Arnulf, Count of Holland

Infobox Monarch|name=Arnulf of Holland
title=Count in Frisia


caption=Arnulf as imagined in the 16th century
reign=988 – 993
coronation=
othertitles=
full name=
predecessor=Dirk II
successor=Dirk III
consort=Lutgard of Luxemburg
issue=Dirk III
Siegfried (known as "Sicco")
royal house=
royal anthem =
father=Dirk II
mother=Hildegarde of Flanders
date of birth=950/955
place of birth=Ghent, Flanders
date of death=death date|993|9|18|mf=y
place of death=Winkel, West-Friesland
place of burial=Egmond|

Arnulf, also known as "Aernout" or "Arnold" succeeded his father in 988 as Count in Frisia. He was born in 951 in Ghent and because of this he is also known as "Arnulf of Ghent". Arnulf was the son of Dirk II, Count of Holland and Hildegard, thought to be a daughter of Arnulf of Flanders.

Career

Arnulf is first mentioned (together with his parents) in 970. Like his father, his name appears in numerous Flemish documents at the time. In 983 Arnulf accompanied Emperor Otto II and future Emperor Otto III on their journey to Verona and Rome. As count he managed to expand his territories southwards. Arnulf donated several properties to the abbey of Egmond, amongst others, Hillegersberg (which was previously called "Bergan", but renamed after Arnulf's mother) and Overschie, which may have been rewards for the land-clearing activities of the monks of Egmond.

Arnulf was the first count to come into conflict with the West-Frisians and in 993 he invaded their territory, but on 18 September of that year he was defeated and killed in a battle near Winkel in West-Friesland. His son Dirk was still a boy at this time, but Arnulf's widow Luitgard managed to retain the county for her son with support from first Emperor Otto III and later her brother-in-law, Emperor Henry II.

Family

In May 980 Arnulf married Lutgard of Luxemburg, a daughter of Siegfried, Count of Luxemburg. The couple had (at least) two sons; the future Count Dirk III and Siegfried (also known as "Sicco"). Arnulf, his wife and his sons were all buried at Egmond.

On 20 September 993 Liutgard donated her properties at Rugge to Saint Peter's abbey of Ghent for the soul of her husband. In June 1005 she made peace with the West-Frisians through mediation by Emperor Henry.

References/Bibliography

* Cordfunke, "Graven en Gravinnen van het Hollandse Huis" (1986).
*http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/HOLLAND.htm