Count of Hainaut explained

The Count of Hainaut (; ;) was the ruler of the county of Hainaut, a historical region in the Low Countries (including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany). In English-language historical sources, the title is often given the older spelling Hainault.

List of counts of Hainaut

10th century

See main article: House of Reginar.

• (uncertain) Reginar I (d. 915)
• Sigard (fl. 902–920), also Count of Liugas
• (uncertain) Reginar II (r. 920–after 932)
• (uncertain) Reginar III (r. before 940–958)
• Godfrey I (r. before 958–964), also Duke of Lower Lotharingia
• Richar (r. 964–973), also Count of Liugas

The County of Hainaut was then divided between the counties of Mons and Valenciennes.

Counts of Mons

• (uncertain) Renaud (r. 973)
• Godfrey II "the captive" (r. 974–998)
• (uncertain) Reginar IV (r. 998–1013)
• Reginar V (r. 1013–1039), acquired the southern part of the Brabant province around 1024
• Herman (r. 1039–1051), married Richilde, acquired Valenciennes around 1045 or 1049

Counts and Margraves of Valenciennes

• (uncertain) Amaury (fl. 953–973)
• (uncertain) Werner (r. 973)
• Arnulf of Valenciennes (d. 1011/1012), also probably count of Cambrai
• Baldwin IV (r. 988–1035)
• Baldwin V (r. 1035–1045)
• Reginar of Hasnon (d. c. 1049), father of Richilde, Countess of Hainaut (1045-1048/49)
• Herman (r. 1039–1051), as husband of Richilde (1048/49-1051)

Valenciennes and Mons are once again reunited in a consolidated County of Hainaut.

House of Flanders

See also: Counts of Flanders family tree.

• Baldwin I (r. 1051–1070), also Count of Flanders
• Arnulf I (r. 1070–1071), son of Baldwin VI, also Count of Flanders
• Baldwin II (r. 1071–1098), son of Baldwin I
• Baldwin III (r. 1098–1120), son of Baldwin II
• Baldwin IV (r. 1120–1171), son of Baldin III
• Baldwin V (r. 1171–1195), son of Baldwin IV, also Count of Flanders from 1191
• Baldwin VI (r. 1195–1205), son of Baldwin V, also Count of Flanders and Latin Emperor of Constantinople
• Joan (r. 1205–1244), daughter of Baldwin VI, also Countess of Flanders
• Margaret I (r. 1244–1253), daughter of Baldwin VI, also Countess of Flanders, married first to Bouchard IV of Avesnes and then William of Dampierre

The Counties of Flanders and Hainaut are claimed by Margaret's sons, the half-brothers John I of Avesnes and William III of Dampierre in the War of the Succession of Flanders and Hainault. In 1246, King Louis IX of France awards Hainaut to John, but Margaret refuses to hand over the government but was forced to do so in 1254 by John and the German anti-king William II, Count of Holland.

House of Avesnes

See main article: House of Avesnes.

• John I (r. 1253–1257), son of Margaret I and Bouchard IV of Avesnes

House of Flanders

See also: Counts of Flanders family tree.

• Margaret I (r. 1257–1280), resumed control after John I's death

House of Avesnes

• John II (r. 1280–1304), son of John I, also Count of Holland
• William I (r. 1304–1337), son of John II, also Count of Holland
• William II (r. 1337–1345), son of William I, also Count of Holland
• Margaret II (r. 1345–1356), daughter of William I,
  • jointly with her husband Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor (d. 1347) and their son William III

House of Bavaria

See main article: House of Wittelsbach.

• William III (r. 1345–1389), son of Margaret II and Louis IV
  • jointly with his brothers Louis the Brandenburger, Louis the Roman and Otto the Bavarian (1347–1349),
    Stephen II of Bavaria (1347–1353) and Albert I
• Margaret returned in 1350 in opposition to her son and held Hainaut until 1356.
• Albert I, (Regent since 1358, ruled as count 1389–1404)
• William IV (r. 1404–1417), son of Albert I
• Jacqueline (r. 1417–1433), daughter of William IV

Jacqueline was opposed by her uncle John, Duke of Bavaria-Straubing, son of Count Albert I in a war of succession. John's claims devolved upon Philip III, Duke of Burgundy, a nephew of William IV, whose mother had been the sister of William. In April 1433 he forced Jacqueline to abdicate from Hainaut and Holland in his favour.

House of Burgundy

See main article: House of Burgundy.

• Philip I the Good (r. 1433–1467)
• Charles I the Bold (r. 1467–1477), son of Philip the Good
• Mary the Rich (r. 1477–1482), daughter of Charles the Bold, jointly with her husband Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor

House of Habsburg

See main article: House of Habsburg.

• Philip II the Handsome (r. 1482–1506), son of Mary and Maximilian
• Charles II (r. 1506–1555), son of Philip, also Holy Roman Emperor (as Charles V)

Charles II proclaimed the Pragmatic Sanction of 1549 eternally uniting Hainaut with the other lordships of the Low Countries in a personal union. When the Habsburg empire was divided among the heirs of Charles V, the Low Countries, including Hainaut, went to Philip II of Spain, of the Spanish branch of the House of Habsburg.

• Philip III (r. 1555–1598), son of Charles III, also King of Spain
• Isabella Clara Eugenia (r. 1598–1621), daughter of Philip II,
  • jointly with her husband Albert, Archduke of Austria)
• Philip IV (r. 1621–1665), grandson of Philip III, also King of Spain
• Charles III (r. 1665–1700), son of Philip IV, also King of Spain

Between 1706 and 1714 the Low Countries were invaded by the English and the Dutch during the War of the Spanish Succession. The fief was claimed by the House of Habsburg and the House of Bourbon. In 1714, the Treaty of Rastatt settled the succession and the County of Hainaut went to the Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg.

• Charles IV (r. 1714–1740), great grandson of Philip III, als Holy Roman Emperor (elect)
• Mary Theresa (r. 1740–1780), daughter of Charles IV, married Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
• Joseph I (r. 1780–1790), son of Maria Theresa and Francis I, also Holy Roman Emperor
• Leopold I (r. 1790–1792), son of Maria Theresa and Francis I, also Holy Roman Emperor
• Francis I (r. 1792–1835), son of Leopold I, also Holy Roman Emperor

The title was factually abolished in the aftermath of the French Revolution and the annexation of Flanders by France in 1795. Although, the title remained officially claimed by the descendants of Leopold I until the reign of Charles I of Austria.

Family tree (1055–1433)

Image:HainautCounts.pngrect 184 144 293 184 Baldwin V, count of Flandersrect 357 143 470 184 Aelide, princess of Francerect 5 210 116 239 Gertrude of Saxonyrect 180 203 280 242 Robert I, count of Flandersrect 88 252 200 267 Counts of Flanders#House of Flandersrect 282 221 449 261 Baldwin I of Hainautrect 528 228 684 256 Richilde, Countess of Mons and Hainautrect 167 294 251 316 Ida of Louvainrect 318 289 417 317 Baldwin II of Hainautrect 449 283 573 322 Arnulf I of Hainautrect 291 343 378 368 Richilde of Hainaut (1095–1118)rect 442 343 572 368 Amaury III de Montfortrect 197 380 295 405 Baldwin III of Hainautrect 361 384 504 397 Yolande van Wassenbergrect 224 426 280 455 Gertrude of Hainautrect 332 426 378 444 Richilde of Hainaut (12th century)rect 393 426 524 455 Gerhard of Hainautrect 256 466 356 493 Baldwin IV of Hainautrect 418 466 555 493 Alice of Namurrect 273 513 339 540 Yolande of Hainautrect 149 513 235 540 Hugh IV of Saint Polrect 376 513 421 540 Henry of Hainautrect 447 513 508 540 Baldwin of Hainaut (1134–1147)rect 545 513 707 540 Geoffrey of Ostervantrect 403 549 467 572 Agnes of Hainautrect 490 549 556 574 Laurette of Hainautrect 598 549 709 574 Bouchard IV of Montmorencyrect 86 573 207 612 Margaret I of Flandersrect 284 573 410 612 Baldwin V of Hainautrect 16 630 80 657 Sybille of Hainautrect 127 630 179 657 Eustach of Hainautrect 212 630 257 657 Godfrey of Hainautrect 328 630 424 672 Philip I of Namurrect 523 630 585 660 Isabelle of Hainautrect 622 630 725 660 Philip II of Francerect 10 675 160 716 Peter II of Courtenayrect 198 682 382 710 Yolanda of Namurrect 464 672 570 711 Henry of Constantinoplerect 616 678 703 707 Maria of Bulgaria, Latin Empressrect 182 737 299 764 Mary of Champagnerect 368 729 523 768 Baldwin VI of Hainautrect 7 785 93 826 Thomas II of Savoyrect 145 789 275 829 Joanna of Flandersrect 328 789 430 827 Infante Ferdinand, Count of Flandersrect 368 840 512 879 Margaret II of Flandersrect 90 848 250 875 Bouchard IV of Avesnesrect 579 840 875 879 William II of Dampierrerect 493 885 602 895 Counts of Flanders#House of Dampierrerect 127 895 238 935 Baldwin of Avesnesrect 258 893 306 921 Baldwin of Avesnes (died 1219)rect 313 914 428 954 John I of Avesnesrect 491 914 612 954 Adelaide of Hollandrect 74 967 166 1006 Joanna of Flinesrect 190 967 267 1006 Bouchard of Metzrect 337 967 404 1006 Guy of Avesnesrect 426 967 515 1006 William of Cambrairect 540 967 704 1006 Floris of Zeelandrect 239 1016 359 1056 John II of Hainautrect 423 1027 1034 1053 Philippine of Luxembourgrect 37 1073 110 1113 John of Ostervantrect 126 1073 170 1098 Joanna of Hainaut (nun at Fontenelles)rect 204 1073 278 1113 Henry of Hainautrect 156 1121 220 1148 Mary of Avesnesrect 8 1121 85 1148 Louis I of Bourbonrect 316 1073 362 1098 Isabelle of Hainaut (died 1305)rect 395 1073 448 1098 Raoul of Clermontrect 447 1116 490 1141 Alice of Hainautrect 308 1116 391 1141 Roger Bigod, 5th Earl of Norfolkrect 498 1073 552 1098 Margaret of Hainautrect 603 1073 688 1098 Robert II of Artoisrect 498 1109 609 1152 Margaret of Soissonsrect 653 1111 730 1153 John of Beaumontrect 224 1165 365 1204 William I of Hainautrect 424 1174 519 1200 Joan of Valois (1294–1352)rect 12 1226 110 1239 Robert of Namur (1323–1391)rect 156 1221 219 1247 Isabelle of Hainaut (1323–1361)rect 291 1221 335 1247 John of Hainaut (died 1316)rect 346 1221 409 1247 Louis of Hainaut (1325–1328)rect 445 1221 489 1247 Agnes of Hainaut (died 1327)rect 475 1260 537 1285 Joanna of Hainautrect 516 1221 579 1247 Philippa of Hainautrect 630 1221 721 1247 Edward III of Englandrect 590 1260 670 1285 William V of Julichrect 192 1262 329 1302 William II of Hainautrect 3 1262 139 1302 Joanna, Duchess of Brabantrect 139 1310 263 1352 Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperorrect 353 1313 499 1354 Margaret II of Hainautrect 25 1367 117 1396 Ulrich of Württemberg (died 1388)rect 154 1367 217 1396 Elizabeth of Bavaria (1329–1402)rect 269 1367 334 1396 Anna of Bavariarect 356 1367 470 1410 Otto V, Duke of Bavariarect 473 1407 540 1433 Beatrice of Bavariarect 594 1407 674 1433 Eric XII of Swedenrect 546 1367 609 1393 Margaret of Bavaria (1325–1374)rect 639 1367 733 1390 Gerhard of Hohenloherect 175 1402 333 1444 William I, Duke of Bavariarect 12 1409 123 1437 Matilda of Lancasterrect 268 1450 429 1490 Albrecht I of Wittelsbachrect 111 1459 212 1486 Margaret of Briegrect 486 1464 594 1489 Margaret of Clevesrect 89 1504 151 1530 Albert II, Duke of Bavaria-Straubingrect 132 1541 235 1581 John of Bavaria-Straubingrect 7 1541 76 1582 Elisabeth, Duchess of Luxembourgrect 284 1505 348 1530 Catherine of Wittelsbachrect 393 1507 472 1532 William I of Gelders and Jülichrect 451 1549 516 1573 Margaret of Bavariarect 567 1550 669 1575 John the Fearlessrect 490 1507 555 1529 Joanna of Bavariarect 594 1503 735 1530 Wenzel IV of Bohemiarect 225 1595 324 1620 William VI of Hainautrect 389 1595 514 1620 Margaret of Burgundy (1374–1441)rect 267 1643 450 1685 Jacqueline of Hollandrect 11 1627 204 1650 John, Dauphin of France (1398–1417)rect 6 1659 204 1685 John IV, Duke of Brabantrect 536 1627 709 1650 Humphrey of Gloucesterrect 505 1660 734 1685 Frank van Borsselen

Modern usage

House of Belgium

See also: Monarchy of Belgium. In the Kingdom of Belgium, the title of Count of Hainaut was traditionally given to the eldest son of the Belgian crown prince, who was himself styled as Duke of Brabant. In 2001, with the birth of Princess Elisabeth of Belgium (now Duchess of Brabant), heir and elder daughter of Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant (now Philippe, King of the Belgians), it was decided not to feminize and award her the title of Countess of Hainaut, but to abolish the title.

• Prince Leopold, Duke of Brabant (1859–1865), son of Leopold II of Belgium
• Baudouin I of Belgium (1930–1934), son of Leopold III of Belgium

See also

• County of Hainaut