Eustace III, Count of Boulogne

Eustace III. ( * Before 1060; † after 1125 ) from the house Boulogne, Count of Boulogne and Count of Lens 1088-1125.

He was the son of Count Eustace II and canonized Ida of Boulogne ( Wigeriche ). His brothers Godfrey of Bouillon and Baldwin of Boulogne were the future leaders of the First Crusade.

His father had died 1070-1082. Godfrey of Bouillon had in 1084 inherited the duchy of Lower Lorraine and Eustace was awarded in 1088 the counties of Boulogne and Lens for themselves. In 1096, he joined with his brothers Godfrey and Baldwin the First Crusade, and took part in the siege of Jerusalem, and the battle of Ascalon. But He then probably back to Europe to take care of his property. To 1102, he married Mary of Scotland, daughter of King Malcolm III. ; so he tried to forge an alliance against the Normans, who ruled since 1066 England and Normandy. He must have had, that he left mint coins with his name in possession York in England. His father had taken part in the invasion of England in 1066 on the side of the Normans.

After the death of Baldwin (who was since the year 1100 King of Jerusalem) him whose succession was held on April 2, 1118; he showed little interest, but could be convinced ( especially since his wife was on April 18, also deceased), and took his second trip to Jerusalem. However, in Apulia, he learned that he had been crowned in the meantime Baldwin of Bourcq, after which he returned again.

1125 he married his daughter Matilda of Boulogne with Stephen of Blois, came in the same year back and still went into the monastery of Cluny. After that trace of him.

In addition to his daughter Eustace III had. two illegitimate sons from an unknown woman, Raoul and Eustache, both of which appear to date from the time of his widowhood: both are mentioned in 1120, Raoul again in 1122, and he is also known that he died young.