Margaret II of Avesnes (1311 – 23 June 1356) was
Countess of Hainaut and
Countess of Holland (as Margaret I) from 1345 to 1356. She was
Holy Roman Empress
The Holy Roman Empress or Empress of the Holy Roman Empire (''Kaiserin des Heiligen Römischen Reiches'') was the wife or widow of the Holy Roman Emperor. The elective dignity of Holy Roman emperor was restricted to males only, but some empresse ...
and
Queen of Germany
German queen (german: Deutsche Königin) is the informal title used when referring to the wife of the king of the Kingdom of Germany. The official titles of the wives of German kings were Queen of the Germans and later Queen of the Romans ( la, ...
by marriage to
Holy Roman Emperor Louis IV the Bavarian
Louis IV (german: Ludwig; 1 April 1282 – 11 October 1347), called the Bavarian, of the house of Wittelsbach, was King of the Romans from 1314, King of Italy from 1327, and Holy Roman Emperor from 1328.
Louis' election as king of Germany ...
.
Life
Margaret was the daughter of
William I, Count of Hainaut
William the Good ( nl, Willem, french: Guillaume; – 7 June 1337) was count of Hainaut (as William I), Avesnes, Holland (as William III), and Zeeland (as William II) from 1304 to his death.
Career
William, born , was the son of John II, Co ...
, and
Joan of Valois, the daughter of
Charles, Count of Valois
Charles of Valois (12 March 1270 – 16 December 1325), the fourth son of King Philip III of France and Isabella of Aragon, was a member of the House of Capet and founder of the House of Valois, whose rule over France would start in 1328 ...
, who was the third son of King
Philip III of France
Philip III (1 May 1245 – 5 October 1285), called the Bold (french: le Hardi), was King of France from 1270 until his death in 1285. His father, Louis IX, died in Tunis during the Eighth Crusade. Philip, who was accompanying him, returned ...
. She spent her childhood in
Hainaut (also known as Hainault or Henegouwen) and also frequently visited France with her French mother.
[DVN, een project van Huygens ING en OGC (UU). Bronvermelding: Lisanne Vleugels, Margaretha van Holland, in: Digitaal Vrouwenlexicon van Nederland. URL: http://resources.huygens.knaw.nl/vrouwenlexicon/lemmata/data/margarethavanholland 3/01/2014/ref>
On 26 February 1324, in ]Cologne
Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 million inhabitants in the city proper and 3.6 millio ...
, she married Louis of Bavaria, thereby becoming Queen of Germany. On 17 January 1328, she was crowned Holy Roman Empress alongside her spouse in Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
.
First reign
In 1345 she succeeded her brother William II, Count of Hainaut and Holland (as William IV, Count of Holland) following his death in battle with her husband Louis IV the Bavarian, Holy Roman Emperor who designated that the counties of Hainaut, Holland
Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former province on the western coast of the Netherlands. From the 10th to the 16th c ...
, Zeeland
, nl, Ik worstel en kom boven("I struggle and emerge")
, anthem = "Zeeuws volkslied"("Zeelandic Anthem")
, image_map = Zeeland in the Netherlands.svg
, map_alt =
, m ...
and Friesland
Friesland (, ; official fry, Fryslân ), historically and traditionally known as Frisia, is a province of the Netherlands located in the country's northern part. It is situated west of Groningen, northwest of Drenthe and Overijssel, north of ...
were his wife's possessions. Emperor Louis IV gave his support to his wife Margaret because he was reportedly worried that the domains of her late brother would otherwise be lost to the empire. Due to the dangerous hostility of the House of Luxemburg
The House of Luxembourg ( lb, D'Lëtzebuerger Haus; french: Maison de Luxembourg; german: Haus Luxemburg) or Luxembourg dynasty was a royal family of the Holy Roman Empire in the Late Middle Ages, whose members between 1308 and 1437 ruled as king ...
, Louis increased his power base ruthlessly.
Margaret traveled to Hainaut and was recognized there in her new position as ruler, and on 26 March, she left Hainaut to visit her Northern domains of Holland and Zeeland. There were different difficulties in securing the position of Margaret in her three domains. In Holland and Zeeland, there were doubts as to whether female succession was legal, and while her gender was not a problem in Hainaut, there where still the question of her sister's claims upon the domain. Margaret granted the cities and citizens in Holland and Zeeland several economic privileges to secure her position. The claims of her sisters were also addressed.
A parchment dated 7 September 1346 in Frankfurt, of which the seal is destroyed, announces that Louis IV of Bavaria, Emperor of the Holy Germanic Empire bestows for himself and his heirs, in the name of his spouse, the empress Margaret, to never cede, divide or bestow the counties of Hainaut, Holland, Zeeland and the palatine of Frisia, which belong to his wife Margaret II (of Avesnes), Countess of Hainaut and to her heirs, excepting the rights of her sisters and after her death, to be passed to their second son William I, Duke of Bavaria
William I, Duke of Bavaria-Straubing (Frankfurt am Main, 1330–1389, Le Quesnoy), was the second son of Emperor Louis IV and Margaret II of Hainaut. He was also known as William V, Count of Holland, as William III, Count of Hainaut and ...
(future William III, Count of Hainaut) Duke (I) of Bavaria, and after his decease to Albert (future Albert I, Count of Hainaut). Margaret's sisters, including Philippa of Hainault
Philippa of Hainault (sometimes spelled Hainaut; Middle French: ''Philippe de Hainaut''; 24 June 1310 (or 1315) – 15 August 1369) was Queen of England as the wife and political adviser of King Edward III. She acted as regent in 1346,Stricklan ...
who was Queen consort of King Edward III of England
Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring ...
, disavowed their hereditary claims.
Margaret ruled her three domains directly for seven months, after which she was called back to Germany by her spouse, and then appointed her son William to rule in her absence.
When Louis IV died on 11 October 1347, he was succeeded by his six sons, and in connection to this, Margaret resigned her sovereignty in favor of her son William in exchange for an allowance. In 1349 Louis IV's sons decided to partition their possessions: Louis V, Duke of Bavaria
Louis V, called the Brandenburger (May 1315 – 18 September 1361), a member of the House of Wittelsbach, ruled as Margrave of Brandenburg from 1323 to 1351 and as Duke of Bavaria from 1347 until his death. From 1342 he also was co-ruling Cou ...
kept Brandenburg
Brandenburg (; nds, Brannenborg; dsb, Bramborska ) is a state in the northeast of Germany bordering the states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony, as well as the country of Poland. With an area of 29,480 sq ...
and Tyrol
Tyrol (; historically the Tyrole; de-AT, Tirol ; it, Tirolo) is a historical region in the Alps - in Northern Italy and western Austria. The area was historically the core of the County of Tyrol, part of the Holy Roman Empire, Austrian Emp ...
, his younger brothers Louis VI the Roman
Louis the Roman () (7 May 1328 – 17 May 1365) was the eldest son of Holy Roman Emperor, Louis IV the Bavarian, by his second wife, Margaret II, Countess of Hainaut, and a member of the House of Wittelsbach. Louis was Duke of Upper Bavaria as L ...
and Otto V the Bavarian
Otto V (''c.'' 1340 – 15 November 1379), was a Duke of Bavaria and Elector of Brandenburg as Otto VII. Otto was the fourth son of Holy Roman Emperor Louis IV by his second wife Margaret II of Avesnes, Countess of Hainaut and Holland.
Bio ...
received Upper Bavaria
Upper Bavaria (german: Oberbayern, ; ) is one of the seven administrative districts of Bavaria, Germany.
Geography
Upper Bavaria is located in the southern portion of Bavaria, and is centered on the city of Munich, both state capital and seat o ...
. While Stephen II, William I
William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first Norman king of England, reigning from 1066 until his death in 10 ...
and Albert I received Lower Bavaria
Lower Bavaria (german: Niederbayern, Bavarian: ''Niedabayern'') is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany, located in the east of the state.
Geography
Lower Bavaria is subdivided into two regions () – Landshut and Donau- ...
, Holland
Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former province on the western coast of the Netherlands. From the 10th to the 16th c ...
and Hainaut. Louis V and Stephen were the stepsons of Margaret from her husband's first wife, and her youngest sons Albert and Otto were still minors. Her eldest son Louis VI released Holland and Hainaut for his brothers William and Albert in 1349 since he expected the Polish crown by his marriage with Cunigunde of Poland. In 1353 her son Stephen also released Holland and Hainaut to his brother William.
The Hook and Cod wars
However, a conflict soon arose between Margaret and her son William, as he refused to honor the terms in her abdication document by withholding the allowance she had demanded in turn for abdicating in his favor. Willem's opposition among the nobles of Holland asked Margaret to return to run Holland again, and in March 1350, Margaret had returned to Henegouwen, where she retracted her abdication in 1 June. The Cod League was formed on 23 May 1350 by a number of supporters of William, and on 5 September of the same year, the Hook League was formed in support of Margaret. Soon afterward these factions clashed and a civil war began, known as the Hook and Cod wars
The Hook and Cod wars ( nl, Hoekse en Kabeljauwse twisten) comprise a series of wars and battles in the County of Holland between 1350 and 1490. Most of these wars were fought over the title of count of Holland, but some have argued that the un ...
.
Margaret and the war between mother and son was controversial, and her right to Holland was always considered to be of dubious legality, as this domain was at that time regarded as reserved for men, though the same thing was not raised when it came to her right to Hainaut.
After the destruction of several strongholds of Margaret and a defeat of her forces at two sea battles in 1351, Edward III of England
Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring ...
, Margaret's brother-in-law through her sister Philippa of Hainault
Philippa of Hainault (sometimes spelled Hainaut; Middle French: ''Philippe de Hainaut''; 24 June 1310 (or 1315) – 15 August 1369) was Queen of England as the wife and political adviser of King Edward III. She acted as regent in 1346,Stricklan ...
, came to her aid, winning a naval engagement off Veere
Veere (; zea, label= Zeelandic, Ter Veere) is a municipality with a population of 22,000 and a town with a population of 1,500 in the southwestern Netherlands, in the region of Walcheren in the province of Zeeland.
History
The name ''Veere ...
in 1351; a few weeks later the Hooks and their English allies were defeated by William and the Cods at Vlaardingen
Vlaardingen () is a city in South Holland in the Netherlands. It is located on the north bank of the Nieuwe Maas river at the confluence with the Oude Maas. The municipality administers an area of , of which is land, with residents in .
Geog ...
, a defeat which ruined Margaret's cause. Edward III shortly afterwards changed sides and in 1354, Margaret saw herself compelled to come to an understanding with her son: he being recognized as count of Holland and Zeeland, and she being secured as ruling countess of Hainaut in her lifetime.[Geoffroy G. Sury, '' Bayern Straubing – Hennegau : la Maison de Bavière en Hainaut, XIVe – XVe s.'', ]Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
, 2010, 2nd ed., p. 67. - french: Un parchemin en partie détruit et daté du 7/12/1354 à Mons, à 4 sceaux appendus brisés, énonce que Jean de Hainaut et Wallerand de Luxembourg seigneur de Ligny, agissant en qualité de personnes intermédiaires et arbitres, pour rétablir la paix entre Marguerite et son fils, le duc Guillaume de Bavière (le futur Guillaume III comte de Hainaut), font connaître les termes de l’ordonnance d’arbitrage évoquée dans les actes passés, dont ils restituent la teneur : ''.. En exécution de ladite ordonnance, la comtesse Marguerite (II) de Hainaut, etc. cède à son fils Guillaume duc de Bavière, les comtés de Hainaut, de Hollande, de Zélande, et la seigneurie de Frise, moyennant le paiement d’une somme de 40.000 florins de Florence et d’une pension viagère de 7.000 florins'' ; de son côté, ledit duc '' ..renonce à fair valoir ses droits sur le Hainaut tant que vivra sa mère''., italic=unset
A partially destroyed parchment dated 7 December 1354 at Mons, with four broken seals appended, announces that John of Hainaut and Wallerand of Luxemburg, Lord of Ligny, acting as intermediaries and arbitrators, to reestablish the peace between Margaret and her son, the Duke, William of Bavaria (the future William III, Count of Hainaut), make known the terms of the arbitration settlement stated in previous deeds, which they uphold : ''.. In execution of the said settlement, the Countess Margaret (II) of Hainaut, etc. cedes to her son William, Duke of Bavaria the counties of Hainaut, Holland, Zeeland and the lordship of Frisia, in return taking payment of 40000 Florence Florins and widow's pension of 7000 florins; for his part the said Duke waives his rights over Hainaut so long as his mother is living. - G Wymans, '' Inventaire analytique du chartrier de la
Trésorerie des comtes de Hainaut '', the State Archives, Palais des Expos, Aux Grands Près, Mons tél. 065/400460) order number(slide) 974, Editions A.G.R., Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
, 1985, pp. 209-210.''
Margaret ruled Hainaut for two more years, and died at Le Quesnoy Castle of infectious tuberculosis 23 June 1356, leaving William in possession of the entire Holland-Hainaut inheritance. She was buried in the Minderbroeders Abbey in Valenciennes.
Issue
In 1324 Margaret married Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor.
Their children were:
# Margaret of Bavaria, Duchess of Slavonia
Margaret of Bavaria (1321–1374) was the eldest child of Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor, and Margaret II, Countess of Hainaut.
In Ofen in 1351, Margaret married Stephen, Duke of Slavonia, the youngest son of King Charles I of Hungary and Eliza ...
(1325–1374), married:
## in 1351 in Buda Stephen, Duke of Slavonia (d. 1354), son of the King Charles I of Hungary
Charles I, also known as Charles Robert ( hu, Károly Róbert; hr, Karlo Robert; sk, Karol Róbert; 128816 July 1342) was King of Hungary and Croatia from 1308 to his death. He was a member of the Capetian House of Anjou and the only son of ...
, and had issue.
## 1357/58 Gerlach von Hohenlohe.
# Anna of Bavaria, Duchess of Lower Bavaria (c. 1326 – 3 June 1361, Fontenelles
Fontenelle Abbey (french: Abbaye de Fontenelle) was a Cistercian nunnery in Maing, Nord, France, extant from 1212 to 1793.
History
The abbey was founded in 1212 to the south of Valenciennes on the banks of the Scheldt as a small oratory by tw ...
), married John I, Duke of Lower Bavaria, who died young (d. 1340), they had no issue.
# Louis VI the Roman
Louis the Roman () (7 May 1328 – 17 May 1365) was the eldest son of Holy Roman Emperor, Louis IV the Bavarian, by his second wife, Margaret II, Countess of Hainaut, and a member of the House of Wittelsbach. Louis was Duke of Upper Bavaria as L ...
(1328–1365), was Duke of Upper Bavaria
Upper Bavaria (german: Oberbayern, ; ) is one of the seven administrative districts of Bavaria, Germany.
Geography
Upper Bavaria is located in the southern portion of Bavaria, and is centered on the city of Munich, both state capital and seat o ...
and Prince-Elector of Brandenburg
Brandenburg (; nds, Brannenborg; dsb, Bramborska ) is a state in the northeast of Germany bordering the states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony, as well as the country of Poland. With an area of 29,480 sq ...
. Married twice with no issue.
# Elisabeth of Bavaria, Countess of Württemberg (1329 – 2 August 1402, Stuttgart), married:
## Cangrande II della Scala, Lord of Verona (d. 1359) in Verona
Verona ( , ; vec, Verona or ) is a city on the Adige River in Veneto, Italy, with 258,031 inhabitants. It is one of the seven provincial capitals of the region. It is the largest city municipality in the region and the second largest in nor ...
on 22 November 1350. No issue
## Count Ulrich of Württemberg
Württemberg ( ; ) is a historical German territory roughly corresponding to the cultural and linguistic region of Swabia. The main town of the region is Stuttgart.
Together with Baden and Hohenzollern, two other historical territories, Württ ...
(d. 1388) in 1362. Parents of Eberhard III of Württemberg 1364-1417.
# William of Bavaria (1330–1389), as 'William I' Duke of Lower Bavaria
Lower Bavaria (german: Niederbayern, Bavarian: ''Niedabayern'') is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany, located in the east of the state.
Geography
Lower Bavaria is subdivided into two regions () – Landshut and Donau- ...
, as 'Wiliam V' Count of Hainaut and Holland. He married Maud of Lancaster but their only daughter died young.
# Agnes of Bavaria (Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Ha ...
, 1335 – 11 November 1352, Munich). She became a nun, due to ill health and died young
# Albert of Bavaria (1336–1404), was Duke of Lower Bavaria as well as Count of Hainaut and Holland.
# Otto of Bavaria (1340–1379), was Duke of Upper Bavaria and Elector of Brandenburg.
# Beatrice of Bavaria, Queen of Sweden (1344 – 25 December 1359), married bef. 25 October 1356 to King Eric XII of Sweden
Eric XII ( Swedish: ''Erik Magnusson''; 1339 – 21 June 1359) was King of Sweden and lord of Scania in 1344–1359. He was
a co-ruler with his father, King Magnus IV, from 1356 until his death in 1359.
Referring to Erik Magnusson as King Eri ...
.
# Louis (October 1347 – 1348)
See also
* Counts of Hainaut family tree
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
References
, -
, -
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hainaut, Margaret II, Countess of
1311 births
1356 deaths
Avesnes family
People of the Hook and Cod wars
Margaret
Margaret
German queens consort
Holy Roman Empresses
14th-century women rulers
14th-century German women
14th-century women of the Holy Roman Empire