Dirk VI Count of Holland

Male 1114 - 1157  (43 years)


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  • Name Dirk VI Count of Holland 
    Born 04 Jan 1114  's-Gravenhage, Zuid Holland, Netherlands Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Died 05 Aug 1157  Rijnsburg, Zuid Holland, Netherlands Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I482593  Little Chute Genealogy
    Last Modified 1 Aug 2016 

    Father Floris II Count of Holland,   b. 17 Jun 1091, Vlaardingen, Zuid Holland, Netherlands Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 02 Mar 1121, Katwijk, Zuid Holland, Netherlands Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 29 years) 
    Mother Petronella de Lorraine,   b. 1086, France Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 24 May 1144  (Age 58 years) 
    Married 1113 
    Family ID F179396  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Sophia van Rheineick,   b. 1147, Rheinland-Palatinate, Germany Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 26 Sep 1176, Jerusalem, Israel Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 29 years) 
    Married 02 Mar 1221  Katwijk, Zuid Holland, Netherlands Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. Floris III Count of Holland,   b. 1141, 's-Gravenhage, Zuid Holland, Netherlands Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 01 Aug 1190, Antioch, Turkey Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 49 years)
     2. Otto IV of Holland,   b. 17 Jan 1151, 's-Gravenhage, Zuid Holland, Netherlands Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 09 Oct 1216, Bentheim, Lower Saxony, Germany Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 65 years)
    Last Modified 21 Jul 2022 
    Family ID F179395  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Photos
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    482593a.jpg

  • Notes 
    • When his father died in 1122, Dirk was only 7 years old and his mother, Petronilla, governed the county as regent. In 1123 she supported the uprising of her half-brother, Lothair of Süpplingenburg, Duke of Saxony against Emperor Henry V. After Lothair had been elected king of Germany himself in 1125 he returned Leiden and Rijnland to Holland, which had both been awarded to the Bishop of Utrecht in 1064 (Later on during Dirk's reign the wooden fortifications at Leiden would be replaced by a stone castle). Because Petronilla saw little ability or ambition in Dirk as he grew up, she stalled letting go of the regency when he reached adulthood (fifteen years old), until her favourite son Floris could attempt to take over the county.

      This Floris, called "the Black" (Dutch: de Zwarte) did possess those qualities which his older brother seemed to lack. He openly revolted against him and was from 1129 to 1131 recognised as Count of Holland by, amongst others, King Lothair and Andreas of Kuyk, Bishop of Utrecht. After March 1131 Dirk again appears as count of Holland alongside him, the brothers apparently having reached an agreement. Only a few months later, however, in August 1131 Floris accepted an offer from the West-Frisians to become lord of their entire territory, which reignited the conflict with his brother. After this the people from Kennemerland joined the revolt as well. A year later, in August 1132 King Lothair intervened and managed to reconcile the brothers. This did not pacify the Frisians however, who continued their revolt, which was nonetheless eventually suppressed. Later that year, on 26 October Floris was ambushed near Utrecht and murdered by Herman and Godfried of Kuyk, leaving Dirk to rule the county on his own. King Lothair punished this act by having Herman and Godfried's castle razed and banishing the two. Floris was buried at Rijnsburg Abbey.