Jean deAvesnes of Holland
1247-1304
Born: Brabant, Brabant, Belgium
Died: Valenciennes, Nord, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France
1247-1304
Born: Brabant, Brabant, Belgium
Died: Valenciennes, Nord, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France
<p align="center"><strong>John II, Count of Holland<!-- /firstHeading --><!-- bodyContent --> </strong></p><!-- tagline --><div align="center"><strong>From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</strong></div><div align="center"></div><!-- /tagline --><!-- subtitle --><div> <strong>John II of Avesnes</strong> (1247 – 22 August 1304) was the oldest son of <font color="#0645ad">John I of Avesnes</font> and <font color="#0645ad">Adelaide of Holland</font>.</div><p><span>History</span> </p><p>John II was <font color="#0645ad">Count of Hainaut</font> from 1280 to his death, succeeding his grandmother, <font color="#0645ad">Margaret II</font>. John continued the war between the <font color="#0645ad">House of Dampierre</font> and the <font color="#0645ad">House of Avesnes</font> against count <font color="#0645ad">Guy</font> of <font color="#0645ad">Flanders</font> for <font color="#0645ad">imperial Flanders</font>.</p><p>He became <font color="#0645ad">Count</font> of <font color="#0645ad">Holland</font> in 1299 with the death of <font color="#0645ad">John I, Count of Holland</font>, through his mother <font color="#0645ad">Adelaide of Holland</font>, heiress and regent of this county. His descendants maintained this <font color="#0645ad">personal union</font> between the counties.</p><p>His cousin, <font color="#0645ad">Count Floris V</font>, was fighting against Flanders for <font color="#0645ad">Zeeland</font>. He sought help of <font color="#0645ad">France</font> against Flanders. The French defeated the Flemish in 1300 and 1301. The rebels in <font color="#0645ad">Zeeland</font> were defeated as well. John's brother, <font color="#0645ad">Guy of Avesnes</font>, became <font color="#0645ad">Bishop of Utrecht</font>. So all his main enemies were gone.</p><p>The tide changed dramatically after a Flemish uprising and the defeat of the French army at the <font color="#0645ad">Battle of the Golden Spurs</font> in 1302, where his eldest son was killed fighting for the French. Flemish patriots attacked <font color="#0645ad">Hainaut</font> and Zeeland supported by the dissatisfied population there. <font color="#0645ad">Guy of Namur</font> defeated John's son, <font color="#0645ad">William</font>, in a battle on the island of <font color="#0645ad">Duiveland</font>. Bishop Guy of Utrecht was taken prisoner. <font color="#0645ad">Guy of Namur</font> and <font color="#0645ad">Duke John II</font> of <font color="#0645ad">Brabant</font> conquered most of <font color="#0645ad">Utrecht</font>, Holland, and Zeeland. <font color="#0645ad">Guy of Namur</font> was finally defeated in 1304 by the fleet of Holland and France at the naval <font color="#0645ad">Battle of Zierikzee</font>. John II regained most of his authority when he died in the same year.</p><div><span>Family</span> </div><p>In 1270, John married <font color="#0645ad">Philippa of Luxembourg</font>, daughter of Count <font color="#0645ad">Henry V of Luxembourg</font> and <font color="#0645ad">Margaret of Bar</font>. Their children were:</p><ol><li>John, Lord of Beaumont, Count of <font color="#ba0000">Ostervant</font>. Killed in battle near Courtrai 11 Jul 1302.</li><li>Henry, a canon in <font color="#0645ad">Cambrai</font>, (died 1303).</li><li><font color="#0645ad">William I, Count of Hainaut</font>. He succeeded his father in 1304. Married <font color="#0645ad">Joan of Valois</font>, daughter of <font color="#0645ad">Charles, Count of Valois</font> and his first wife <font color="#0645ad">Margaret of Naples</font>.</li><li><font color="#0645ad">John of Beaumont</font> (1288 – 11 March 1356). He was married to Margaret, Countess de Soissons. They had five children.</li><li>Margaret (died 18 October 1342), married <font color="#0645ad">Robert II of Artois</font>, who was killed in battle near Courtrai 11 Jul 1302.</li><li>Alix (died 26 October 1317), married 1290 <font color="#0645ad">Roger Bigod, 5th Earl of Norfolk</font>. No issue.</li><li>Isabelle (died 1305), married <font color="#0645ad">Raoul de Clermont</font> Lord of Nesle, who was killed in battle near Courtrai 11 Jul 1302.</li><li>Joan, a nun at <font color="#ba0000">Fontenelles</font>.</li><li><font color="#0645ad">Mary of Avesnes</font> (1280–1354), married <font color="#0645ad">Louis I, Duke of Bourbon</font>.</li><li>Matilda, Abbess of <font color="#0645ad">Nivelles</font>.</li><li>Simon.</li></ol>
<p align="center"><strong><font size="4">House of Avesnes<!-- /firstHeading --><!-- bodyContent --> </font></strong></p><p align="center"><strong><font size="4">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</font></strong></p><!-- /jumpto --><!-- bodytext --><p><font size="4">The <strong>Avesnes</strong> family played an important role during the <font color="#0645ad">Middle Ages</font>. The family has its roots in the small village <font color="#0645ad">Avesnes-sur-Helpe</font>, in the north of <font color="#0645ad">France</font>.</font></p><p><font size="4">One branch produced a number of <font color="#0645ad">Counts of Holland</font> during the 13th century.The family died out in the 16th century.</font></p><div><font size="4"><span><strong>Origin of the House</strong>: feud between Dampierre and Avesnes</span> </font></div><p><font size="4"><font color="#0645ad">Baldwin</font>, the first emperor of the <font color="#0645ad">Latin Empire</font> of <font color="#0645ad">Constantinople</font>, was as Baldwin IX <font color="#0645ad">Count of Flanders</font> and as Baldwin VI <font color="#0645ad">Count of Hainaut</font>. Baldwin had only daughters and was in turn succeeded by his daughters <font color="#0645ad">Joan</font> (reigned 1205-1244) and <font color="#0645ad">Margaret II</font> (reigned 1244-1280).</font></p><p><font size="4">In 1212 Margaret II married <font color="#0645ad">Bouchard d'Avesnes</font>, a prominent <font color="#0645ad">Hainaut</font> nobleman. This was apparently a love match, though it was approved by Margaret's sister Joan, who had herself recently married. The two sisters subsequently had a falling-out over Margaret's share of their inheritance, which led Joan to attempt to get Margaret's marriage dissolved. She alleged that the marriage was invalid, and without much inspection of the facts of the case <font color="#0645ad">Pope Innocent III</font> condemned the marriage, though he did not formally annul it.</font></p><p><font size="4">Bourchard and Margaret continued as a married couple, having 3 children, as their conflict with Joan grew violent and Bouchard was captured and imprisoned in 1219. He was released in 1221 on the condition that the couple separate and that Bouchard get absolution from the pope. While he was in <font color="#0645ad">Rome</font>, Joan convinced Margaret to remarry, this time to <font color="#0645ad">William II of Dampierre</font>, a nobleman from <font color="#0645ad">Champagne</font>. From this marriage Margaret had two sons: <font color="#0645ad">William II, Count of Flanders</font> and <font color="#0645ad">Guy of Dampierre</font>.</font></p><p><font size="4">This situation caused something of a scandal, for the marriage was possibly <font color="#0645ad">bigamous</font>, and violated the church's strictures on <font color="#0645ad">consanguinity</font> as well. The disputes regarding the validity of the two marriages and the legitimacy of her children by each husband continued for decades, becoming entangled in the politics of the <font color="#0645ad">Holy Roman Empire</font> and resulting in the long <font color="#0645ad">War of the Succession of Flanders and Hainault</font>.</font></p><p><font size="4">In 1246 king <font color="#0645ad">Louis IX of France</font>, acting as an arbitrator, gave the right to inherit Flanders to the Dampierre children, and the rights to Hainaut to the Avesnes children. This would seem to have settled the matter, but in 1253 problems arose again. The eldest son, <font color="#0645ad">John I of Avesnes</font>, who was uneasy about his rights, convinced <font color="#0645ad">William of Holland</font>, the German king recognized by the pro-papal forces, to seize Hainaut and the parts of Flanders which were within the bounds of the empire. William of Holland was theoretically, as king, overlord for these territories, and also John's brother-in-law. A civil war followed, which ended when the Avesnes forces defeated and imprisoned the Dampierres at the <font color="#ba0000">Battle of West-Capelle</font> of 4 July 1253, after which John I of Avesnes was able to force Guy of Dampierre and his mother to respect the division of Louis and grant him Hainault.</font></p><p><font size="4">Margaret did not rest in her defeat and did not recognise herself as overcome. She instead granted Hainault to <font color="#0645ad">Charles of Anjou</font>, the brother of King Louis, who had recently returned from the crusade. Charles took up her cause and warred with John I of Avesnes, but failed to take <font color="#0645ad">Valenciennes</font> and just missed being killed in a skirmish. When Louis returned in 1254, he reaffirmed his earlier arbitration and ordered his brother to get out of the conflict. Charles returned to <font color="#0645ad">Provence</font>. With this second arbitration of the holy king, the conflict closed and John I of Avesnes was secure in Hainault.</font></p><p><font size="4">The following decades saw further strife between</font> <font size="4">the Dampierres and the Avesnes, who by the start of the 14th century had also inherited the <font color="#0645ad">County of Holland</font> and <font color="#0645ad">Zeeland</font>.</font></p>
<strong style="color: black; background-color: #ffff66">Exeter</strong> <strong style="color: black; background-color: #a0ffff">Castle</strong> through the ages <p>The <strong style="color: black; background-color: #a0ffff">Castle</strong> of <strong style="color: black; background-color: #ffff66">Exeter</strong> stands atop the highest part of the city, within the north-east angle of the city walls. From the reddish colour of the volcanic rock on which it stood, it became known locally as <em>Rougemont <strong style="color: black; background-color: #a0ffff">Castle</strong></em>. </p> <p>When Richard III. visited it in 1413, he commended it highly, both for its strength and beauty of situation; but on being told it was called <em>Rougemont</em>, he mistook the name for <em>Richmond</em> and suddenly grew sad, saying that the end of his days approached; a prophecy having declared that he would not long survive the sight of Richmond.</p> <p>After its surrender to General Fairfax, in 1646, this once formidable <strong style="color: black; background-color: #a0ffff">castle</strong> ceased to be a military fortress, and although most of it's its towers and battlements remain, the impact of this magnificent structure is hidden behind the undergrowth of the surrounding park and gardens. It is today best viewed from within the <strong style="color: black; background-color: #a0ffff">castle</strong> yard. </p> <p>There are now but few remains of the very early buildings within the walls, its site being mostly occupied by the former Devon Assize Hall and Sessions House; but the lofty entrance gatehouse, with a circular arch, is still to be seen from <strong style="color: black; background-color: #a0ffff">Castle</strong> St and Rougemont Gardens, formed on the site of the <strong style="color: black; background-color: #a0ffff">castle</strong> fosse, and commanding delightful prospects. There are still extensive remains of the boundary walls of the <strong style="color: black; background-color: #a0ffff">castle</strong> enclosure and early towers to East and West. </p> <div><strong style="color: black; background-color: #ffff66">Exeter</strong> <strong style="color: black; background-color: #a0ffff">Castle</strong> in its glory in the Middle Ages.</div><br> <p>The first building worthy of the name of <strong style="color: black; background-color: #a0ffff">castle</strong> is recorded to have been built by King Athelstan, and is said to have been destroyed by the Danes in 1003. </p> <p>In 1068 William the Conquerer, selected Rougemont as the site of a larger and more strongly fortified <strong style="color: black; background-color: #a0ffff">castle</strong> than had ever existed at <strong style="color: black; background-color: #ffff66">Exeter</strong>. William had laid seige to <strong style="color: black; background-color: #ffff66">Exeter</strong> after the city refused to surrender his forces. The superintendence of the Castle's construction, and its future custody was given to <em>Baldwin de Moles</em> or <em>de Brionus</em>, the husband of his niece Albreda. Baldwin was at the same time made heriditary sheriff of Devonshire, and after completing the <strong style="color: black; background-color: #a0ffff">castle</strong>, it became his place of residence. His son Richard died without issue, and this <strong style="color: black; background-color: #a0ffff">castle</strong> was granted to <em>Richard de Redvers or Rivers</em>, who had married a daughter of Baldwin de Moles, and was created <em>Earl of Devon</em> by Henry I. </p> <p>In 1232, <strong style="color: black; background-color: #ffff66">Exeter</strong> <strong style="color: black; background-color: #a0ffff">Castle</strong>, as well as many others, was seized by Henry III, who gave it to his younger brother, Richard, <em>Earl of Cornwall</em>. In 1286, Edward I. granted it to Matthew Fitzjohn for life; but it continued nevertheless, chiefly in the Earls of Cornwall; and, in 1337, when Edward, the eldest son of King Edward III. was created <em>Duke of Cornwall</em>, this <strong style="color: black; background-color: #a0ffff">castle</strong>, with a small district adjoining, was made part of the duchy, which has been ever since vested in the heir apparent to the Crown, who becomes Duke of Cornwall immediately after his birth, and who has always been created <em>Prince of Wales</em>. In 1397, there being then no Duke of Cornwall, Richard II. made John Holland, the first Duke of <strong style="color: black; background-color: #ffff66">Exeter</strong>, governor of this <strong style="color: black; background-color: #a0ffff">Castle</strong>, in which he is said to have had a fine mansion. <br> In 1711, an act of parliament was passed, enabling Queen Anne to grant a lease of <strong style="color: black; background-color: #ffff66">Exeter</strong> <strong style="color: black; background-color: #a0ffff">Castle</strong> for 99 years, for the use of the county of Devon. It is probable that the <strong style="color: black; background-color: #a0ffff">castle</strong> had been used for county purposes long before that period; indeed the gaol is said to have been removed there from Bicton, in 1518. </p> <p>Within these ancient walls, much of the original structure of the Devon County Court was erected in 1774, but has undergone frequent alterations and some enlargements, to make it suitable for the augmented business of the county. It is faced with Portland stone, and contains a number of courts.</p>
<div>From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia <p><strong>John II of Avesnes</strong> (1247 – 22 August 1304) was the oldest son of John I of Avesnes and Adelaide of Holland.</p><span>History:</span> <p>John II was Count of Hainaut from 1280 to his death, succeeding his grandmother, Margaret II. John continued the war between the House of Dampierre and the House of Avesnes against count Guy of Flanders for imperial Flanders.</p><p>He became Count of Holland in 1299 with the death of John I, Count of Holland, through his mother Adelaide of Holland, heiress and regent of this county. His descendants maintained this personal union between the counties.</p><p>His cousin, Count Floris V, was fighting against Flanders for Zeeland. He sought help of France against Flanders. The French defeated the Flemish in 1300 and 1301. The rebels in Zeeland were defeated as well. John's brother, Guy of Avesnes, became Bishop of Utrecht. So all his main enemies were gone.</p><p>The tide changed dramatically after a Flemish uprising and the defeat of the French army at the Battle of the Golden Spurs in 1302, where his eldest son was killed fighting for the French. Flemish patriots attacked Hainaut and Zeeland supported by the dissatisfied population there. Guy of Namur defeated John's son, William, in a battle on the island of Duiveland. Bishop Guy of Utrecht was taken prisoner. Guy of Namur and Duke John II of Brabant conquered most of Utrecht, Holland, and Zeeland. Guy of Namur was finally defeated in 1304 by the fleet of Holland and France at the naval Battle of Zierikzee. John II regained most of his authority when he died in the same year.</p><span>Family:</span> <p>In 1270, John married Philippa of Luxembourg, daughter of Count Henry V of Luxembourg and Margaret of Bar. Their children were:</p><ol><li>John, senior de Beaumont, Count of Ostervant (d. 11 July 1302). </li><li>Henry, a canon in Cambrai, (d. 1303). </li><li>Simon. </li><li>William I, Count of Hainaut. </li><li>John of Beaumont, (1288 – 11 March 1356). He was married to Margaret, Countess de Soissons. </li><li>Margaret, (d. 18 October 1342), married Robert II of Artois. </li><li>Alix, (d. 26 October 1317), married 1290 Roger Bigod, 5th Earl of Norfolk. </li><li>Isabelle, (d. 1305), married Raoul de Clermont, senior de Nesle. </li><li>Joan, a nun at Fontenelles. </li><li>Mary of Avesnes (1280–1354), married Louis I, Duke of Bourbon. </li><li>Matilda, Abbess of Nivelles. </li><li>William de Cuser (b. 1290) </li></ol><span>References:</span> <ul><li>Encyclopedia: Grote Winkler Prins </li><li>French wikipedia on this subject </li><li>Foundation for Medieval Genealogy on Jean II de Avenes, Comte de Hainaut </li></ul><div>Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_II,_Count_of_Holland</div></div>