Louis II, Count of Flanders

, Also called Ludwig II Ludwig from Male ( born October 25, 1330 Male ( Belgium); † January 30, 1384 in Lille) was Count of Flanders. He was the son of Louis I of Flanders and Margaret of France.

With his father's death at the Battle of Crécy in 1346 he inherited the counties of Flanders, Nevers and Rethel, the latter two as Ludwig III. He married Margaret of Brabant (* 1323, † 1368 ), daughter of John III. of Brabant. Ludwig and Margaret had one daughter, Margaret III. (* 1348, † 1405), which then also his heir was. In addition, he had several illegitimate sons, of whom three fell in 1396 at the Battle of Nicopolis.

When his father died in 1355, he assumed the title of Duke of Brabant, but was unable to wrest the duchy of his sister Johanna. Around 1370 he left the Graf Chapel in Kortrijk build as grave lay for himself and his family; 1374 he was with André Beauneveu his tomb in order. 1382 his mother died and left him the county of Artois and Franche-Comte.

The later years of his life were marked by a civil war. 1379 he received in the suppression of a riot in Ghent support from his son Philip II of Burgundy. The subsequent revolt under Philip van Artevelde led after the Battle of Beverhoutsveld ( 1382 ) to his expulsion from Flanders. Philip's influence gave him a French army decisively defeated the Flemings at the Battle of Roosebeke. The resistance of the citizens of Ghent was maintained with the help of English until his death ( 1384 ).

With Louis II of Flanders is a legend connected to the Enthauptungsbrücke in Ghent. He is said to have two men, father and son, who had rebelled against him found before the election, which should behead two of the others on the bridge. After a sort of divine judgment, he is said to have the two then pardoned. Two statues on the bridge illustrated by the end of the 18th century this legend.