Baldwin II, Margrave of Flanders
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| Baldwin II | |
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| Margrave of Flanders | |
| File:Baldwin II the Bald.jpg
Baldwin II from the 16th century
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| Spouse(s) | Ælfthryth of Wessex |
| Issue
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| Noble family | House of Flanders |
| Father | Baldwin I of Flanders |
| Mother | Judith of Flanders |
| Born | c. 865 |
| Died | 10 September 918 (aged 52–53) |
Baldwin II (c.865 – 10 September 918), nicknamed Calvus (the Bald), was the second Margrave of Flanders. He ruled from 879 CE to 918 CE.
Contents
Life
Baldwin II was the son of Baldwin I of Flanders and Judith, the great-granddaughter of Charlemagne.[1]
Marriage
In 884, Baldwin II married Ælfthryth (Ælfthryth, Elftrude, Elfrida), the daughter of Alfred the Great.[2] The immediate goal of this Anglo-Flemish alliance was to help Baldwin control the lower Canche River valley.[3]
Life
The early years of Baldwin's rule were marked by a series of devastating Viking raids into Flanders.[4] By 883, he was forced to move north to Pagus Flandransis, which became the territory most closely associated with the Counts of Flanders.[4] Baldwin constructed a series of wooden fortifications at Saint-Omer, Bruges, Ghent, and Kortrijk, and seized lands that were abandoned by royal and ecclesiastical officials.[5] Many of these same citadels later formed castellanies which housed government, militia, and local courts.[4]
Rise to power
In 888, the western Frankish king, Charles the Fat, was deposed, leaving several candidates for his replacement.[6] As a grandson of Charles the Bald, Holy Roman Emperor and King of West Francia, Baldwin could have competed for the crown of West Francia.[5] Instead, Baldwin and others tried to convince the East Frankish King, Arnulf , to take the West Frankish crown, but Arnulf declined.[6]
The Robertine Odo, Count of Paris, was elected king.[7] Odo and Baldwin's relationship deteriorated when Odo failed to support Baldwin's attempts to gain control of the Abbey of St. Bertin. Odo attacked Baldwin at Bruges but was unable to prevail.[6] Baldwin continued his expansion to the south and gained control over Artois, including the important abbey of St. Vaast.
Death
When the abbey came under the jurisdiction of Archbishop Fulk of Reims in 900, Baldwin had the archbishop assassinated.[3] When his attempts to expand further into the upper Somme River valley were opposed by Herbert I, Count of Vermandois, Baldwin had the count assassinated as well.[3] Baldwin died on 10 September 918[8] at Blandijnberg (near Ghent) and was succeeded by his eldest son Arnulf I of Flanders. His younger son, Adalulf, became the first Count of Boulogne.
Family
Baldwin II was married to Ælfthryth, daughter of Alfred the Great,[1] and had five children:
- Arnulf I of Flanders (c. 890–964), married Adela of Vermandois.[1]
- Adalulf (c. 890–933), Count of Boulogne.[1]
- Ealswid[1]
- Ermentrud[1]
He is a direct patrilineal ancestor of Anne Boleyn, 2nd wife of King Henry VIII, and mother of Queen Elizabeth I.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Detlev Schwennicke, Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten, Neue Folge, Band II (Verlag von J. A. Stargardt, Marburg, Germany, 1984), Tafel 5
- ↑ François Neveux, The Normans; The Conquests that Changed the Face of Europe, Trans. Howard Curtis (Constable and Robinson, Ltd., London, 2008), p. 93
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Pierre Riché, The Carolingians; A Family who Forged Europe, Trans. Michael Idomir Allen (University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia), p. 236
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 David Nicholas, Medieval Flanders (Longman Group UK, Ltd., 1992)pp. 17–18
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Pierre Riché, The Carolingians; A Family who Forged Europe, Trans. Michael Idomir Allen (University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia), p. 235
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 David Nicholas, Medieval Flanders (Longman Group UK, Ltd., 1992)p. 19
- ↑ Pierre Riché, The Carolingians; A Family who Forged Europe, Trans. Michael Idomir Allen (University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia), p. 237
- ↑ Philip Grierson, 'The Relations between England and Flanders before the Norman Conquest', Transactions of the Royal Historical Society, Vol. 23 (1941), p. 86
Additional references
- Folcwine. Gesta Abbatum S. Bertini Sithiensium.
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| Preceded by | Margrave of Flanders 879–918 |
Succeeded by Arnulf I |
