BAUDOUIN de Flandre, son of BAUDOUIN VI Count of Flanders, BAUDOUIN I Comte de Hainaut & his wife Richilde de Mons Ctss de Hainaut ([1056]-killed near Nikaia 1098 after 8 Jun). Guibert describes him as "Balduinus comes de Montibus, Roberti Flandrensis comitis iunioris patrui, filius"[216]. "Balduino frater eius [Arnulphum occiso]" is named in the Cartulaire de Saint-Bertin[217]. He succeeded his brother in 1071 as BAUDOUIN II Comte de Hainaut et de Valenciennes. By agreement at Liège in 1071, procured by Emperor Heinrich IV King of Germany with the aim of confirming the status of the counties of Hainaut and Valenciennes as imperial fiefs, Baudouin's mother (on his behalf) surrendered the two counties to the emperor, who granted them to the bishop of Liège. The bishop then granted the counties to Godefroi III "le Bossu" Duke of Lower Lotharingia, who in turn granted them back to Baudouin and his mother[218]. This process also ensured imperial protection for Hainaut as well as comte Baudouin III's succession, which no doubt would otherwise have been threatened by his uncle Robert I Count of Flanders. "Balduinus, Valenciarum comes, filius Balduini junioris" confirmed the purchase by the abbot of Hasnon of two mills, for the souls of "patris mei Balduini et matris mee Ricildis", by charter dated 1087[219]. Comte Baudouin joined the contingent of Godefroi de Bouillon Duke of Lower Lotharingia (avoiding that of Robert I Count of Flanders) on the First Crusade in 1096, selling the castle of Couvin to Otbert Bishop of Liège to raise funds. Otbert Bishop of Liège declared having bought "castellum de Covino" from "comite Balduino de Mont", in the presence of "uxore ipsius Ida, cum filiis suis Baldewino, Arnulpho, Lodewico, Heinrico", by charter dated 14 Jun 1096, signed by "Rainerus advocatus, comes Warnerus de Greis, Wedericus de Walecourth…"[220]. William of Tyre names "Baudoin comte de Hainaut" among those who left on the First Crusade with Robert Count of Flanders[221]. Albert of Aix records that "Hugonem Magnum fratrem regis Franciæ, Drogonem et Clareboldum" were held in chains in prison by the emperor at Constantinople but were released after the intervention of "Baldewinus Hainaucorum comes et Heinricus de Ascha" who were sent as envoys by Godefroi de Bouillon[222]. Albert of Aix names "…Baldewinus de Monte castello, Hainaucorum comes et princeps…" among those who took part in the siege of Nikaia, dated to mid-1097 from the context[223]. He took part in the siege of Antioch in 1098.
m (1084) IDA de Louvain, daughter of HENRI [II] Comte de Louvain & his wife Adela [in der Betuwe] (-1139). The Chronicon Huberti names "Ida" wife of "Balduinum comitem Montensem" but does not give her origin[224]. The Chronicle of Alberic de Trois-Fontaines records the marriage in 1084 of "Idam filiam Henrici Lovaniensis" and "comes Montensis Balduinus"[225]. Otbert Bishop of Liège declared having bought "castellum de Covino" from "comite Balduino de Mont", in the presence of "uxore ipsius Ida, cum filiis suis Baldewino, Arnulpho, Lodewico, Heinrico", by charter dated 14 Jun 1096[226]. Albert of Aix records that "uxor comitis Baldewini Hainaucorum" wept bitterly for the death of "Arnulfi…principis de castello Aldenardis" who had been "socius et conviator eius de terra…Galliæ", dated to [1105/06] from the context[227]. He does not specify which Baudouin, but it appears more likely that the text refers to the widow of count Baudouin II than to the young wife of count Baudouin III. If this is correct, it is surprising that the passage does not specify that her husband was dead. On the other hand, the date is early for the marriage of the younger count and in any case no other record has been identified which corroborates that Baudouin III was in Palestine at this time. The report is probably garbled.
Comte Baudouin II & his wife had nine children