Arnulf III (died 22 February 1071) was

Count of Flanders The count of Flanders was the ruler or sub-ruler of the county of Flanders, beginning in the 9th century. Later, the title would be held for a time, by the rulers of the Holy Roman Empire and Spain. During the French Revolution, in 1790, the co ...

from 1070 until his death at the Battle of Cassel in 1071. Born , Arnulf was the eldest son of

Baldwin VI, Count of Flanders Baldwin VI ( 1030 – 17 July 1070), also known as Baldwin the Good, was Count of Hainaut from 1051 to 1070 (as Baldwin I) and Count of Flanders from 1067 to 1070. Baldwin was the eldest son of Baldwin V of Flanders and Adela, a daughter of Ki ...

, and

Richilde, Countess of Mons and Hainaut Richilde, Countess of Mons and Hainaut ( 1018 – 15 March 1086), was a ruling countess of Hainaut from c. 1050 until 1076, in co-regency with her husband Baldwin VI of Flanders (until 1070) and then her son Baldwin II of Hainaut. She was also ...

.Detlev Schwennicke, '' Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten'', Neue folge, Band II (Marburg, Germany: Verlag von J. A. Stargardt, 1984), Tafel 5 On his deathbed in 1070, Baldwin left Flanders to his elder son, Arnulf, and Hainaut to the younger son, Baldwin, with the provision that if either preceded the other in death, he would inherit the other's county as well.Gilbert of Mons, ''Chronicle of Hainaut'', Trans. Laura Napran (Woodbridge: The Boydell Press, 2005), p. 5 Baldwin VI further entrusted his brother

Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

with the safeguard of his son Arnulf, who was still a minor, to which Robert gave his oath of homage and solemn promise to protect his nephew. Richilde was to be regent in Flanders until Arnulf

came of age Coming of age is a young person's transition from being a child to being an adult. The specific age at which this transition takes place varies between societies, as does the nature of the change. It can be a simple legal convention or can be ...

.Renée Nip, 'The Political Relations between England and Flanders (1066–1128)', ''Anglo-Norman Studies 21: Proceedings of the Battle Conference 1998'', Ed. Christopher Harper-Bill (Woodbridge: The Boydell Press, 1999), p. 154 After his father's death in 1070, his uncle Robert broke his oath and disputed the succession.Jim Bradbury, ''The Capetians: The History of a Dynasty (987–1328)'' (London & New York: Hambledon Continuum, 2007), p. 114 Richilde appealed to King

Philip I of France Philip I (23 May 1052 – 29 July 1108), called the Amorous, was King of the Franks from 1060 to 1108. His reign, like that of most of the early Capetians, was extraordinarily long for the time. The monarchy began a modest recovery from the low it ...

, who summoned Robert to appear before him.Gilbert of Mons, ''Chronicle of Hainaut'', Trans. Laura Napran (Woodbridge: The Boydell Press, 2005), p. 6 Robert refused and continued his aggression against Richilde and Arnulf, at which point Philip amassed an army which he brought to Flanders. The French army was accompanied by Norman troops, probably sent by Arnulf's aunt Queen Matilda and led by

William FitzOsborn William FitzOsbern, 1st Earl of Hereford, Lord of Breteuil ( 1011 – 22 February 1071), was a relative and close counsellor of William the Conqueror and one of the great magnates of early Norman England. FitzOsbern was created Earl of Herefo ...

. Also allied to Arnulf III was

Eustace II, Count of Boulogne Eustace II, (), also known as Eustace aux Grenons ("Eustace with long moustaches"),Heather J. Tanner, 'Eustace (II), count of Boulogne (d. c.1087)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004. was Count of Boulogne fro ...

who raised considerable support for the young count and his mother. The two forces met at the Battle of Cassel on 22 February 1071. In that engagement Robert's forces were ultimately victoriousThe outcome of the battle itself was not a clear victory for either side, but the fact that Arnulf was killed during the battle led to Robert's perceived victory by his recognition as Count of Flanders. See: Heather Tanner, ''Families, Friends, and Allies'' (Brill, 2004), 104. but Robert himself was captured and his forces in turn captured the Countess Richilde. Both were freed in exchange and the battle continued to its conclusion. Among the dead was Arnulf, killed by Gerbod the Fleming, 1st Earl of Chester, possibly by accident.Gerbod the Fleming, Earl of Chester and hereditary advocate of the

Abbey of Saint Bertin The Abbey of St. Bertin was a Benedictine monastic abbey in Saint-Omer, France. The buildings are now in ruins, which are open to the public. It was initially dedicated to but was rededicated to its second abbot, . The abbey is known for its L ...

at Saint-Omer, Flanders, had obtained permission of William the Conqueror to return to Flanders, ostensibly to tend to his affairs there. See: C.P. Lewis, 'The Formation of the Honor of Chester, 1066-1100,' ''The Earldom of Chester and its Charters; A Tribute to Geoffrey Barraclough'', Ed. A.T. Thacker, Journal of the Chester Archaeological Society, Chester, Vol. 71, 1991, p.39. He was at the Battle of Cassel in early 1071 and according to Gilbert of Mons killed Arnulf III in battle. After realizing he had killed the rightful count of Flanders who was also the Conqueror's nephew, he fled to Rome to seek forgiveness for the sin of killing his liege lord. The Pope, Gregory VII, sent him to Hugh, Abbot of Cluny, who permitted him to become a monk at

Cluny Cluny () is a commune in the eastern French department of Saône-et-Loire, in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. It is northwest of Mâcon. The town grew up around the Benedictine Abbey of Cluny, founded by Duke William I of Aquitaine in 9 ...

. See:

Karl Hanquet Karl Hanquet (1871–1928) was a Belgian academic historian. Life Hanquet was born in Liège on 5 October 1871 to an established family of industrialists and arms manufacturers. He was educated at the Collège Saint-Servais and the University of L ...

(ed.), ''La Chronique de Saint-Hubert dite Cantatorium'' (Hayez, Imprimeur de L'Academie, Bruxelles, 1906), pp. 66-67; Gilbert of Mons, ''Chronicle of Hainaut'', Translated by Laura Napran (Boydell Press, Woodbridge, 2005), pp. 6-7.Renée Nip, 'The Political Relations between England and Flanders (1066–1128)', ''Anglo-Norman Studies 21: Proceedings of the Battle Conference 1998'', Ed. Christopher Harper-Bill (Woodbridge: The Boydell Press, 1999), p. 155 As a result of the battle Robert claimed the countship of Flanders. The Countess Richilde and her son Baldwin returned to Hainaut but continued to instigate hostilities against Robert. As he was a minor at his death and unmarried, Arnulf III had no issue.

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{{S-end House of Flanders Arnulf 3 Arnulf 1 Flanders, Arnulf III, Count of Flanders, Arnulf III, Count of Flanders, Arnulf III, Count of

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