Biography of William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland 1286-1337

In 1270 [his father] John of Avesnes II Count Hainaut II Count Holland [aged 23] and [his mother] Philippa Luxemburg Countess Hainaut and Holland [aged 18] were married. She by marriage Countess Hainault, Countess Holland. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Henry "Great" Luxemburg V Count Luxemburg III Count Namur [aged 54] and [his grandmother] Margaret of Bar Countess Luxemburg and Namur [aged 50]. He the son of John of Avesnes I Count Hainaut and Adelaide Gerulfing Countess Hainaut [aged 40]. They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 3 grandson of King Stephen I England. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King William "Conqueror" I of England.

Around 1286 William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland was born to [his father] John of Avesnes II Count Hainaut II Count Holland [aged 39] and [his mother] Philippa Luxemburg Countess Hainaut and Holland [aged 34]. He a great x 4 grandson of King Stephen I England.

In 1290 [his brother-in-law] Roger Bigod 5th Earl Norfolk [aged 45] and [his sister] Alice Hainaut Countess Norfolk were married. She by marriage Countess Norfolk. She the daughter of [his father] John of Avesnes II Count Hainaut II Count Holland [aged 43] and [his mother] Philippa Luxemburg Countess Hainaut and Holland [aged 38]. They were half fifth cousin once removed. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Stephen I England.

On 18th October 1298 [his brother-in-law] Robert Artois II Count Artois [aged 48] and [his sister] Margaret Hainaut Countess Artois were married. She by marriage Countess Artois. She the daughter of [his father] John of Avesnes II Count Hainaut II Count Holland [aged 51] and [his mother] Philippa Luxemburg Countess Hainaut and Holland [aged 46]. He the son of Robert Capet Count of Artois and Matilda Reginar Countess Saint Pol. They were second cousin once removed. He a great x 2 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Stephen I England.

In 1304 [his brother] John Beaumont Count Soissons [aged 16] by marriage Count Soissons.

On 22nd August 1304 [his father] John of Avesnes II Count Hainaut II Count Holland [aged 57] died. His son William [aged 18] succeeded I Count Hainault.

On 19th May 1305 William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland [aged 19] and Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut [aged 11] were married. She by marriage Countess Zeeland, Countess Holland, Countess Avesnes, Countess Hainault. She the daughter of Charles Valois I Count Valois [aged 35] and Margaret Capet Countess Valois. He the son of John of Avesnes II Count Hainaut II Count Holland and Philippa Luxemburg Countess Hainaut and Holland [aged 53]. They were fourth cousin once removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King Stephen I England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

In 1307 Hugh Chatillon II Count Blois died. His son Guy succeeded I Count Blois. [his sister-in-law] Margaret Valois [aged 12] by marriage Countess Blois.

In 1307 [his son] William Hainaut II Count Hainaut was born to William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland [aged 21] and [his wife] Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut [aged 13]. He married 1334 his half second cousin Joanna Reginar Duchess Brabant, daughter of John Brabant III Duke Brabant and Marie Évreux Duchess of Brabant.

In 1310 [his brother-in-law] Louis Bourbon I Duke Bourbon [aged 31] and [his sister] Mary Hainaut Duchess Bourbon [aged 30] were married. She the daughter of [his father] John of Avesnes II Count Hainaut II Count Holland and [his mother] Philippa Luxemburg Countess Hainaut and Holland [aged 58]. He the son of Robert Bourbon 1st Count Clermont [aged 54] and Beatrice Burgundy [aged 53]. They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 3 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Stephen I England.

In 1310 Guy Chatillon I Count Blois and [his sister-in-law] Margaret Valois [aged 15] were married. She the daughter of [his father-in-law] Charles Valois I Count Valois [aged 39] and Margaret Capet Countess Valois. He the son of Hugh Chatillon II Count Blois and Beatrix Dampierre Countess Blois. They were fourth cousin once removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King Stephen I England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

On 24th June 1310¹ [his daughter] Philippa of Hainaut Queen Consort England was born to William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland [aged 24] and [his wife] Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut [aged 16].

Note 1. The date from the Register of Walter Stapledon who in 1319 writes: "And the young lady will be of the age of nine years at the Feast of the Nativity of Saint John [24th June] next to come". She married 24th January 1328 her second cousin King Edward III of England, son of King Edward II of England and Isabella of France Queen Consort England, and had issue.

In 1311 [his mother] Philippa Luxemburg Countess Hainaut and Holland [aged 59] died.

In 1312 [his daughter] Margaret Hainaut Holy Roman Empress was born to William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland [aged 26] and [his wife] Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut [aged 18]. She married 1324 her third cousin three times removed Louis Wittelsbach IV Holy Roman Emperor, son of Louis "Strict" Wittelsbach II Duke Upper Bavaria and Matilda Habsburg Duchess Bavaria, and had issue.

In April 1314 [his brother-in-law] Charles II Count Alençon [aged 17] and Jeanne Joigny were married. She by marriage Countess Alençon. He the son of [his father-in-law] Charles Valois I Count Valois [aged 44] and Margaret Capet Countess Valois.

In 1315 [his daughter] Joanna Hainaut Duchess Guelders was born to William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland [aged 29] and [his wife] Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut [aged 21]. She married 26th February 1324 her half third cousin William Jülich V Duke Jülich, son of Gerhard Jülich V Count Jülich and Elisabeth Brabant Countess Jülich, and had issue.

In 1316 [his son] John Hainaut died.

On 26th October 1317 [his sister] Alice Hainaut Countess Norfolk died.

In 1320 Robert III Artois [aged 33] and [his wife] Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut [aged 26] were married. She the daughter of [his father-in-law] Charles Valois I Count Valois [aged 49] and Margaret Capet Countess Valois. They were third cousins. He a great grandson of King Henry III of England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

In 1323 [his daughter] Isabelle Hainaut was born to William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland [aged 37] and [his wife] Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut [aged 29]. She married 2nd February 1354 her second cousin Robert Dampierre, son of John Dampierre I Marquis Namur and Marie Artois.

In 1324 [his son-in-law] Louis Wittelsbach IV Holy Roman Emperor [aged 41] and Margaret Hainaut Holy Roman Empress [aged 12] were married. She by marriage Holy Roman Empress. The difference in their ages was 29 years. She the daughter of William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland [aged 38] and Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut [aged 30]. He the son of Louis "Strict" Wittelsbach II Duke Upper Bavaria and Matilda Habsburg Duchess Bavaria. They were third cousin three times removed. He a great x 3 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Stephen I England.

On 26th February 1324 [his son-in-law] William Jülich V Duke Jülich [aged 25] and Joanna Hainaut Duchess Guelders [aged 9] were married. She the daughter of William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland [aged 38] and Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut [aged 30]. He the son of Gerhard Jülich V Count Jülich [aged 74] and Elisabeth Brabant Countess Jülich. They were half third cousins. He a great x 4 grandson of King Stephen I England. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Stephen I England.

In 1327 [his brother-in-law] Louis Bourbon I Duke Bourbon [aged 48] was created I Duke Bourbon. [his sister] Mary Hainaut Duchess Bourbon [aged 47] by marriage Duchess Bourbon.

In 1327 [his daughter] Agnes Hainaut died.

In 1334 William Hainaut II Count Hainaut [aged 27] and Joanna Reginar Duchess Brabant [aged 12] were married. She the daughter of John Brabant III Duke Brabant [aged 33] and Marie Évreux Duchess of Brabant [aged 31]. He the son of William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland [aged 48] and Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut [aged 40]. They were half second cousins. He a great x 5 grandson of King Stephen I England. She a great granddaughter of King Edward I of England.

In 1335 Charles IV King Bohemia Holy Roman Emperor Luxemburg [aged 18] and [his sister-in-law] Blanche Valois Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg [aged 18] were married. She the daughter of [his father-in-law] Charles Valois I Count Valois and Mahaut Chatillon Countess Valois [aged 42]. He the son of King John I of Bohemia [aged 38] and Queen Elizabeth of Bohemia. They were fourth cousin once removed. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Henry III of England.

In December 1336 [his brother-in-law] Charles II Count Alençon [aged 39] and Maria de la Cerda Y Lara Countess Alençon [aged 17] were married. She by marriage Countess Alençon. The difference in their ages was 22 years. He the son of [his father-in-law] Charles Valois I Count Valois and Margaret Capet Countess Valois. They were second cousins. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

On 7th June 1337 William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland [aged 51] died. His son William [aged 30] succeeded II Count Hainault. Joanna Reginar Duchess Brabant [aged 15] by marriage Countess Hainault.

On 7th March 1352 [his former wife] Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut [aged 58] died.

Bourgeois de Valenciennes. The third brother was named William. He became Count of Hainaut, and was a good knight, brave, wise, and very courteous.

And the fourth of the brothers was named John, Lord of Beaumont, and he took as his wife Lady Jeanne, daughter of the Count of Soissons.

Le tierch frère eult nom Guillame. Celuy fut conte de Haynault et bon chevalier et preux et sages et moult courtois.

Et le quart des frères eult nom Jehan sire de Beaumont et eult à femme damoiselle Jehenne fille du conte de Soisson.

[his son] John Hainaut was born to William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland and Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut.

[his daughter] Agnes Hainaut was born to William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland and Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut.