View source for Thierry, Count of Flanders

{{Short description|Count of Flanders from 1128 to 1168}}
{{redirect|Thierry of Flanders|the count's grandson|Thierry of Flanders (flourished 1197–1207)}}
{{infobox nobility
|name         = Theoderic
|title        = [[Count of Flanders]]
|image        = Thierry of Flanders.jpg
|caption      = Seal effigy
|noble family = [[House of Alsace|Alsace]]
|father       =  [[Theoderic II, Duke of Lorraine]]
|mother       = [[Gertrude of Flanders, Duchess of Lorraine|Gertrude of Flanders]]
|spouse       = [[Margaret of Clermont]] (or Swanhilde)<br>[[Sibylla of Anjou]]
|issue        = Laurette<br>[[Philip I, Count of Flanders]]<br>[[Matthew of Alsace]]<br>[[Margaret I, Countess of Flanders]]<br>[[Gertrude of Flanders, Countess of Savoy]]<br>Matilda<br>[[Peter of Flanders|Peter]]
|birth_date   = {{circa|1099}}
|birth_place  = 
|death_date   = {{death date and age|1168|1|17|1099|df=y}}
|death_place  = 
|burial_place = Abbey of [[Watten, Nord|Watten]]
}}
'''Theoderic''' ({{langx|nl|Diederik}}, {{langx|fr|Thierry}}, {{langx|de|Dietrich}}; {{circa|1099}} – 17 January 1168), commonly known as '''Thierry of Alsace''', was the fifteenth [[count of Flanders]] from 1128 to 1168. With a record of four campaigns in the [[Levant]] and Africa (including participation in the [[Second Crusade]], the failed 1157–1158 siege of the [[Syria]]n city [[Shaizar]], and the 1164 [[Crusader invasions of Egypt|invasion of Egypt]]), he had a rare and distinguished record of commitment to crusading.

==Countship==
Theoderic was the youngest son of Duke [[Theoderic II, Duke of Lorraine|Theoderic II of Lorraine]] and [[Gertrude of Flanders, Duchess of Lorraine|Gertrude]], daughter of Count [[Robert I of Flanders]].{{sfn|George|1875|loc=table XXIX}} After the murder of his cousin, [[Charles the Good]], in 1127, Theoderic claimed the [[County of Flanders]], but another cousin, [[William Clito]], became count instead with the support of King [[Louis VI of France]].{{sfn|Aird|2008|p=272}} William's politics and attitude towards the autonomy of Flanders made him unpopular,{{sfn|Aird|2008|p=272}} and by the end of the year [[Bruges]], [[Ghent]], [[Lille]], and [[Saint-Omer]] recognized Theoderic as a rival count. Theoderic's supporters came from the [[Holy Roman Empire|Imperial]] faction of Flanders.

Louis VI of France had Raymond of Martigné, the [[Archbishop of Reims]], excommunicate Theoderic.{{sfn|Hollister|2003|p=321}} Louis VI then besieged Lille, but was forced to retire when [[Henry I of England]], William Clito's uncle, transferred his support to Theoderic.{{sfn|Aird|2008|p=272}} However, Theoderic was [[Battle of Axspoele|defeated at Axspoele]] and fled to Bruges.{{sfn|Aird|2008|p=272}} He was forced to flee Bruges as well, and went to [[Aalst, Belgium|Aalst]], where he was soon under siege from William, [[Godfrey I of Leuven, Duke of Lower Lotharingia|Godfrey I of Leuven]], and Louis VI. The city was about to be captured when William died on 28 July 1128 from an infected wound sustained during the siege, leaving Theoderic as the only claimant to the seat.

Theoderic set up his government in Ghent and was recognized by all the Flemish cities as well as King Henry, who had his Flemish lords in England swear fealty to him. Theoderic himself swore homage to Louis VI after 1132,{{sfn|Nicholas|1992|p=70}} in order to gain the French king's support against [[Baldwin IV, Count of Hainaut]], who had advanced his own claim on Flanders.

==Pilgrimage and Second Crusade==
In 1132, his wife, Suanhilde, died, leaving only a daughter. In 1139, he went on pilgrimage to the [[crusade]]r [[Kingdom of Jerusalem]], and married [[Sibylla of Anjou]], daughter of King [[Fulk of Jerusalem]] and the widow of William Clito; a very prestigious marriage. This was the first of Theoderic's four pilgrimages to the [[Holy Land]]. While there he also led a victorious expedition against [[Caesarea Phillippi]], and fought alongside his father-in-law in an invasion of [[Gilead]]. He soon returned to Flanders to put down a revolt in the Duchy of [[Lower Lotharingia]], ruled at the time by [[Godfrey III of Leuven]].

Theoderic joined the [[Second Crusade]] in 1147. He led the crossing of the [[Büyük Menderes River|Maeander River]] in [[Anatolia]] and fought at the Battla of Attalya in 1148, and after arriving in the crusader Kingdom he participated in the [[Council of Acre]], where the ill-fated decision to attack [[Damascus]] was made. 

Theoderic participated in the [[Siege of Damascus (1148)|Siege of Damascus]], led by his wife's half-brother [[Baldwin III of Jerusalem]], and with the support of Baldwin, [[Louis VII of France]], and [[Conrad III of Germany]], he lay claim to Damascus. However, the native crusader barons preferred one of their own nobles, [[Guy I Brisebarre]], lord of [[Beirut]]. According to [[William of Tyre]], the resulting dispute contributed to the final failure of the siege: 'for the local barons preferred that the Damascenes should keep their city rather than to see it given to the count', and so did all they could to ensure the siege collapsed.<ref>[[William of Tyre]], XVII. 7.</ref> Therefore, William continues, many contemporaries blamed Theoderic for the ultimate failure of the Second Crusade (though it is notable that William himself declines to say whether he believed Theoderic responsible). 

During his absence, Baldwin IV of Hainaut invaded Flanders and pillaged [[Artois]]; Sibylla reacted strongly and had [[County of Hainaut|Hainaut]] pillaged in response. The Archbishop of Reims intervened and a treaty was signed. When Theoderic returned in 1150, he took vengeance on Baldwin IV at [[Bouchain]], with the aid of [[Henry I, Count of Namur]] and [[Henry II of Leez]], [[Bishop of Liège]]. In the subsequent peace negotiations, Theoderic gave his daughter [[Margaret I, Countess of Flanders|Marguerite]] in marriage to Baldwin IV's son, the future [[Baldwin V, Count of Hainaut]].

==Return to Holy Land==
In 1156, Theoderic had his eldest son married to [[Elizabeth de Vermandois (d. 1183)|Elizabeth of Vermandois]], daughter and heiress of [[Raoul I, Count of Vermandois|Raoul I of Vermandois]].{{sfn|Baldwin|1986|p=15}} In 1156, he returned to the Holy Land, this time with his wife accompanying him. He participated in Baldwin III's siege of [[Shaizar]] in 1157,{{sfn|Baldwin|1969|p=541}} but the fortress remained in Muslim hands when a dispute arose between Theoderic and [[Raynald of Châtillon]] over who would possess it should it be captured.{{sfn|Baldwin|1969|p=542}} He returned to Flanders 1159 without Sibylla, who remained behind to become a nun at the convent of [[Tomb of Lazarus (al-Eizariya)#Roman Catholic Church of St. Lazarus|St. Lazarus]] in [[al-Eizariya|Bethany]]. Their son [[Philip I, Count of Flanders|Philip]] had ruled the county in their absence, and he remained co-count after Theoderic's return. In 1164, Theoderic returned once more to the Holy Land. He accompanied King [[Amalric I of Jerusalem|Amalric I]], another half-brother of Sibylla, to [[Antioch]] and [[Tripoli, Lebanon|Tripoli]]. He returned home in 1166, and adopted a [[date palm]] as his seal, with a crown of [[Bay laurel|laurel]]s on the reverse.

==Death==
Thierry died on 17 January 1168 and was buried in the Abbey of [[Watten, Nord|Watten]], between Saint-Omer and [[Gravelines]]. His rule had been moderate and peaceful; the highly developed administration of the county in later centuries first began during these years. There had also been great economic and agricultural development, and new commercial enterprises were established; Flanders' greatest territorial expansion occurred under Theoderic.

==Family==
Thierry's first wife, [[Margaret of Clermont]] (or Swanhilde), died in 1132, leaving only one daughter:

#Laurette of Flanders,{{sfn|Gislebertus (of Mons)|2005|p=46-47}} who married four times: Iwain, Count of Aalst; [[Henry II, Duke of Limburg]]; [[Raoul I of Vermandois]], [[Count of Vermandois]]; and [[Henry IV of Luxembourg]]. Laurette finally retired to a nunnery, where she died in 1170.

Theoderic secondly married [[Sibylla of Anjou]], daughter of [[Fulk V of Anjou]] and [[Ermengarde of Maine]],{{sfn|Gislebertus (of Mons)|2005|p=46-47}} and former bride of [[William Clito]]. Their children were:

#[[Philip I, Count of Flanders|Philip I]] (died 1191){{sfn|Gislebertus (of Mons)|2005|p=46-47}}
#[[Matthew of Alsace|Matthew]] (died 1173), married Countess [[Marie I of Boulogne]]{{sfn|Tanner|2022|p=156-157}}
#[[Margaret I, Countess of Flanders|Margaret I]] (died 1194), married Ralph II, count of Vermandois and Valois (died 1167, son of [[Ralph I, Count of Vermandois|Ralph I]]), and then she married [[Baldwin V, Count of Hainaut]]{{sfn|Nicholas|1992|p=72}}
#[[Gertrude of Flanders, Countess of Savoy|Gertrude]] (died 1186), married [[Humbert III of Savoy]]
#Matilda, abbess of [[Fontevrault]]
#[[Peter of Flanders|Peter]] (died 1176), elected but never consecrated [[bishop of Cambrai]]{{sfn|Gislebertus (of Mons)|2005|p=46-47}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==
*{{cite book|first=William M.|last=Aird|title=Robert Curthose, Duke of Normandy: c. 1050-1134|publisher=The Boydell Press|year=2008}}
*{{cite book|first=John W.|last=Baldwin|title=The Government of Philip Augustus: Foundations of French Royal Power in the Middle Ages|publisher=University of California Press|year=1986}}
*{{Setton-A History of the Crusades|volume=1|last=Baldwin|first=Marsall W.|pages=528–561, 590–621|chapter=The Latin States under Baldwin III and Amalric I, 1143–1174; The Decline and Fall of Jerusalem, 1174–1189}}
*{{cite book|first=Hereford Brooke|last=George|title=Genealogical Tables Illustrative of Modern History|publisher=Oxford at the Clarendon Press|year=1875}}
*{{cite book|last=Gislebertus (of Mons)|title=Chronicle of Hainaut|translator-first=Laura|translator-last=Napran|publisher=The Boydell Press|year=2005}}
*{{cite book|last=Hollister|first=C. Warren |title=Henry I|publisher=Yale University Press|year=2003}}
*{{cite book|title=Medieval Flanders|first=David M|last=Nicholas|publisher=Routledge|year=1992}}
*{{cite book|chapter=The Twelfth-Century Norman and Angevin Duke-Kings of England and the Northern French Nobility|first=Heather J.|last=Tanner|pages=153-168|title=Anglo-Norman Studies XLIV: Proceedings of the Battle Conference 2021|editor-first=Stephen D|editor-last=Church|publisher=The Boydell Press|year=2022}} 156-157


{{S-start}}
{{S-hou|[[House of Alsace]]||{{circa|1099}}|17 January|1168}}
{{succession box|title=[[Count of Flanders]]|years=1128–1168|before=[[William Clito]]|after=[[Philip I, Count of Flanders|Philip I]]}}
{{S-end}}

{{Authority control}}
[[Category:1090s births]]
[[Category:1168 deaths]]
[[Category:12th-century counts of Flanders]]
[[Category:House of Metz]]
[[Category:Christians of the Second Crusade]]
[[Category:Gilead]]