John of Avesnes

Johann von Avesnes (born May 1, 1218 in Houffalize ; † December 24, 1257 ) from the House of Avesnes was Count of Hainaut from 1246 to 1257 .

He was the eldest son of Margaret II of Flanders from her first marriage to Burkhard von Avesnes , his brother was the chronicler Baldwin von Avesnes . The marriage ended in divorce around 1221 under pressure from Margarete's older sister, Countess Johanna von Flanders . His mother then married Wilhelm II von Dampierre , with whom she had two sons Wilhelm and Guido .

The legal status of the second marriage attracted a lot of attention, since essential inheritance lines depended on the legitimacy of the children. When her sister Johanna died in December 1244, Margarete inherited the counties of Hainaut and Flanders . When Margarethe designated her son Wilhelm as the sole heir, Johann rebelled against it. In the Flemish War of Succession , Johann fought against his mother and half-brothers in 1246 for the rights to the county of Hainaut, which he was actually able to enforce until 1254.

When Johann died in 1257, his eldest son, Johann II, was still a minor, which is why Johann's mother Margarethe was able to re-establish herself as a countess. It was only after their death in 1280 that he received the county of Hainaut.

Marriage and offspring

In 1246 he married Adelheid von Holland († 1284), the daughter of Count Florens IV of Holland ( Gerulfinger ). Aristocratic brother Wilhelm II of Holland supported Johann's fight for Hainaut significantly. From 1258 to 1284 Adelheid was regent of the county of Holland.

He had the following children with Adelheid:

• Johann II (* 1248; † 1304) from 1280 Count of Hainaut, from 1299 Count of Holland
• Johanna († 1304) Abbess of Flines
• Burchard (* 1251; † 1296) from 1282 Bishop of Metz
• Guido (* 1253; † 1317) Bishop of Utrecht from 1301
• Wilhelm (* 1254; † 1296) from 1292 Bishop of Cambrai
• Florence (* 1255; † 1297) governor of Zeeland, prince of Achaia

literature

• Walther Kienast: The German princes in the service of the Western Powers until the death of Philip the Fair of France . Ed .: Instituut voor middeleeuwsche Gesch. Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig and Munich 1931.
• Obreen: Avesnes (Jan van) . In: PC Molhuysen and PJ Blok (eds.): Nieuw Nederlandsch Biografisch Woordenboek . Deel 1. AW Sijthoff, Leiden 1911, column 200.

predecessor	Office	successor
Margarete	Count of Hainaut 1246–1257	Margarete