Reign 1285-1302 Issue AlixIsabelleBeatrix Reign 1283-1302 Name Raoul of | Reign 1286-1302 Children Alix of Clermont Reign c.1268-1302 Grandparents Gertrude of Nesle | |
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Spouse Alix of DreuxIsabelle of Hainault Parents Adele of Montfort, Simon II of Clermont Grandchildren Marie de Flandre, John of Dampierre People also search for Simon II of Clermont, Guy I of Clermont |
Raoul II/III of Clermont-Nesle (c. 1245 – Kortrijk, July 11, 1302) was Seigneur (Lord) of Nesle in Picardy (de), Viscount of Châteaudun (de), Grand Chamberlain of France and Constable of France.
Contents
Biography
Raoul was the eldest son of Simon II of Clermont (c. 1216 - 1286) by Adele ("Alix") of Montfort (d. 1279), daughter of Amaury VI of Montfort. His father had a brother called Raoul (d.a. 1243), sometimes numbered II, causing confusion about the parentage of Raoul's children, as either somehow might come into question. Having Raoul's uncle as No. II and his nephew as Raoul IV, makes himself No. III. There are other issues with the genealogy, as discussed in the article about Simon II.
Raoul de Clermont was one of the most important generals of King Louis IX of France. He participated in most campaigns of the King, including the Eighth Crusade against Tunis. appointed Constable of France in 1285 (probably), he fought in the Aragonese Crusade and in the Franco-Flemish War (1297-1305) against the County of Flanders, with Count Guy of Dampierre, his in-law. The governor of Flanders, Jacques de Châtillon, put in place by the French king was also Raoul's in-law. The French King Philip "the fair" (1268 - 1314) sent him with his brother Guy I of Clermont, Marshal of France, to attack the enemy at the Siege of Lille (1297), where they were victorious and took a large number of prisoners. In 1302, together with his brother Guy, he fought under Robert II, Count of Artois against the Flemish in the Battle of the Golden Spurs at Kortrijk, and the French army was utterly defeated, all three killed and the Flemish regained independence.
His daughter Alix succeeded in Châteaudun but record about succession in Nesle is not present.
Marriage and issue
Raoul married firstly in c.1268 Alix (Yolande) of Dreux (c. 1255 - c. 1293), Viscountess of Châteaudun, daughter of Robert of Dreux (1217 - c.1264), and Clemence, Viscountess of Châteaudun. Raoul and Alix had three daughters:
In January 1296 Raoul married secondly Isabelle of Hainault (d.c. 1305), daughter of John II, Count of Holland and Philippa of Luxembourg. They had no recorded children. Some genealogists attribute Isabelle and Béatrix to this second marriage.