Baldwin II

Baldwin II ( 865 – 10 September 918) was the second margrave (or count) of Flanders, ruling from 879 to 918. He was nicknamed the Bald (Calvus) after his maternal grandfather, Emperor Charles the Bald.

Rule

Baldwin II was born around 865 to Margrave Baldwin I of Flanders and Judith, daughter of Emperor Charles the Bald. The early years of Baldwin II's rule were marked by a series of devastating Viking raids into Flanders. By 883, he was forced to move north to Pagus Flandransis, which became the territory most closely associated with the Counts of Flanders. Many of these same citadels later formed castellanies which housed government, militia, and local courts. As a grandson of Charles the Bald, who was king of West Francia, Baldwin could have competed for the crown. Odo and Baldwin's relationship deteriorated when Odo failed to support Baldwin's attempts to gain control of the Abbey of Saint Bertin. Odo attacked Baldwin at Bruges but was unable to prevail. The immediate goal of that Anglo-Flemish alliance was to help Baldwin control the lower Canche River valley.

Death

Baldwin died on 10 September 918. Some of his warriors wanted to bury him at the same location as his father in the Abbey of Saint-Bertain, but as this abbey did not allow women to enter even after their death, and since his wife Elftrudis wanted to be buried next to him, Baldwin was finally buried at Saint Peter's Abbey in Ghent. This burial started a tradition that would last five generations, making Ghent the necropolis of the early Count of Flanders.

Baldwin was succeeded by his eldest son, Arnulf I of Flanders. His younger son, Adalulf, became the first Count of Boulogne.

Family

Baldwin II was married to Ælfthryth, daughter of Alfred the Great, and had four children:

Arnulf I of Flanders (c. 893/99–964/65); married Adela of Vermandois Adalulf, Count of Boulogne (c. 893/99 – 933) Ealswid Ermentrud