William II, Count of Hainaut facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William II
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A coin from William IV's time as Count of Holland.
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| Born | 1307 |
| Died | 26 September 1345 Warns, near Stavoren |
| Noble family | House of Avesnes |
| Spouse(s) | Joanna, Duchess of Brabant |
| Father | William I, Count of Hainaut |
| Mother | Joan of Valois |
William II (born 1307 – died September 26, 1345) was an important ruler in the Middle Ages. He became the Count of Hainaut in 1337. He was also known as William IV when he ruled as Count of Holland and Count of Zeeland.
William took over these titles after his father, Count William I of Hainaut, passed away. He was a brave leader who often went to battle. Sadly, he died fighting against the Frisians in a place called Warns.
William's Early Life and Family
William was born in 1307. His father was William I of Hainaut. His mother was Joan of Valois.
In 1334, William married Joanna, Duchess of Brabant. She was the daughter of John III, Duke of Brabant. Joanna was also set to inherit her father's lands. However, William and Joanna did not have any children together.
A Leader in Battle
William was a strong ally of the English king, Edward III of England. In fact, William was Edward III's brother-in-law. This meant he often fought alongside the English in battles.
In 1339, William took part in the Siege of Cambrai (1339). A siege is when an army surrounds a city to try and take control of it.
In 1345, just two months before he died, William led his forces to attack Utrecht. He successfully took control of the city. He did this because the bishop of Utrecht, John van Arkel, wanted to make the area independent from Holland.
William also traveled far to fight. He fought against the Saracens, who were Muslim people. He also joined a religious war, called a crusade, with the Teutonic Order in Prussia. The Teutonic Order was a group of knights.
His Final Battle
William was killed in 1345. He was fighting near Stavoren in a battle known as the Battle of Warns. This battle was against the Frisians, who were people living in a region of the Netherlands.
After William's death, his sister became the ruler. Her name was Margaret of Hainaut. She was married to Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor. Because of this, Hainaut, Holland, and Zeeland became part of the Holy Roman Empire's lands.
See also
- Counts of Hainaut family tree
- Counts of Holland family tree
- Friso-Hollandic Wars
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William II, Count of Hainaut
House of Avesnes
Born: 1307 Died: 26 September 1345 |
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| Preceded by William the Good |
Count of Hainaut 1337–1345 |
Succeeded by Margaret II |
| Count of Holland and Zeeland 1337–1345 |
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