Willem I, Count of Holland
Leo van de Pas
son of Floris III and Aleida of Scotland; in 1198 married Aleida
of Gelre and they became the parents of five children; in July
1220 he married Maria of Brabant.
In 1203, Count Dirk VII died. Until this time there had always been
a son or a brother to follow undiputed; but Dirk VII's daughter,
Ada, would not step aside for Dirk VII's brother, Willem I.
Dirk VII had hardly died when his daughter married Ludwig, Count of
Loon, who assisted her in her claim to the county of Holland.
However, Willem had the support of the population who resented a
woman as their lord, especially when she had apparently so callously
married this foreigner when her father had only just died.
Through this support, Willem I quickly restored peace and became
first an ally to King John of England; but when the king's fortunes
turned, Willem I changed his alliance to the French king. John Lackland
did not approve of this and reminded the Pope of the rights of Ludwig,
Count of Loon, asking for these rights to be endorsed. The Pope
obligingly placed the church's ban on Willem I, disallowing him to
attend church or even take part in any kind of church service.
To release himself from this ban, Willem I went on a crusade and was
involved in the capture of Damiate in Egypt. A few years later, Ludwig
of Loon had already died childless; so Willem I, when he died, was
succeeded by his son, Floris IV.
Leo van de Pas