William III, Count of Ponthieu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William III of Ponthieu
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Coat of Arms of the Counts of Ponthieu
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| Born | c. 1093 |
| Died | 1172 |
| Noble family | House of Bellême |
| Spouse(s) | Helie of Burgundy |
| Father | Robert II of Bellême |
| Mother | Agnes of Ponthieu |
William III of Ponthieu (around 1093 – 1172) was an important noble in medieval France. He was also known as William Talvas. He held the title of Count of Ponthieu and was a lord (called a seigneur) in Normandy.
William's Early Life and Challenges
William was the son of Robert II of Bellême and Agnes of Ponthieu. His father, Robert, was a powerful but often rebellious noble. Robert had many disagreements with King Henry I of England. Because of this, William also found himself opposing the King.
William became the count of Ponthieu between 1105 and 1111. This meant he was the ruler of a region called Ponthieu. His father, Robert, was later arrested by King Henry I and spent the rest of his life in prison. This made William even more against King Henry.
However, in 1119, King Henry I gave back all of William's family lands in Normandy. But later, in 1135, King Henry took them away again. After King Henry died, William joined forces with Geoffrey of Anjou to invade Normandy. This was a way for William to try and get his lands back.
Before 1126, William gave the title of Count of Ponthieu to his son, Guy. But William still kept the title of count himself.
William's Family Life
William married Helie of Burgundy around 1115. Helie was the daughter of Eudes I, Duke of Burgundy. They had five children together: three sons and two daughters.
Their children included:
- Guy II: He took over the county of Ponthieu from his father. However, Guy died in 1147, before his father did.
- John I, Count of Alençon: He married Beatrix d'Anjou.
- Clementia: She married Juhel around 1189.
- Adela (also known as Ela): She first married William de Warenne, 3rd Earl of Surrey. Later, she married Patrick of Salisbury.
