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Hayes & Dand Ancestors and related families - House of Flanders (Kings, Dukes & Counts)

A Medieval Romance - and the start of the County of Flanders.

Baldwin/Baudouin "Bras de Fer" (d.879) eloped (c.862) with Judith (aged less than 20 and widow of Æthelwulf, King of Wessex and Æthelbald, King of Wessex - and daughter of Charles II "Le Chauve", Holy Roman Emperor). With time and the intervention of Pope Nicholas I - Judith’s father Emperor Charles II accepted the marriage (c.863) - and Baldwin/Baudouin "Bras de Fer" was granted the County of Flanders and thus became the 1st Count of Flanders (c.864).

Two of Count Baldwin I’s residences in Flanders were the early Castle of Gravensteen, Ghent and the former Castle in Bruges (on the site of the Town Hall / Hotel de Ville).

The Chapel of the Counts at Notre Dame Church, Courtrai / Kortrijk - is adorned with paintings of each of the the Counts of Flanders including Baldwin I & Judith.



House of Flanders - and Gravensteen Castle, Ghent / Gand, Belgium
Castle of the Counts of Flanders / Château des Comtes de Flandre.

Baldwin/Baudouin I "Bras de Fer", 1st Count of Flanders (d.879) [Founder of the House of Flanders] is believed to have built the initial Castle - and his descendant Philip I, Count of Flanders (d.1191) (son of Thierry I, Count of Flanders & Sibylle of Anjou) [House of Lorraine] rebuilt the castle towards the end of the 12th Century.


House of Flanders - Statues on main façade of Bruges Town Hall / Hotel de Ville.

Statues include :
Baldwin/Baudouin I "Bras de Fer", 1st Count of Flanders (d.879) (bottom row - 4th from left) and his 5th Great-Grandson -
Robert I "le Frison“ Count of Flanders (d.1093) (top row - 2nd of 4 on far left turret).

The Bruges Town Hall / Hotel de Ville is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site - Historic Centre of Brugge.


House of Flanders - Statues on main façade of Dunkirk (Dunkerque) Town Hall (Hotel de Ville).

Two of the six remaining statues (before WWII damage there were eight statues) are of :

• Baldwin III, Count of Flanders & Artois (d.962). He built the first fortification to defend Dunkirk.
• Count Baldwin III’s 11th Great-Grandson [and 3rd Great-Grandson of Baldwin V/VIII, Count of Hainaut & Flanders (d.1195)] - Robert de Cassel, Count of Marle (d.1331). Count Robert reorganized the city’s magistrate (municipal councils) and created three guilds (Archers , Crossbowmen and Arquebusiers) to help protect the city.

The belfry tower is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site - Belfries of Belgium and France.

Other Images grouped by theme

• "The Family Tree" & Related Discoveries

An example of some of the clues and the "Gateway Ancestor" that were found on "The Family Tree" - and some of the related research discoveries.

• DNA Testing for Genealogical Research

DNA test results can provide valuable Genealogical information - as a complement to traditional Genealogical Research.

• UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Links for Photos & Images of UNESCO World Heritage Sites on this website.
Sites in Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Middle East, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Vatican City State ...

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