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County of Flanders

county and historic territory in the Low Countries

91 dated entries naming County of Flanders, drawn from 77 separate years between 877 CE and 1653 CE. Nothing here is written by us: each line is the sentence a Wikipedia year article used, and the link beside it opens the exact revision.

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9th century

  • 877Ælfthryth, English princess and countess of Flanders (died 929)source
  • 879Baldwin I, margrave of Flanderssource
  • 879Baldwin I ("Iron Arm") dies, after 15 years as margrave of Flanders. He is buried in the Abbey of Saint Bertin (near Saint-Omer), and is succeeded by his son Baldwin II.source
  • 890Arnulf I, count of Flanders (approximate date)source

10th century

  • 929June 7 – Ælthryth, English princess and countess of Flanders (born 877)source
  • 939Hugh the Great, count of Paris, rebels against King Louis IV ("d'Outremer") and gains support from William I, duke of Normandy. Hugh, along with Herbert II, count of Vermandois, Arnulf I, count of Flanders and William pay homage to King Otto I (ruler of the East Frankish Kingdom), and support him in his struggle against Louis.source
  • 942December 17 – William I ("Longsword"), duke of Normandy, is ambushed and assassinated by supporters of Arnulf I ("the Great"), count of Flanders, while the two are at a peace conference at Picquigny (on an island on the Somme) to settle their differences. William is succeeded by his 9-year-old son Richard.source
  • 956Dunstan, an abbot of Glastonbury Abbey, is sent into exile by King Eadwig. He takes refuge in Flanders (modern Belgium), where Count Arnulf I gives him shelter in the Abbey of Mont Blandin, near Ghent.source
  • 957Mercia and Northumbria rebel against King Eadwig and switch their allegiance to his brother Edgar. The English nobles (in support of the church) agree to divide the kingdom along the Thames River, with Eadwig keeping Wessex and Kent in the south and Edgar ruling in the north. Edgar's advisers recall Dunstan from Flanders (see 956).source
  • 965Spring – King Lothair III exploits the succession crisis in Flanders and captures many cities, but is eventually repulsed by the supporters of Arnulf II – the son of Baldwin III and former co-ruler of Flanders. Lothair attempts to increase his influence in Lotharingia, once held by the Carolingian dynasty. Emperor Otto I (the Great) encourages resistance to Lothair's overtures.source
  • 965March 28 – Arnulf I, count of Flanderssource
  • 988April 1 – 16-year old Robert II of France ("Robert the Pious") is married to the much older Rozala (the widow of Arnulf II). The marriage is arranged by Robert's father, King Hugh Capet, to secure the loyalty of the County of Flanders.source

11th century

  • 1008May 25 – Matilda of Saxony, countess of Flanderssource
  • 1009Adèle of France, countess of Flanders (died 1079)source
  • 1010Eleanor of Normandy, countess of Flanders (died 1077)source
  • 1012August 19 – Baldwin V, count of Flanders (died 1067)source
  • 1018Richilde, countess and regent of Flanders (died 1086)source
  • 1030Baldwin VI (the Good), count of Flanders (approximate date)source
  • 1035Robert I, the Frisian, count of Flanders (approximate date)source
  • 1037King Harold I seizes the throne of England from his half-brother Harthacnut. His mother, Emma of Normandy, flees to Bruges in Flanders (modern Belgium).source
  • 10481048 or 1066 – End of the Viking Age: Vikings make an unsuccessful raid on the Kingdom of England; The raiders flee to Flanders (modern Belgium).source
  • 1065Robert II, count of Flanders (approximate date)source
  • 1065October 3 – Northumbria revolts against Tostig Godwinson, who is exiled. He takes refuge with his brother-in-law, Count Baldwin V in Flanders (modern Belgium). The Northumbrian nobles choose Morcar (or Morkere) as earl at York.source
  • 1067September 1 – Baldwin V, count of Flanderssource
  • 1070July 17 – Baldwin VI (the Good), count of Flanderssource
  • 1071February 22 – Battle of Cassel: Robert I ("the Frisian") defeats his sister-in-law Richilde (widow of Baldwin VI) and her nephew Arnulf III, in a succession struggle for the County of Flanders. Robert is appointed count by King Philip I of France.source
  • 1071February 22 – Arnulf III, count of Flanders (House of Flanders) — killed at the Battle of Casselsource
  • 1077Eleanor of Normandy, countess of Flanders (born 1010)source
  • 1079January 8 – Adela of France, countess of Flanders (born 1009)source
  • 1084Charles I (the Good), count of Flanders (died 1127)source
  • 1086March 15 – Richilde, countess and regent of Flanderssource
  • 1093Baldwin VII, count of Flanders (died 1119)source
  • 1099Thierry of Alsace, count of Flanders (died 1168)source
  • 1099February – The Crusaders under Godfrey of Bouillon set out from Antioch to Latakia. They are joined by forces of Bohemond I and Robert II, count of Flanders. On their arrival, Bohemond decides to turn back to consolidate his power in Antioch. Godfrey and Robert move on to besiege the small sea-port of Jabala. After two weeks, the Emir of Jabala makes a truce, and accepts the suzerainty of the Crusaders.source

12th century

  • 1102October 25 – William Clito, count of Flanders (died 1128)source
  • 1106August 7 – Emperor Henry IV escapes his captors at Ingelheim. He enters into negotiations at Cologne with English, French and Danish noblemen, and begins to collect an army to oppose his son Henry V but dies at Liège after a 49-year reign. Henry leads a successful expedition against Count Robert II of Flanders and is forced to swear his allegiance to him.source
  • 1111October 5 – 18-year-old Baldwin VII succeeds his father, Robert II, as Count of Flanders until 1119.source
  • 1111October 5 – Robert II, Count of Flanders, died in battle (born 1065)source
  • 1112Sibylla of Anjou, countess of Flanders (died 1165)source
  • 1118Peace between England and Flanders is agreed upon.source
  • 1119July 17 – Baldwin VII, count of Flanders (born 1093)source
  • 1127March 2 – Charles the Good, count of Flanders (born 1084)source
  • 1127March 2 – Charles the Good, count of Flanders, is murdered by a band of knights while praying in church; he leaves no children. King Louis VI of France appoints William Clito (son of Robert Curthose) as new ruler. But the Flemish towns of Bruges, Ghent, Saint-Omer and Ypres recognize (with English financial support) Thierry of Alsace as rival count.source
  • 1128February – Saint-Omer and Ghent declare for Thierry (Theoderic) in his challenge to his cousin William Clito for the County of Flanders.source
  • 1128July 28 – William Clito, count of Flanders (born 1102)source
  • 1128July 28 – William Clito dies as a result of a wound received at the siege of Aalst a fortnight earlier, leaving Thierry as sole claimant to the County of Flanders. He sets up his seat of government at Bruges and King Louis VI ("the Fat") of France agrees to his accession.source
  • 1143Philip I (of Alsace), count of Flanders (died 1191)source
  • 1146March 31 – Bernard of Clairvaux, commissioned by Pope Eugene III, preaches the Second Crusade at Vézelay, in Burgundy. King Louis VII of France and his wife, Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, take up the cross. In a repeat of the events of 1096, Crusaders attack and massacre Jewish communities along the Rhine. Encouraged by his success, Bernard undertakes a tour in Burgundy, Lorraine and Flanders – preaching the Crusade as he goes.source
  • 1147Late spring – An expedition of Crusaders and Englishmen, together with forces from Flanders, Frisia, Scotland and some German polities, leaves from Dartmouth in England for the Holy Land. Leadership is provided by Hervey de Glanvill, a Norman nobleman and constable of Suffolk, who leads a fleet of some 200 ships. Bad weather forces them to take refuge at the mouth of the Douro River, on the Portuguese coast, on June 16.source
  • 1152April 6 – King Stephen has his nobles swear fealty to his son Eustace, as the rightful heir of the English throne. Theobald, archbishop of Canterbury, and other bishops refuse to crown Eustace favouring Henry of Anjou to claim the throne instead. Stephen confiscates their property and Theobald is forced into exile in Flanders.source
  • 1165Sibylla of Anjou, countess consort of Flanders (born 1112)source
  • 1168January 17 – Thierry of Alsace, count of Flanders (born 1099)source
  • 1181Philip II begins a war against Philip of Alsace, count of Flanders, over the Vermandois. He claims the territory for his wife Isabella of Hainault as her dowry. Philip is unwilling to give it up.source
  • 1188March 24 – Ferdinand (or Ferrand), count of Flanders (died 1233)source
  • 1189September – Guy of Lusignan receives reinforcements of some 12,000 men from Denmark, Germany, England, France, and Flanders. He encircles Acre with a double line of fortified positions. On September 15, Saladin launches a failed attack on Guy's camp.source
  • 1191The counties of Flanders and Hainaut (modern Belgium) are united under Count Baldwin VIII. Flanders, a feudal fiefdom of France, becomes an important, wealthy independent state of Western Europe.source
  • 1194November 15 – Margaret I, countess of Flanderssource
  • 1200Spring – Boniface I, Marquis of Montferrat, sends envoys to Venice, Genoa and other city-states to negotiate a contract for transport to the Levant. Meanwhile, Boniface and various nobles are mustering an expeditionary army (mainly forces from France and the Holy Roman Empire) at Paris. On February 23, Baldwin IX, count of Flanders and his brother Henry of Flanders take the cross at Bruges (modern Belgium), and agree to take part in the Fourth Crusade called by Pope Innocent III (see 1199).source

13th century

  • 1202Margaret of Constantinople, countess of Flanders (died 1280)source
  • 1202April–May – The bulk of the Crusader army gathers at Venice, although with far smaller numbers than expected: about 12,000 men (4–5,000 knights and 8,000 soldiers) instead of 33,500 men. Several contingents decide to make their own way to the Holy Land by different routes. A Crusader fleet, sailing from Flanders, carrying supplies for the Counts Baldwin IX and his brother Henry of Flanders, winters in Marseille, but is slowed by adverse weather. Later it sails on to the Middle East, along with other contingents from southern France.source
  • 1214February 15 – John, King of England ("Lackland") lands with an invasion force (accompanied by mercenaries) at La Rochelle; many barons of England refuse to join him in the campaign. John sends his half-brother William Longespée ("Long Sword") to Flanders, with money to assemble a mercenary army there. John pushes the French forces northeast from Poitou towards Paris, while Emperor Otto IV marches southwest from Flanders. King Philip II of France (Augustus) decides to defend his territories by leaving a third of his army under his son, Prince Louis to confront John in the Loire Valley – while Philip heads for Flanders to raid the region. On July 2, John's forces are confronted by a French relief force while they besiege the castle of Roche-au-Moine. John retreats to La Rochelle, but his rearguard suffers immensely by the French army.source
  • 1214February 15 – John, King of England lands with an invasion force at La Rochelle in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. He sends his half-brother William Longespée to Flanders, with money to assemble a mercenary army there. John pushes the French forces northeast from Poitou towards Paris, while Emperor Otto IV marches southwest from Flanders.source
  • 1214June – Otto IV arrives in Flanders with a small army; four German nobles have joined him, but he is soon reinforced by troops of Renaud I, duke of Boulogne, Ferdinand, (jure uxoris) count of Flanders and the mercenaries under William Longespée. On July 26, Philip II arrives at the Flemish town of Tournai with his army (some 7,000 men), while the allied forces encamp 12 kilometers south at the Castle of Mortagne (France).source
  • 1218May 6 – Theresa of Portugal, countess of Flanderssource
  • 1225Beatrice of Brabant, countess of Flanders (died 1288)source
  • 1233July 27 – Ferdinand (or Ferrand), count of Flanders (born 1188)source
  • 1237At the urging of King Louis IX of France, Thomas II marries Joanna, widow of Ferdinand of Flanders, and daughter of the late Latin Emperor Baldwin I. Thomas becomes count of Flanders (or Jure uxoris).source
  • 1244December 5 – Joan, countess of Flanders and Hainautsource
  • 1247Isabelle of Luxembourg, countess of Flanders (died 1298)source
  • 1253July 4 – William II, count of Holland, defeats the Flemish forces under Guy of Dampierre at Westkapelle. He forced him and his mother, Margaret II, to respect the division of Flanders and Hainaut.source
  • 1281Guy of Dampierre, count of Flanders, licenses the first Lombard merchants to open a changing business in his realm.source
  • 1288November 11 – Beatrice of Brabant, countess of Flanders (born 1225)source
  • 1300March – Franco–Flemish War: King Philip IV ("Philip the Fair") begins to invade Flanders again after the expiration of an armistice in January. French forces plunder and devastate the countryside around Ypres. The king's brother, Charles of Valois, marches from Bruges to the outskirts of Ghent. He burns Nevele and twelve other towns. In March, French forces besiege Damme and Ypres.source
  • 1300May 8 – Franco-Flemish War: In Flanders (part of modern-day Belgium), the city of Ghent surrenders. By the time that Ypres surrenders on May 21, all of Flanders has been conquered. By the end of the month, all of Flanders is under French control, and several Flemish nobles (like Guy of Namur) are taken into captivity in France.source

14th century

  • 1303April 4 – Battle of Arques: Flemish forces (some 10,000 men) led by William of Jülich ("the Younger") defeats a French army at Arques in Flanders. During the battle, the French cavalry (1,600 men) tries to break the Flemish infantry militia formations, but to no avail. Finally, the French withdraw to Saint-Omer, leaving 300 dead behind. Later, William receives a warm reception in Bruges as a liberator in May.source
  • 1306July 22 – The Great Exile of 1306: King Philip IV of France turns his attentions to Italian bankers and orders the Jews to be exiled in France. The Jewish quarter in Paris is cleared and goods are confiscated – to regain money spent on expanding the domains of Flanders and Gascony. Meanwhile, rumors of a secret initiation ceremony of the Knights Templar create distrust, and Philip – while being deeply in debt to the Order for loans from his war against England, uses this distrust for political and religious motivations against the Templars.source
  • 1315July 31 – King Louis X of France mobilizes an army along the Flemish border. He prohibits the export of grain and other goods to Flanders – which proves challenging to enforce. Louis pressures officers of the Church at the borderlands, as well as King Edward II, to support his effort to prevent Spanish merchant vessels from trading with the embargoed Flemish cities.source
  • 1317January 9 – The 23-year-old Philip the Tall, younger brother of the late King Louis X of France, is hastily crowned King of France, as King Philip V, at Rheims. The only son of King Louis X had been born posthumously, but died after four days. Supporters of King Louis felt that his eldest daughter, Joan II of Navarre, should have been crowned as the monarch. Mass protests follow in Artois, Champagne and Burgundy. The coronation of a brother, instead of the eldest daughter, as the successor to the throne sets the precedent for the Salic law, providing that the eldest male heir inherits the throne. Philip V reorganizes the French army by extending the military obligations of the realm. Each town and castellany is responsible for providing a specified number of fully equipped troops – such as sergeants and infantry militias, while towns in economically advanced areas like Flanders become a major source of men and money. At the same time, the arriére ban (military recruitment) is generally commuted in favour for taxation.source
  • 1323November – Flemish Revolt: A uprising in Flanders is caused by both excessive taxation levied by Louis I, and by his pro-French policies. The revolt is led by landowning farmers under Nicolaas Zannekin. Members of the local gentry join and William Deken, mayor of Bruges, becomes the leader of the revolt.source
  • 1326April 19 – The Peace of Arques, brokered by King Charles IV of France, ends the Flemish Revolt, but the treaty is not supported by rebel districts in Flanders.source
  • 1337November – Battle of Cadzand: English troops raid the Flemish island of Cadzand.source
  • 13393 December - England formally allied with County of Flanders. In the following months, they launched several small scale attacks on French forces in Picardy.source
  • 1387March 25– The Battle of Margate, a naval battle off the coast of England at Margate, ends with the England navy, commanded by the Earl of Arundel, victorious over a combined fleet of shipsf rom the Kingdom of France, the Crown of Castile and the County of Flanders.source

15th century

  • 1464January 6 – The first assembly ever of the States General of the Netherlands is held as representatives from at least 17 provinces of the Burgundian Netherlands gather at Bruges. At least 81 delegates come from the clergy, nobility and general public from the Duchy of Brabant, the County of Flanders, Lille, Douai and Orchies, the County of Artois, the County of Hainaut, the County of Holland, the County of Zeeland, the County of Namur, the Lordship of Mechelen, and the Boulonnais, all with the reluctant assent of Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy.source

16th century

  • 1520April 16 – Revolt of the Comuneros: Citizens of Toledo, Castile opposed to the rule of the Flemish-born Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, rise up when the royal government attempts to unseat radical city councilors.source

17th century

  • 160112 May – Proclamation regulating hunting in the County of Flanderssource
  • 162831 July – Royal proclamation regulating the size and weight of butter tubs in the County of Flanderssource
  • 163020 April – Officials of the County of Flanders mandated to conserve and repair the coastal dunes, prohibiting hunting or the grazing of livestock in them.source
  • 16311 to 4 June – Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange, launches an abortive invasion of the County of Flanders from IJzendijke, probing the defences of Bruges.source
  • 163122 March – Detailed proclamation on hunting in the County of Flanders issued in Brussels.source
  • 165323 August – Brussels Privy Council permits the limited importation of English textiles through the ports of the County of Flanders for a period of four yearssource

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