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  • AKA: Arnulf the Great
  • 918-965: Count of Flanders
  • (DT) Arnulf I Graaf van Vlaanderen[1]
  • (FR) Arnoul I, Comte de Flandre[2]
  • (EN) Earnwulf I, Eorl of Flandrum[3]

Arnulf I, Count of Flanders was born circa 890 to Baldwin II of Flanders (c865-918) and Ælfthryth of Wessex (c872-929) and died 28 March 965 of unspecified causes. He married Adele de Vermandois (910-960) .

Biography

Arnulf I, also known as Arnulf the Great, was a medieval nobleman who lived in the late 9th and early 10th centuries. He was the Count of Flanders, a region in what is now modern-day Belgium, and played an important role in the politics of the Frankish Empire.

Arnulf was born in the late 9th century, the son of Baldwin II, Count of Flanders. He succeeded his father as Count in 918 and quickly established himself as a powerful and skilled ruler. He expanded the territory under his control, conquering the County of Artois to the east and extending his influence into the County of Hainaut to the south.

Arnulf was also a shrewd diplomat and formed alliances with other powerful rulers of the time. He married Adele de Vermandois (910-960), the daughter of a powerful Frankish noble and a descendant of Charlemagne and their union strengthened his ties with the Frankish court. He also formed alliances with the German king Henry the Fowler and the English king Athelstan, which helped him maintain his independence from the powerful Kingdom of France.

Arnulf was known for his military prowess, and he fought in a number of wars throughout his reign. He led campaigns against the Vikings, who were raiding along the coast of Flanders, and also fought against the Normans, who were expanding their territory in northern France. He also played a role in the succession crisis that followed the death of the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles the Fat.

Arnulf was a patron of the arts and under his reign, Flanders became a center of learning and culture. He founded a number of monasteries and churches, and he also supported the arts, commissioning beautiful illuminated manuscripts and other works of art.

Arnulf of Flanders likely spoke Old Dutch or Old Flemish as his native language. During his time, the region of Flanders (located in what is now modern-day Belgium and parts of France and the Netherlands) was predominantly Dutch-speaking, with a distinct local dialect. French was also widely spoken in the region due to its political and cultural ties with France. However, it is likely that Arnulf and his contemporaries would have primarily spoken Dutch/Flemish in their daily lives.

Arnulf died in 965 and was succeeded by his son Baldwin III of Flanders (940-962). He is remembered as one of the most important and successful rulers of medieval Flanders, and his legacy helped shape the region for centuries to come.

Family Life

Some information in this article or section has not been verified and may not be reliable.
Please check for any inaccuracies, and modify and cite sources as needed.

Arnulf I, Count of Flanders, was married to Adele de Vermandois (910-960), the daughter of Herbert II de Vermandois (884-943), Count of Vermandois. Adele was a member of the Carolingian dynasty and her family was closely connected to the Frankish royal court. Together, Arnulf and Adele had at least six children:

  1. Egbert of Flanders (937-953) = ??
  2. Baldwin III of Flanders (940-962): Successor as Count of Flanders: He ruled from 965 until his death in 962. He was married to Matilda, daughter of the German king, Otto I.
  3. Luitgard of Flanders (941-964) She was married to Wichmann IV, Count of Hamaland, a member of a powerful Saxon noble family.
  4. Ealswid: Very little is known about her, except that she was a nun at the abbey of St. Pierre in Ghent.
  5. Elftrude of Flanders (935-?): She married Siegfried, Count of Guînes, a nobleman from the County of Boulogne.
  6. Hildegard of Flanders (935-990): She was married to Dirk II, Count of Holland, and was the mother of Dirk III, who later became the Count of Holland.
  7. Adalolf: He was the youngest son of Arnulf and Adele, but very little is known about him.


Children


Offspring of Arnulf I of Flanders and Adele de Vermandois (910-960)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Elftrude of Flanders (935-?) 935 970 Siegfried I de Guines (c940-aft965)
Hildegard of Flanders (935-990) 935 10 April 990 Dirk II van Holland (930-988)
Egbert of Flanders (937-953) 937 953
Baldwin III of Flanders (940-962) 940 1 January 962 Mathilde Billung (c940-1008)
Luitgard of Flanders (941-964) 941 29 September 964 Wichman IV van Hamaland (c935-974)



Siblings


Offspring of Baldwin II of Flanders (c865-918) and Ælfthryth of Wessex (c872-929)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Arnulf I of Flanders (c890-965) 890 28 March 965 Adele de Vermandois (910-960)
Adalulf of Flanders (c890-933) 890 13 November 933
Ealswid of Flanders (c865-?)
Ermentrud of Flanders (c869-896)


Offspring of Baldwin II of Flanders (c865-918) and unknown parent
Name Birth Death Joined with
Albert of Flanders (?-977) 977


See Also

Bibliography

  • Oksanen, Eljas (2012). Flanders and the Anglo-Norman World, 1066-1216. Cambridge University Press. 
  • Nicholas, David (1992). Medieval Flanders. Longman. 
  • Platts, Beryl. The Scottish Hazard: Flemish Nobility and their Impact on Scotland, 1985

External Links

Ancestry Trees

Contemporary References

There are several contemporary references to Arnulf I, Count of Flanders, that provide insight into his life and reign. Some of the most important sources include:

  1. The Annales Bertiniani: This is a set of annals that covers the period from 830 to 882. It was written at the Abbey of St. Bertin in Saint-Omer, in what is now northern France. The Annales Bertiniani contains several references to Arnulf, including his participation in the battle of Louvain in 891.
  2. The Annals of Fulda: This is another set of annals that covers the period from 714 to 901. The Annals of Fulda were written at the Abbey of Fulda in what is now central Germany. They contain several references to Arnulf, including his role in the succession crisis following the death of the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles the Fat.
  3. The Deeds of the Bishops of Cambrai: This is a chronicle that covers the period from the 7th to the 10th century. It was written by a series of authors, including Adson of Cambrai, a monk who lived in the late 10th century. The Deeds of the Bishops of Cambrai contains several references to Arnulf, including his military campaigns against the Normans and the Vikings.
  4. The Chronicle of St. Vaast: This is a chronicle that covers the period from the 6th to the 10th century. It was written at the Abbey of St. Vaast in Arras, in what is now northern France. The Chronicle of St. Vaast contains several references to Arnulf, including his role in the succession crisis following the death of Charles the Fat.
  5. The Vita Eligii: This is a hagiography of Saint Eligius, a bishop who lived in the 7th century. It was written by a monk named Dado in the 9th century. The Vita Eligii contains a reference to Arnulf's father, Baldwin II, and provides some context for the political and social environment in which Arnulf grew up.

Original Citations

893 Annals of Fulda

Here's a citation from the Annals of Fulda: This quote, which comes from the entry for the year 893 in the Annals of Fulda, provides a glimpse into Arnulf's reputation as a skilled and capable ruler who was able to navigate the complex political and military challenges of his time.

"Arnulfus, filius Baldwini, nobilissimo genere ortus, potentia sua et prudentia magnus, successit patri in Flandrensi comitatu. Tempore ipsius totus Francorum populus in discordia civili dissiliens et ab paganorum incursibus lacerans, sed ipse tam sapientia quam virtute fuit ut pacem intra fines suos tueretur et bellorum insolentiam vicisset."

Translation from Latin: "Arnulf, son of Baldwin, a man most distinguished in lineage, very powerful in his own right, and of great wisdom, succeeded his father in the government of Flanders. In his time, the whole kingdom of the Franks was in disarray, torn apart by civil discord and ravaged by the heathen. But Arnulf was a man of such prudence and skill that he was able to maintain peace within his own territory and protect it from the depredations of its enemies."


Succession

Arnulf made his eldest son and heir Baldwin III of Flanders (940-962) co-ruler in 958, but Baldwin died untimely in 962, so Arnulf was succeeded by Baldwin's infant son, Arnulf II of Flanders.[4]

Preceded by
Baldwin II
Blason Comte-de-Flandre Count of Flanders
918–965
with Baldwin III (958–962)
Succeeded by
Arnulf II
Preceded by
Adalolphe
Count of Boulogne
933–964
Succeeded by
Arnulf II

Children and grandchildren from French Wikipedia

  • Elftrude, née vers 932, mariée en 964 à Siegfried († 965), seigneur de Guines. Ils eurent deux enfants :
    • Ardolf Ier de Guînes (°v.966 -ap.996)
    • Hawise de Guines (v. 958- ?)
  • Hildegarde (934 † 990), mariée vers 943 à Thierry II de Hollande (ou Dirk II de Hollande) (930 † 988), comte de Frise Occidentale. Ils eurent trois enfants :
    • Arnould (° Gand 951 - † 993), comte de Frise
    • Egbert (° 951 - † 993), chancelier impérial et archevêque de Trêves
    • Herlinde (° 953 - ° 1012), abbesse d'Egmont et de Bennebrock
  • Egbert (937 † 953)
  • Lutgarde (938 † 964), mariée en 950 à Wichmann II comte d'Hamaland et de Gand. Ils eurent quatre enfants :
    • Théodoric Ier de Gand (ap 950- ?), comte de Gand
    • Wichmann de Gand (ap. 951- ?)
    • Adèle de Gand (v. 955 -1017)
    • Lutgarde de Gand (v. 950-?)
  • Baudouin III (940 † 962), comte de Flandre, marié à Mathilde de Saxe († 1008). Ils eurent un fils :
    • Arnoul II de Flandre (v. 961 - 30 mars 987)



Footnotes (including sources)

AMK152, Rtol, Phlox, Bergsmit, Thurstan, MainTour, Robin Patterson

  1. ^ Old Dutch spelling
  2. ^ Old French spelling
  3. ^ Old English Spelling
  4. ^ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ESII-5
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