Renaud II, Count of Clermont

Seal of Renaud of Clermont, c. 1105-1120Renaud II of Clermont (Renaud/Rainald II de Clermont; 1075–1152) was son of Hugh I, Count of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis and Marguerite de Roucy (daughter of Hilduin IV, Count of Montdidier). Renaud became Count of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis upon his father's death in 1101.

First Crusade

Renaud took the Cross and joined the First Crusade in the army of Hugh the Great, Count of Vermandois, brother of Philip I of France. Hugh led a small army that travelled by ship, in an armada commanded by Arnout II, Count of Aarschot, to the Holy Land. In addition to Ranaud, some of the prominent members of Hugh's army included Stephen of Aumale, Walter of Domart-en-Ponthieu (St.-Valery), Alan IV Fregant, Duke of Brittany, Walo II of Chaumont-en-Vexin, Girard I of Roussillon, and William V, Lord of Montpellier.

Among the first battles this contingent fought was the Siege of Nicaea. Rainaud also joined Hugh in the Battle of Dorylaeum whose forces were at the rear of the main attack.

Sweetenham reports that during the siege, a Turk armed himself and rode towards the Crusaders at a high speed. Rainaud mounted with his shield and lance, and killed the Turk outright, keeping his horse, much to the delight of the Franks. The Turk was carrying a letter allegedly from Mecca stating that the Turks were bringing their forces to joust with the Franks in battle. It has been suggested that Rainaud's actions infringed on the rules of war extant at the time.

It is not clear whether Rainaud returned to France with Hugh in 1098. There are not records of his serving in any other armies.

Marriages In 1103, Renaud married Adelaide, Countess of Vermandois, daughter of Herbert IV, Count of Vermandois, and his wife Adele of Valois. Renaud and Adelaide had at least one child: Margaret of Clermont, married first to Charles I, Count of Flanders, second to Hugh II, Count of Saint-Pol, third to Baldwin of Encre.

Widowed, Renaud married for the second time, in 1129, to Clemence de Bar, daughter of Reginald I, Count of Bar, and his wife Giselle de Vaudémont. Renaud and Clemence had 10 children: Renaud Hugh (d. 1200), abbot of Creil, canon in Toul, archdeacon of Ligny Guy Gautier Margaret, married to Guy III de Senlis, Grand Butler of France Constance, married to Roger de La Tournelle. Matilda (d. 1200), married to Alberic III, Count of Dammartin. Raoul I the Red, Count of Clermont-Beauvaisis Simon I (d. after 1189), Seigneur of Nesle and Ailly-sur-Noye Etienne

Upon his death, Renaud was succeeded as Count of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis by his son Raoul.