, Adelaide Of Holland, Countess Of Hainaut

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Adelaide of Holland, Countess of Hainaut
b: ABT 1230
d:
Biography
Adelaide of Holland, Countess of Hainaut (Dutch: Aleide (Aleidis) vanHolland; c.?1230 – buried 9 April 1284) was a daughter of Floris IV,Count of Holland and Matilda of Brabant. She was also a sister of WilliamII, Count of Holland and King of Germany. She acted as regent for hernephew Count Floris V during his minority.

On 9 October 1246, Adelaide married John I of Avesnes, Count of Hainaut.Like her mother, she was a patron of religious houses. Her religiousinterest is reflected in that three of her sons became bishops, and herone daughter became an abbess. She also insisted on a bilingual educationfor them.
Between 1258 and 1263, Adelaide was regent of Holland in the name of hernephew Floris V. She called herself Guardian of Holland and Zeeland(Tutrix de Hollandie et Zeelandie). After he came of age, she continuedto advise him. She died in 1284 at Valenciennes, but in 1299, with thedeath of Floris'' son John I, it was her own son John II who inheritedHolland through her.

She gave Town privileges to Schiedam, which afterwards had the right tobe called a city. In it she founded Huis te Riviere, which was then thesecond largest castle in Holland.
Jacob van Maerlant dedicated his first poem, Geesten, to Adelaide.

With John I, she had the following issue:[1]
John II, Count of Hainaut and Holland (1247–1304)
Baldwin (born after 1247, lived in 1299)
Joanna, abbess of Flines (died 1304)
Bouchard, Bishop of Metz (1251–1296)
Guy, Bishop of Utrecht (1253–1317)
William, Bishop of Cambrai (1254–1296)
Floris, stadholder of Zeeland and Prince of Achaea (1255–1297)
Facts
  • ABT 1230 - Birth -
  • 9 APR 1284 - Burial - ; Valenciennes
Ancestors
Family Group Sheet - Child
Family Group Sheet - Spouse
Descendancy Chart