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Monday, 22 January 2018

Baldwin II The Bald of Flanders

Baldwin II The Bald of Flanders was my 35 x great grandfather.



Baldwin II the Bald of Flanders, Count of Flanders, was born circa 865 to Baldwin I of Flanders (c835-879) and Judith (844-870) and died 10 September 918 of unspecified causes. He married Ælfthryth of Wessex (?-929) . Notable ancestors include Charlemagne (747-814). Ancestors are from France, Germany, Belgium.

Baldwin II (c. 865 – September 10, 918), nicknamed Calvus (the Bald), was the second Count of Flanders. He was also hereditary abbot of St. Bertin from 892 till his death. He was the son of Baldwin I of Flanders and Judith, a daughter of Charles the Bald.

The early years of Baldwin's rule were marked by a series of devastating Viking raids. Little north of the Somme was untouched. Baldwin recovered, building new fortresses and improving city walls, and taking over abandoned property, so that in the end he held far more territory, and held it more strongly, than had his father. He also took advantage of the conflicts between Charles the Simple and Odo, Count of Paris, to take over the Ternois and the Boulonnias.

In 884 Baldwin married Ælfthryth (Ælfthryth, Elftrude, Elfrida), a daughter of King Alfred the Great of England. The marriage was motivated by the common Flemish-English opposition to the Vikings, and was the start of an alliance that was a mainstay of Flemish policy for centuries to come.

In 900, he tried to curb the power of Archbishop Fulk of Rheims by assassinating him, but he was excommunicated by Pope Benedict IV.

He died at Blandinberg and was succeeded by his eldest son Arnulf I of Flanders. His younger son Adalulf was (the first) count of Boulogne. His illegitimate son Albert was bishop of Paris.

Lineage from me: me .. dad .. George Ernest Heywood .. Ellen Eliza Hindley .. Richard Henry Hindley .. Harriet Glenton .. Henry Glenton .. Betty Becca Kelsall .. James Kelsall .. Richard Kelsall (Alderman of Liverpool) .. Christian Brerewood .. John Brerewood .. Anne Mainwaring .. Randle Mainwaring .. Randall Mainwaring .. Phillip Mainwaring .. Katherine Honford .. Margaret Savage .. John Savage .. John Savage .. Maud de Swynnerton .. Robert de Swynnerton .. Matilda de Holland .. Maud de la Zouche .. Alan de la Zouche .. Ela Longspee .. Emmeline de Ridelsford .. Walter de Ridelsford .. Ambibilis FitzHenry .. Henry FitzHenry .. King Henry I Beauclerc of England .. Matilda of Flanders Queen of England .. Baldwin V of Flanders .. Baldwin IV of England .. Arnulf II of Flanders .. Baldwin III of Flanders .. Arnulf I of Flanders .. Baldwin II the Bald of Flanders