John I of Avesnes
Encyclopedia
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
. As the marriage of Margaret and Bouchard was papally dissolved, he was considered illegitimate.
His mother was remarried to William II of Dampierre
and bore more children who could claim her inheritance. Thus, John and his brother Baldwin undertook to receive imperial recognition of their legitimacy and did so from the Emperor Frederick II in March 1243. On 5 December 1244, Margaret inherited Flanders
and Hainaut
and designated her eldest son by her second husband, William III of Dampierre
, as her heir. Immediately a war, called the War of the Succession of Flanders and Hainault
, was set off over the rights of inheritance, pitting John against William.
After two years of fighting, in 1246, Louis IX of France
intervened to settle the conflict. He granted Hainaut to John and Flanders to William. However, Margaret refused to hand Hainaut over to John. On 6 June 1251, William of Flanders was assassinated and it was shown that the Avesnes family had financed the crime. On 4 July 1253, John defeated the armies of Margaret and her second Dampierre son, Guy
, at the Battle of West-Capelle. Guy was imprisoned and Margaret agreed to sell her rights to Hainaut to Charles of Anjou if he would reconquer it from John. John's brother-in-law William II, Count of Holland, who had been elected German King (or "King of the Romans
"), was convinced to grant Hainaut (an imperial fief) and those Flemish lands within the Empire to John. Charles was defeated and King Louis, returning from the Seventh Crusade
, ordered his brother to abide by his arbitration of 1246. On 22 November 1257, Guy finally relinquished Hainaut, but John died on Christmas Eve
in Valenciennes
.
in 1246 and had the following issue:
Houffalize
Houffalize is a Walloon municipality of Belgium located in the province of Luxembourg.-History:On 1 January 2007 the municipality, which covers 166.58 km², had 4,802 inhabitants, giving a population density of 28.8 inhabitants per km²....
, he was the eldest son of Margaret II of Flanders by her first husband, Bouchard IV of Avesnes
Bouchard IV of Avesnes
Bouchard IV was the lord of Avesnes and Étrœungt. He was the son of James of Avesnes and Adela of Guise and brother of Walter, Count of Blois by marriage....
. As the marriage of Margaret and Bouchard was papally dissolved, he was considered illegitimate.
His mother was remarried to 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 bore more children who could claim her inheritance. Thus, John and his brother Baldwin undertook to receive imperial recognition of their legitimacy and did so from the Emperor Frederick II in March 1243. On 5 December 1244, Margaret inherited 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...
and Hainaut
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....
and designated her eldest son by her second husband, William III of Dampierre
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....
, as her heir. Immediately a war, called 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...
, was set off over the rights of inheritance, pitting John against William.
After two years of fighting, 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 settle the conflict. He granted Hainaut to John and Flanders to William. However, Margaret refused to hand Hainaut over to John. On 6 June 1251, William of Flanders was assassinated and it was shown that the Avesnes family had financed the crime. On 4 July 1253, John defeated the armies of Margaret and her second Dampierre son, 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...
, at the Battle of West-Capelle. Guy was imprisoned and Margaret agreed to sell her rights to Hainaut to Charles of Anjou if he would reconquer it from John. John's brother-in-law William II, Count of Holland, who had been elected German King (or "King of the Romans
King of the Romans
King of the Romans was the title used by the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire following his election to the office by the princes of the Kingdom of Germany...
"), was convinced to grant Hainaut (an imperial fief) and those Flemish lands within the Empire to John. Charles was defeated and King Louis, returning from the Seventh Crusade
Seventh 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...
, ordered his brother to abide by his arbitration of 1246. On 22 November 1257, Guy finally relinquished Hainaut, but John died on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
in Valenciennes
Valenciennes
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...
.
Family and children
He married Adelaide of HollandAdelaide of Holland
Adelaide of Holland or Aleide van Holland was a daughter of Floris IV, Count of Holland and Matilda of Brabant. She was also a sister of William II, Count of Holland and King of Germany...
in 1246 and had the following issue:
- John II, Count of Hainaut and HollandCount of HollandThe Counts of Holland ruled over the County of Holland in the Low Countries between the 10th and the 16th century.-House of Holland:The first count of Holland, Dirk I, was the son or foster-son of Gerolf, Count in Frisia...
(1247–1304) - Joanna, Abbess of Flines (died 1304)
- Bouchard, Bishop of Metz (1251–1296)
- GuyGuy of AvesnesGuy van Avennes was Bishop of Utrecht from 1301 to 1317.-Family:He was descended from an important Hainaut family, the House of Avesnes...
, Bishop of Utrecht (1253–1317) - William, Bishop of Cambrai (1254–1296)
- FlorisFlorent of HainautFlorent of Hainaut was Prince of Achaea from 1289 to his death, in right of his wife, Isabella of Villehardouin. He was the son of John I of Avesnes and Adelaide of Holland...
, stadholder of Zeeland and Prince of AchaeaPrincipality of AchaeaThe Principality of Achaea or of the Morea was one of the three vassal states of the Latin Empire which replaced the Byzantine Empire after the capture of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade. It became a vassal of the Kingdom of Thessalonica, along with the Duchy of Athens, until Thessalonica...
See also
- Counts of Hainaut family treeCounts of Hainaut family treeThis is a family tree of the Counts of Hainaut, sometimes spelled though not pronounced Hainault from 1055 to 1432, when the County of Hainaut and the County of Holland are incorporated in the estates of the Duchy of Burgundy, following the end of the Hook and Cod wars...