John I, Count of Holland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids John I |
|
|---|---|
| Count of Holland | |
| Reign | 1296–1299 |
| Predecessor | Floris V |
| Successor | John II |
| Born | 1284 |
| Died | 10 November 1299 (aged 14–15) Haarlem |
| Spouse | |
| House | Holland |
| Father | Floris V, Count of Holland |
| Mother | Beatrice of Flanders |
John I (born 1284, died 10 November 1299) was a young ruler. He was the Count of Holland and Zeeland. John became count in 1296. This happened after his father, Count Floris V, passed away. John was only 12 years old when he became count.
Contents
Early Life and Royal Connections
A Royal Betrothal
John was born in 1284. When he was very young, his father, Count Floris V, made an important agreement. In 1285, Floris arranged for John to marry Elizabeth. She was a daughter of King Edward I of England. This agreement connected John to the powerful English royal family.
Growing Up in England
Soon after this agreement, young John was sent to England. He grew up and was educated at King Edward's court. This meant he learned about royal life and politics from a very young age. In 1296, John's father, Count Floris V, died. King Edward then invited several important nobles from Holland to England. These nobles were friendly with England. Among them were John III, Lord of Renesse and Wolfert I van Borselen.
Marriage and Return to Holland
A Royal Wedding
On January 7, 1297, John married Elizabeth, King Edward's daughter. Their wedding took place at St Peter's Church, Ipswich in England. After the wedding, John was allowed to go back to Holland. He had to promise to listen to the advice of Renesse and Borselen.
Elizabeth Joins Her Husband
Elizabeth was expected to go to Holland with John. However, she did not want to leave England right away. So, John went to Holland alone. After some time, Elizabeth spent Christmas 1297 with her family in Ghent. She then joined her husband in Holland in 1298.
Ruling as Count
Regents for a Young Count
Since John was so young, he needed someone to help him rule. This person was called a regent. At first, Renesse acted as John's regent. But on April 30, 1297, John chose Wolfert van Borselen to be his regent instead. Wolfert was to rule until John turned 15 years old.
Wolfert van Borselen's Rule
As regent, Wolfert van Borselen tried to keep Holland neutral. This meant he did not take sides between Flanders and England. However, he had problems with the city of Dordrecht. Sadly, a crowd of people killed him there on August 30, 1299.
New Regent and John's Death
After Wolfert's death, Count John II of the House of Avesnes became the new regent. Count John I of Holland died in the same year, on November 10, 1299. He was in Haarlem and was only 15 years old. People said he died from dysentery, which is a serious illness. However, some people wondered if he was murdered.
A New Era for Holland
No Heirs
John I died without any children. All his brothers and sisters had also died when they were young. This meant there was no direct heir from his family. The next rulers of Holland were his father's cousins. They were from Hainaut.
Holland and Hainaut United
From this time on, Holland and Hainaut were ruled by the same person. This is called a personal union. It meant that the Count of Hainaut was also the Count of Holland. This continued until Hainaut was no longer an independent county.
Elizabeth's Later Life
Three years after John's death, his young widow, Elizabeth, married again. She married Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford.
See also
In Spanish: Juan I de Holanda para niños
- Counts of Hainaut family tree
- Counts of Holland family tree
