Baldwin VI ( 1030 – 17 July 1070), also known as Baldwin the Good, was the

count of Hainaut The Count of Hainaut (; ; ) was the ruler of the county of Hainaut, a historical region in the Low Countries (including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany). In English-la ...

from 1051 to 1070 (as Baldwin I) and

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 c ...

from 1067 to 1070. Baldwin was the eldest son of Baldwin V of Flanders and Adela, a daughter of King

Robert II of France Robert II ( 972 – 20 July 1031), called the Pious () or the Wise (), was List of French monarchs, King of the Franks from 996 to 1031, the second from the Capetian dynasty. Crowned Junior King in 987, he assisted his father on military matters ...

and

Constance of Arles Constance of Arles ( 986 – 28 July 1032), also known as Constance of Provence, was Queen of France as the third wife of King Robert II of France. Life Born Constance was the daughter of William I of Provence, William I, Count of Provence and A ...

. His father arranged his marriage, under threat of arms, to Richilde, the widow of Herman of Mons and heir of Hainaut.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, 1989), p. 147. As Hainaut was a part of the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...

this enraged

Emperor Henry III Henry III (, 28 October 1016 – 5 October 1056), called the Black () or the Pious, was Holy Roman Emperor from 1046 until his death in 1056. A member of the Salian dynasty, he was the eldest son of Conrad II and Gisela of Swabia. Henry was rais ...

, who had not been consulted, causing him to wage war on the two Baldwins without success. Between 1050 and 1054 Count Lambert II of Lens fought alongside the Baldwins against Henry III. Lambert found that this alliance best protected his interests.Lambert II was reported to have died in 1054 at Lille fighting on the side of the Counts Baldwin against Henry III. See John Carl Andressohn, ''The ancestry and life of Godfrey of Bouillon'' (Ayer Publishing, 1972), p. 20. Others fighting for the Counts of Flanders against Henry III included the lords of Alost. See Heather J. Tanner, ''Families, Friends, and Allies'' (Leiden: Brill, 2004), pp. 87–88 n. 74. Baldwin VI died on 17 July 1070.Detlev Schwennicke, ''Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten'', Neue Folge, Band II (Marburg, Germany: Verlag von J. A. Stargardt, 1984), Tafel 5 Baldwin had constructed the church of St. Peter's of

Hasnon Hasnon () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. Population Heraldry See also *Communes of the Nord department The following is a list of the 647 communes of the Nord department of the French Republic. The commun ...

, placed monks there and designated it as his burial place. His early death left

Flanders Flanders ( or ; ) is the Dutch language, Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, la ...

and Hainaut in the hands of his young son, Arnulf III, with Richilde as regent. Arnulf III was killed at the Battle of Cassel in 1071. Baldwin VI's younger son, Count Baldwin II of Hainaut, could not claim Flanders from Baldwin VI's brother,

Robert I Robert I may refer to: * Robert I, Duke of Neustria (697–748) *Robert I of France (866–923), King of France, 922–923, rebelled against Charles the Simple * Rollo, Duke of Normandy (c. 846 – c. 930; reigned 911–927) * Robert I Archbishop o ...

.Gilbert of Mons, ''Chronicle of Hainaut'', Trans. Laura Napran (Woodbridge: The Boydell Press, 2005), p. 6

Explanatory notes

References

{{Authority control 1030s births 1070 deaths 11th-century counts of Flanders 11th-century counts of Hainaut Counts of Mons House of Flanders Year of birth uncertain