Count of Hainaut

The county of Hainaut, located in the west of the German Empire, near to the borders with the Kingdom of France, emerged from the refeudalisation of three counties in 1071: the county of Mons, the southern county of the (medieval) province of Brabant and the Ottonian margraviate of Valenciennes.

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The following rulers contributed to the territorial formation of the county:

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• Regnier IV of Mons (+1013), acquired the county of Mons in 998.
• Regnier V of Mons (+1039), acquired the southern part of the Brabant province around 1024.
• Hermann I of Mons (+1051), became margrave of Valenciennes around 1049.
• Richilde of Hainaut (+1086), widow of Hermann I of Mons.

The unification of the county of Hainaut as empirial fief was accomplished in 1071, when countess Richilde of Hainaut tried to sell her fiefs to German King Henry IV after she was defeated in the Battle of Kassel. Henry IV ordered the bishop of Liège to buy the fiefs and to give them back as an unified county in feud to the countess Richilde, by feudal intermediance however of the Duke of Lower Lotharingia.

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The counts of Hainaut had several historical connections with the counts of Flanders and Holland, to whom they had strong family ties. Throughout its history, the county of Hainaut formed a personal union with other states:

Related Topics:
Counts of Flanders - Holland - Personal union

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• Hainaut and Flanders: 1067-1071 and 1191-1246
• Hainaut and Holland: 1299-1436
• Hainaut and Bavaria-Straubing: 1356-1407

With the murder of Jacqueline of Hainaut and Holland in 1436, her estates were acquired by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy.

Related Topics:
Jacqueline of Hainaut and Holland - 1436 - Philip the Good - Duke of Burgundy

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Count of Hainaut: House of Flanders ►