biography
| sex:
| male
|
| lived:
| (1248–1304)
|
| biography:
| Dutch ruler, born in Mons, S Belgium, the eldest son of John of Avesnes and Aleidis of Holland. He succeeded his grandmother Margaret of Constantinople as Count John I of Hainault (from 1280) and became John (Jan) II of Holland and Zeeland from 1299. He opposed the Dampierres in Flanders and favoured France, encouraging Floris V of Holland , who was also at odds with Flanders, to take the French side also. He was invited by the towns of Holland to become regent of Holland in 1299, and on the death of the young Count John (Jan) I, he took over the county two weeks later as Floris V's nearest male relative. He put down revolts in Zeeland and had his brother made Bishop of Utrecht. In 1302 he was attacked by Flanders under Guy of Namur, supported by John II of Brabant, but he restored his authority in Holland and Zeeland by winning the naval battle of Zierikzee with a Dutch/French fleet. |
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