Today in History/ On This Day: September 17th. 1322 - Robert III, Count of Flanders

On September 17th.1322, Robert III of Flanders died.



Robert III has several names: Robert of Béthune; and The Lion of Flanders.
Nowadays the Lion of Flanders is a symbol of the Flemish nationalism.

Family

His parents were Guy of Dampierre and Matilda of Béthune.

Love and Marriage

Robert married twice.

1/ Blanche of Sicily, the daughter of Charles I of Sicily and Beatrice of Provence.
They had one son, Charles, who died young.

2/ Yolande II, Countess of Nevers, daughter of Odo Count of Nevers. They had 5
children.

Duty

In 1299 his father passed the reign over Flanders to Robert III during his war with
King Philip IV of France. In May 1300 both father and son were taken captive by
the French. However they were released in 1305.

On 11 July 1302, the famous Battle of the Golden Spurs took place, however
unlike what's told in the popular roman of Hendrik Conscience, Robert III wasn't
at the Battlefield because he was taken captive by the French.

Robert of Béthune made military fame in Italy, where he fought on the side of his
father-in-law, Charles I of Sicily against the Hohenstaufens. Together with his
father, Robert took part in the 8th. crusade.

Death

Robert died on 17 September 1322 in Ypres, Flanders. There he was buried in the
Saint Martin's Cathedral. It was his explicit wish to be buried on Flemish soil.

In July 2017, I visited his grave monument in the Saint Martin's Cathedral in
Ypres.

Robert III, Count of Flanders grave monument in Ypres, Flanders - Belgium

See also my page History of Belgium and the Low Countries
on top of my blog
or on this link.

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