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Willem III "the Good", Count
of Holland and Hainault 1304-1337, (1286-1337)
Born circa 1286
Died 8 June 1337 Valenciennes
Married 23 May 1305 Longpont
Jeanne de Valois,
daughter of Charles, Comte de Valois and Marguerite d'Anjou
Born circa 1294
Died 7 March 1342 Fontenelle
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In a time of knights and castles, Willem III, Count of Holland, Zeeland
and Hainault for thirty-three years, was more a "political businessman".
He achieved his influence not by the sword but by marriage alliances. Married
himself to the sister of the French king, his son and heir married the
only child and heir of the Duke of Brabant; his daughter, Philippa, married
King Edward III of England; and his eldest daughter, Margaretha, made the
most important alliance when she married Emperor Ludwig IV.
Because of the peace during his reign, he was able to re-organise the
administration of his counties and evolve a better tax system. He also
improved the legal system and saw to it that justice was done.
One of his judges, knowing the Count to be ill, had taken a healthy
and beautiful cow from a poor farmer, the only cow the farmer possessed,
replacing it with a poor specimen. The farmer went to the Count for justice
and this judge was summoned and ordered to
compensate the farmer. Once this was done, the Count took his sword
and handed it to his executioner who, in the Count's room, beheaded the
judge.
Source: Leo van de Pas |
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