Ludwig (Blois)

Seal of Louis of Blois

Ludwig (* 1171/1172; † April 14, 1205 in Adrianople ) was Count of Blois , Chartres and Châteaudun , from 1191 to 1205 and from Clermont-en-Beauvaisis from the right of his wife. He was the son of Count Theobald V and Alix of France . His maternal grandparents were King Louis VII and Eleanor of Aquitaine .

He married in 1184 Catherine de Clermont , daughter of Raoul I. , Count of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis . After the death of his father-in-law, Ludwig was succeeded by his wife as Count of Clermont.

In 1196 Ludwig abolished serfdom in his countries. At the tournament of Écry-sur-Aisne on November 28, 1199 he and his cousin Theobald III. the first to answer the call of Pope Innocent III. followed to the Fourth Crusade and committed to participate. He left France in 1202, missed the conquest of Constantinople in 1204 because he was sick for months. He was also unable to take part in the subsequent raids by his people in Asia Minor , in which he was to be appointed Duke of Nicaea .

His health had just recovered when he fell against Kalojan's Bulgarian army in the Battle of Adrianople : he chased the fleeing enemy for too long until he was ambushed. Emperor Baldwin I was taken prisoner, Ludwig was killed.

He had three children with Katharina:

• Rudolf (Raoul, * before 1201; † young);
• Johanna (Jeanne, * after May 1202; † young);
• Theobald VI. (Thibaud, † 1218), Count of Blois, Chartres, Châteaudun and Clermont.

Web links

• Louis de Blois at fmg.ac (English)

predecessor	Office	successor
Theobald V.	Count of Blois Count of Chartres Count of Châteaudun 1191–1205	Theobald VI.
Rudolf I.	Count of Clermont (de iure uxoris) 1191–1205	Theobald VI.