William I, Marquis of Namur
Encyclopedia
William I, Marquis of Namur, the Rich, (1324 – 1 October 1391) was Count of Namur from 1337 until his death.
He was the fifth son of John I
and Mary of Artois.
Because his four elder brothers all died childless between 1333 and 1337, he still became Marquis of Namur.
William participated in the Hundred Years' War
on the side of the English.
Despite this, Namur itself remained at peace, except for a revolt of the weavers in 1351.
He was defeated and taken prisoner in the Battle of Baesweiler
in 1371.
Thanks to the fortune, first of his mother and then of his wife, William was able to buy several territories which enlarged the Marquisate. In 1362 he obtained from Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
that Namur depended directly from the Holy Roman Empire and ceased to be a vassal of the County of Hainaut
. He also developed the mining and forging industries, as well as commerce.
, daughter of John of Beaumont
and Margaret of Soissons
. Jeanne died 2 years later form the Black Death
without children.
William remarried in March 1352 with Catherine of Savoy, daughter of Louis II of Savoy, baron of Vaud, and Isabella of Châlon. They had 3 children :
William also had several illegitimate children.
He was the fifth son of John I
John I, Marquis of Namur
John I of Namur was the ruler of Namur from 1305 to 1330. He was a member of the house of Dampierre, the son of Guy of Dampierre, Count of Flanders and Marquis of Namur, and his second wife Isabelle of Luxembourg...
and Mary of Artois.
Because his four elder brothers all died childless between 1333 and 1337, he still became Marquis of Namur.
William participated in the Hundred Years' War
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...
on the side of the English.
Despite this, Namur itself remained at peace, except for a revolt of the weavers in 1351.
He was defeated and taken prisoner in the Battle of Baesweiler
Battle of Baesweiler
The Battle of Baesweiler was a conflict between the dukes of Brabant and Jülich.During this time, large groups of mercenaries roamed the lands of western Europe, bringing death wherever they came...
in 1371.
Thanks to the fortune, first of his mother and then of his wife, William was able to buy several territories which enlarged the Marquisate. In 1362 he obtained from Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles IV , born Wenceslaus , was the second king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and the first king of Bohemia to also become Holy Roman Emperor....
that Namur depended directly from the Holy Roman Empire and ceased to be a vassal of the County of 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....
. He also developed the mining and forging industries, as well as commerce.
Mariage and children
He first married on February 13 1348 with Jeanne of HainaultJeanne of Hainault
Jeanne of Hainault was a daughter of John of Beaumont, lord of Beaumont and Margaret of Soissons. She succeeded her mother in 1344 as Countess of Soissons....
, daughter of John of Beaumont
John of Beaumont
John of Beaumont was a younger brother of count William III of Holland.He was born as John of Hainault, lord of Noordwijk, Beaumont, Gouda and Schoonhoven. He was born most likely in 1288 as son of count John II, Count of Holland and Philippa of Luxembourg...
and Margaret of Soissons
Margaret of Soissons
Margaret of Soissons was the only daughter of Hugo of Soissons and Johanna of Argies.In 1306 she succeeded her father as Countess of Soissons. Margaret was married to John of Beaumont , son of John II, Count of Holland...
. Jeanne died 2 years later form the Black Death
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
without children.
William remarried in March 1352 with Catherine of Savoy, daughter of Louis II of Savoy, baron of Vaud, and Isabella of Châlon. They had 3 children :
- William IIWilliam II, Marquis of NamurWilliam II, marquis of Namur inherited the marquisate of Namur from his father William I in 1391 and held it until his own death....
(1355-1418), Marquis of Namur - John IIIJohn III, Marquis of NamurJohn III, marquis of Namur was between 1418 and 1429 the last independent Marquis of Namur.He was the youngest son of William I, Marquis of Namur and Catherine of Savoy , daughter of Louis II of Savoy, baron of Vaud, and Isabella of Châlon.When his father died in 1391, he inherited Wijnendale and...
(?-1429), last Marquis of Namur - Marie (?-1412), married in 1370 Guy II de Blois-ChâtillonGuy II, Count of BloisGuy II of Blois-Châtillon , the youngest son of Louis I of Châtillon and Joan of Avesnes, was count of Blois and lord of Avesnes, Schoonhoven, and Gouda 1381–1397, and lord of Beaumont and Chimay....
and in 1405 Pierre de Brabant, Admiral of FranceAdmiral of FranceThe title Admiral of France is one of the Great Officers of the Crown of France, the naval equivalent of Marshal of France.The title was created in 1270 by Louis IX of France, during the Eighth Crusade. At the time it was equivalent to the office of Constable of France. The Admiral was responsible...
.
William also had several illegitimate children.