Johann I (Holland)

Johann I (* 1284 ; † November 10, 1299 in Haarlem ) was Count of Holland from 1296 to 1299. He inherited the county after his father Florens V had been murdered.

Shortly after his birth, in April 1285, due to negotiations between Florens and King Edward I of England , Johann was betrothed to Edward's daughter Elisabeth . A little later Johann was sent to England to be educated at the royal court. In 1296, after the murder of his father, Edward I brought some Dutch nobles who were friendly to England, including Johann III. by Renesse and Wolfhart I. von Borsselen . Johann and Elisabeth were married on January 7, 1297, shortly afterwards, and after he had made the promise to heed the advice of Renesse and Borsselen, Johann was allowed to return to Holland. Elisabeth, who did not want to follow her husband, stayed behind in England for the time being; only after she and parts of the family had spent Christmas in Ghent did she come to Holland in 1298.

Johann von Renesse became regent for the count, who, however, replaced him on April 30, 1297 by Wolfhart von Borsselen. Borsselen pursued a policy of neutrality between England and Flanders, but came into conflict with the city of Dordrecht , where he was killed by the people on August 30, 1299. Thereupon Count Johann von Hennegau , a cousin of Florens V, took over the reign for a few months. John I of Holland died that same year, on November 10, 1299, at the age of 15 and without descendants, officially of dysentery , but according to rumors an unnatural death.

With him the Dutch Earl of the Gerulfinger went out . His successor was the regent Johann von Hennegau, with whom a personal union between Holland and Hainaut began, which only ended when the Netherlands was detached from Habsburg rule.

Three years after Johann's death, his widow married Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford .

literature

• Karl Theodor Wenzelburger:  Johann I . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 14, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1881, p. 221.

Web links

• Jan I, graaf van Holland on home.scarlet.be (Dutch)
• JAN I Count of Holland on fmg.ac (English)

predecessor	Office	successor
Florens V.	Count of Holland 1296–1299	Johann II.