John I, Marquis of Namur

John I (1267 – 10 February 1330) was the count of Namur from 1305 to 1330. He was a member of the House of Dampierre, the son of Guy of Dampierre, Count of Flanders and Marquis of Namur, and his second wife Isabelle of Luxembourg. John was the father of Blanche of Namur, Queen of Sweden and Norway. He was the elder brother of Guy of Namur, whom he sent to command the Flemish rebels against the French Kingdom in the 1302 Battle of the Golden Spurs.

Life John’s father, Guy of Dampierre, made John the governor of Namur on 5 November 1297. Guy ceded his rights to the county on 2 October 1298, making John the Marquis of Namur.

In 1302, John took over command of the rebellion started by his father, Guy of Dampierre. Together with his younger brother, Guy of Namur, he participated in the Battle of the Golden Spurs.

The French king, Philip IV, attacked the Flemish once again in 1304. John’s half-brother, Philip of Chieti, gathered an army consisting of Flemish soldiers and positioned the army by Mons-en-Pévèle. In the ensuing battle, the Battle of Mons-en-Pévèle, John commanded the left wing of the Flemish army. thumb

In September 1290, John was betrothed to Blanche of France, daughter of Philip III. Instead, John married Margaret of Clermont, daughter of Robert, Count of Clermont and Beatrix, Dame de Bourbon, in 1307. He was Margaret's second husband. She died after two years of marriage, in 1309.

John's second wife was Marie of Artois, daughter of Philip of Artois and Blanche of Brittany. They were married by contract in Paris on 6 March 1310, confirmed Poissy, January 1313. John granted her as dower the castle of Wijnendale in Flanders, ratified by the Count of Flanders (his half-brother, Robert III) in 1313.

John died on 10 February 1330. He was succeeded by his son John II as count of Namur. Issue Name Lifespan Notes John of NamurMarquis of Namur1310/12 – 2 April 1335 Succeeded his father in 1330 as John II, Marquis of Namur. Buried at Kloster Spaltheim. Guy of NamurMarquis of Namur 1311/13 – 12 March 1336 Succeeded his brother in 1335 as Guy II, Marquis of Namur. Henry of Namur 1312/13 – 8 October 1333 Canon at Chartres Cathedral; canon at Cambrai Cathedral, 1324; canon at Châlons-sur-Marne and Reims, 1325. Philip of NamurMarquis of Namur 1319 – September 1337 Succeeded his brother in 1336 as Philip III, Marquis of Namur. Murdered at Famagusta, Cyprus. Blanche of NamurQueen consort of Sweden and Norway 1320 – autumn 1363 Married 5 November 1335 at Bohus Castle Magnus IV of Sweden. Marie of NamurGräfin von ViandenDame de Pierrepont 1322 – before 29 October 1357 Married firstly, in 1335/36, Henry II, Graf of Vianden, son of Philip II, Graf of Vianden and his first wife Lucia von der Neuerburg. Her first husband was murdered at Famagusta in September 1337. Married secondly (1340, dispensation 9 September 1342) her father's second cousin, Theobald of Bar, Seigneur de Pierrepont, son of Erard of Bar, Seigneur de Pierrepont et d'Ancerville (himself son of Theobald II of Bar), and his wife Isabelle of Lorraine (daughter of Theobald II, Duke of Lorraine). Margaret of Namur 1323 – 13 September 1383 A nun at Peteghem. William of NamurMarquis of Namur 1324 – 1 October 1391 Succeeded his brother in 1337 as William I "the Rich", Marquis of Namur. Buried at the Franciscan convent in Namur. Father of William II, Marquis of Namur, and John III, Marquis of Namur, who sold Namur to Philip the Good. Robert of NamurSeigneur de Beaufort-sur-Meuse et de Renaix 1325 –1/29 April 1391 Seigneur de Beaufort-sur-Meuse et de Renaix; Marshal of Brabant. Married firstly (dispensation 18 October 1354) Isabelle of Hainault, sister of Philippa of Hainault, daughter of William III, Count of Hainault and his wife Joan of Valois. Married secondly (4 February 1380) as her first husband, Isabeau de Melun, heiress of Viane, daughter of Hugues de Melun, Seigneur d'Antoing (died 1409). Robert had two illegitimate children by unknown mistresses. Louis of NamurSeigneur de Peteghem et de Bailleul 1325 – 1378/86 Seigneur de Peteghem et de Bailleul. Flemish counsellor. Governor of Namur 1351. Married on 17 May 1365 Isabelle de Roucy, Dame de Roucy, daughter and heiress of Robert II, Count of Roucy and his wife Marie d'Enghien (-after 1396). Elizabeth of NamurElectress Palatine 1329 – 29 March 1382 Married Rupert I, Elector Palatine, in autumn 1350 or summer 1358. Died without children in Heidelberg.