William II of Dampierre

William II (1196 – 3 September 1231) was the lord of Dampierre from 1216 until his death. He was the son of Guy II, constable of Champagne, and Mathilde of Bourbon.^[1]

His brother, Archambaud VIII, inherited Bourbon, and William inherited Dampierre. He married Margaret II, Countess of Flanders and Hainault,^[1] in 1223 and was thus regent of Flanders until his death as "Willem I" (or "Guillaume I^er"). In 1226 William and Margaret founded a Cistercian nunnery at Saint-Dizier.^[2] Their sons William III and John continued to confirm and patronize the nunnery during their lives,^[2] including William II's burial there in 1231.^[2] William and Margaret founded more Cisterian nunneries throughout the county of Flanders, including Flines Abbey.^[2]

He had four children (three sons) by Margaret and the eldest took part in the War of the Succession of Flanders and Hainault:

William III, Count of Flanders and Lord of Kortrijk^[2]
Guy, Count of Flanders and Margrave of Namur
John I, Lord of Dampierre, Viscount of Troyes, and Constable of Champagne^[2]
Joanna, married in 1239 to Hugh III of Rethel, then in 1243 to Theobald II of Bar^[3]

References

^ a b Evergates 2007, p. 217.
^ a b c d e f Lester 2011, p. 156-157.
^ Evergates 2007, p. 181.

Sources

Evergates, Theodore (2007). The Aristocracy in the County of Champagne, 1100-1300. University of Pennsylvania Press.
Lester, Anne E. (2011). Creating Cistercian Nuns: The Women's Religious Movement and Its Reform in Thirteenth Century Champagne. Cornell University Press.