William Ist OF HOLLAND , Count of Holland

  General Notes:

William I (c. 1167 \endash 4 February 1222) was the count of Holland from 1203 to 1222. He was the younger son of Floris III and Ada of Huntingdon.
William was born in The Hague, but raised in Scotland. He started a revolt against his brother, Dirk VII and became count in Friesland after a reconciliation. Friesland was considered a part of Holland by the counts of Holland. His niece Ada inherited Holland in 1203, but William refused to accept this. After a war of succession, known as the Loon War (1203\endash 1206), William won the county. Ada and her husband, Louis II of Loon, were supported by the bishop of Liège, bishop of Utrecht, and the count of Flanders. William was supported by the duke of Brabant and by the majority of the Hollanders.

Emperor Otto IV acknowledged him as count of Holland in 1203 because he was a supporter of the Welfs. He and many others changed allegiance to Frederick II after the battle of Bouvines in 1214. He took part in a French expedition against King John of England. The pope excommunicated him for this. Possibly because of this, William then became a fervent crusader and by this his excommunication was lifted. He campaigned in Prussia and joined in the conquest of Alcácer do Sal. In Europe, he came to be called William the Crazy for his chivalric and reckless behaviour in battle. William conquered the city of Damietta during the Fifth Crusade.

William married Adelaïde OF GUELDERS, daughter of Otto I OF GUELDERS , Count of Guelders and Richardis OF BAVARIA, in 1197 in Stavoren, Friesland, Holland. (Adelaïde OF GUELDERS was born about 1182, died in 1218 and was buried in Rijnsburg Abbey, Holland.)