Dirk as he grew up, she stalled letting go of the regency when he reached adulthood (fifteen years old), until her favourite son Floris could attempt to take over the county.
Floris the Black
This Floris, called "the Black" did possess those qualities which his older brother seemed to lack. He openly revolted against him and was from 1129 to 1131 recognised as Count of Holland by, amongst others, King Lothair and Andreas of Kuyk, Bishop of Utrecht. After March 1131 Dirk again appears as count of Holland alongside him, the brothers apparently having reached an agreement. Only a few months later, however, in August 1131 Floris accepted an offer from the West-FrisiansWest Friesland (historical region)
West Friesland is a historical region in the northern part of the Netherlands. It was located in parts of what now is Noord-Holland and the Waddenzee. The region was bordered by the rivers Vlie and IJ...
to become lord of their entire territory, which reignited the conflict with his brother. After this the people from Kennemerland
Kennemerland
Kennemerland is a region in the Netherlands, near the coast in the province of North Holland. In includes the sand dunes north of the North Sea Canal, as well as the dunes of Zuid-Kennemerland National Park.-History:...
joined the revolt as well. A year later, in August 1132 King Lothair intervened and managed to reconcile the brothers. This did not pacify the Frisians however, who continued their revolt, which was nonetheless eventually suppressed. Later that year, on 26 October Floris was ambushed near Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
and murdered by Herman and Godfried of Kuyk, leaving Dirk to rule the county on his own. King Lothair punished this act by having Herman and Godfried's castle razed and banishing the two. Floris was buried at Rijnsburg Abbey.
Imperial affairs
Count Dirk had supported his relative Lothair of SaxonyLothair III, Holy Roman Emperor
Lothair III of Supplinburg , was Duke of Saxony , King of Germany , and Holy Roman Emperor from 1133 to 1137. The son of Count Gebhard of Supplinburg, his reign was troubled by the constant intriguing of Frederick I, Duke of Swabia and Duke Conrad of Franconia...
against Henry V
Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry V was King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor , the fourth and last ruler of the Salian dynasty. Henry's reign coincided with the final phase of the great Investiture Controversy, which had pitted pope against emperor...
and with his assistance parts of Holland were regained that had been awarded to and occupied by the Bishopric of Utrecht in 1064. Furthermore, with help from King Conrad III
Conrad III of Germany
Conrad III was the first King of Germany of the Hohenstaufen dynasty. He was the son of Frederick I, Duke of Swabia, and Agnes, a daughter of the Salian Emperor Henry IV.-Life and reign:...
and support of the counts of Cleves and Guelders
Dukes of Guelders
-House of Wassenberg:The first count of Guelders was Gerard IV, Lord of Wassenberg.During Reginald II's reign, the county of Guelders became a duchy.* before 1096–about 1129 : Gerard I* about 1129–about 1131 : Gerard II the tall, son of...
and his brother-in-law Otto II, Count of Rheineck, he was able to get a candidate of his own (Herman of Horne) recognised as bishop of Utrecht.
Ecclesiastical affairs and pilgrimage
Dirk and his mother supported the abbeys of Egmond and Rijnsburg, which flourished in this period. The nunnery at Rijnsburg was established by Petronilla in 1133. Two of her granddaughters, Sophie and Hedwig later joined it, one of them as abbess.Dirk and Sophie went on a pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
to the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
in 1138 and it was on this pilgrimage that their first son Dirk, called Peregrinus ("Pilgrim"), was born, but he died when he was only 12 years old. On the return journey, in 1139, Dirk visited Pope Innocent II
Pope Innocent II
Pope Innocent II , born Gregorio Papareschi, was pope from 1130 to 1143, and was probably one of the clergy in personal attendance on the antipope Clement III .-Early years:...
and asked for the abbeys of Egmond and Rijnsburg to be placed under direct papal authority and this request was granted. In this way Dirk removed the Bishop of Utrecht's influence over those abbeys. Dirk's mother, Petronilla, died in 1144 and was buried at Rijnsburg.
In 1155 the Frisians revolted again and plundered the area of Santpoort nearby Haarlem
Haarlem
Haarlem is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of North Holland, the northern half of Holland, which at one time was the most powerful of the seven provinces of the Dutch Republic...
, but they were beaten back by the knights of Haarlem and Osdorp
Osdorp
Osdorp is a borough of Amsterdam, The Netherlands in North Holland. Osdorp has 45,627 residents. There is also an original area which is now called Oud Osdorp which is in Sloten.Since 2001 there has been major modernisation in Osdorp.-Transport:...
.
In 1156 Count Dirk VI resolved the protracted conflict between the abbeys of Egmond and Echternach
Abbey of Echternach
The Abbey of Echternach is a Benedictine monastery in the town of Echternach, in eastern Luxembourg. The Abbey was founded by St Willibrord, the patron saint of Luxembourg, in the seventh century...
, which had been ongoing ever since the establishment of Egmond in 923 by Count Dirk I. At the time of the establishment the Count had granted Egmond the rights over all the churches in the area, which had previously belonged to Echternach. Repeated attempts were made to regain these lost rights, initially with little result, but in 1063 William I, Bishop of Utrecht
William I, Bishop of Utrecht
William I was bishop of Utrecht between 1054 and 1076. He was a typical representative of the German imperial system in which bishops were the main officials of the empire. He was a loyal follower of king Henry IV of Germany...
, decided to split the rights between the two abbeys. This division was unacceptable to Egmond however, and its abbots pressed the counts for compensation. Finally, in 1156, Dirk VI resolved to give all the rights over the churches to Egmond again, compensating Echternach with the rights over the proceeds of the church in Vlaardingen
Vlaardingen
Vlaardingen is a town in South Holland in the Netherlands. It is located on the north bank of the Nieuwe Maas/Nieuwe Waterweg river at the confluence with the Oude Maas...
and lands on the island of Schouwen. Although the abbot of Egmond was a witness at the agreement, it seems he may have attended under pressure, as only a little while later he excommunicated both Count Dirk and his son Floris
Floris III, Count of Holland
Floris III of Holland , Count of Holland from 1157 to 1190. He was a son of Dirk VI and Sophie of Luxemburg, heiress of Bentheim.-Life:...
. This perhaps is the reason that Dirk, unlike his forefathers, was not buried at Egmond, but at Rijnsburg.
Family
Count Dirk VI married Sophie of Salm, Countess of Bentheim some time before 1137. She was a daughter of Otto of Salm, Count of Rheineck and Bentheim, son of Hermann of Salm, King of GermanyHermann of Salm
Herman of Salm , also known as Herman of Luxembourg, was a count of Salm and German anti-king of the Holy Roman Empire who ruled from 1081 until his death...
. Dirk and Sophie had (at least) nine children:
- Dirk, known as Pilgrim (Peregrinus), born 1138/1139 – died 1151.
- FlorisFloris III, Count of HollandFloris III of Holland , Count of Holland from 1157 to 1190. He was a son of Dirk VI and Sophie of Luxemburg, heiress of Bentheim.-Life:...
, born ca. 1140 – died 1 August 1190 at AntiochAntiochAntioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
(succeeded his father as Floris III, Count of Holland, in 1157). - Otto, born 1140/1145 – died 1208 or after (inherited his mother's county and became Count of Bentheim).
- Baldwin, born ca. 1149 – died 30 April 1196 (firstly, Provost at St Maria in Utrecht; secondly, Bishop of Utrecht from 1178 until his death).
- Dirk, born ca. 1152 – died 28 August 1197 in PaviaPaviaPavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
(also became Bishop of Utrecht, in 1197, but died the same year). - Sophie (in 1186 she became abbess of Rijnsburg Abbey, established by her grandmother).
- Hedwig, died 28 August 1167 (a nun at Rijnsburg).
- Gertrud (died in infancy).
- Petronilla.
Also, it was alleged that Count Dirk had fathered an illegitimate son, whose name was Robert.