Baldwin III, Count of Flanders

Count of Flanders (940-962)

Baldwin III of Flanders called The Young (c. 940–962) was a French nobleman and briefly was the fourth count of Flanders. He ruled jointly with his father Arnulf I.

Career

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Baldwin III was born c. 940, the son of Arnulf I, Count of Flanders and his second wife, Adele of Vermandois (c. 915 – 969). She was a daughter of Herbert II, Count of Vermandois.[1] Baldwin became co-ruler of Flanders in 958 alongside his father Arnulf I. [a] During his short rule, Baldwin was responsible for establishing the wool manufacturing industry at Ghent and markets at other towns in Flanders.[3] Baldwin III died on 1 January 962[1] of smallpox.[4] He was buried at the Abbey of Saint Bertin.[4]

After Baldwin's death, Arnulf I arranged for King Lothair of France to become the guardian of Baldwin's son Arnulf II.[5]

Family

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Shortly before 961 Baldwin married Mathilde of Saxony (died 1008). She was a daughter of Hermann Billung(died 973), Duke of Saxony.[6] They had a son:

  1. His father may have also given him the lay abbacy of Saint-Bertin.[2] It is also possible that the Baldwin on the list of lay abbots is Baldwin Baldzo who was the guardian of Baldwin III's son, Arnold II.[2]

References

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  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Detlev Schwennicke, Europäische Stammtafeln|Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten, Neue Folge, Band II (Marburg, Germany: J. A. Stargardt, 1984), Tafel 5
  2. 2.0 2.1 Karine Ugé, Creating the Monastic Past in Medieval Flanders (Woodbridge; New York: The Boydell Press, 2006), p. 33
  3. Tracy Borman, Queen of the Conqueror: The Life of Matilda, Wife of William I (Bantam Books, New York, 2011), p. 3
  4. 4.0 4.1 Lambert of Ardres, The History of the Counts of Guines and Lords of Ardres, trans. Leah Shopkow (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2007), p. 61
  5. The Annals of Flodoard of Reims, 916-966, Ed. & Trans. Steven Fanning & Bernard S. Bachrach (University of Toronto Press, CA, 2004) 44F & n. 219
  6. Detlev Schwennicke, Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten, Neue Folge, Band I (Marburg, Germany: J. A. Stargardt, 1980), Tafel 8