Baldwin I, Count of Flanders
Baldwin I Iron Arm ( Dutch: Boudewijn met de IJzeren arm, franz: Baudouin Bras de Fer, lat: Balduinus Ferreorum - brachiorum; † 879 ) was the first count of Flanders and the founder of the house of Flanders.
Life
Count Baldwin I of Flanders died in the year 879 The place of his burial is controversial in the annals of both the abbeys of Saint- Bertin and St. Peter's Abbey in Ghent called. The abbot Folkwin later stated, however, that Baldwin spent his last days as a monk at Saint - Bertin, where he was also buried. His heart, however, have received a resting place in St. Peter's.
Progeny
From his marriage with Judith ( † after 870), Baldwin had at least two sons:
- Baldwin II the Bald ( † 918), Count of Flanders
- Rodulfus († June 28 896 ), Count of Vermandois
Other occasional in the literature children, especially a deceased young son named Charles and a daughter who had married the Count of Barcelona Hairy Wilfried to come from later written reports, their correctness can not be determined.
Origin
Baldwin's family background as well as his year of birth is unknown, contemporary sources are silent on this. However, begun in the early 12th century genealogy of the Counts of Flanders constructs a fictional family tree, after which Baldwin Descendants of Lidricus, comes ( count ) in the pagus Harlebeccensis, was. His son Ingelramnus would have been the father of Audacrus, which in turn was the father of Baldwin. The father's name is also used in different variations in several timely incurred annals. A resulting in the same century continuation of the Flemish genealogy reports that comes Lidricus have occupied power in unclaimed Flanders in the year 792, because this country was wooded.
One took place in 1294, expansion of the genealogy called Baldwin I as first Count of Flanders, but his ancestors had served the Frankish kings as forestarii ( ranger ) in Flanders. So Lidricus and Audacer would have received from the abbot of the monastery of St. Bavo in Ghent a hunting license. The legend of the forest -herding ancestors of the Counts of Flanders established itself over the centuries firmly in the historical memory, nor Count Baldwin " Iron Arm " have the forests of Flanders cleared of wandering polar bears.
Epithet
Baldwin now familiar epithet is not contemporary, on the occasion of his death he was called ( " the Iron " ) bonus ( " the Good " ) and Ferreus. The nickname Ferreorum - brachiorum ( " Iron Arm " ) was first assigned to him in a work from the 12th century and describes his strength and audacity.