Baldwin III, Count of Guînes

Baldwin III, Count of Guînes (1198–1244) was a Flemish nobleman. He inherited the war-torn County of Guînes, now in northern France, while Philip II of France was still on the throne, and suffered the repercussions of Philip's expansion of the French state. He is now best known as a mercenary leader in the Welsh Marches, employed by Henry III of England in 1233–4; the family connections with properties held in England was longstanding.

Baldwin (French: Baudouin) was the son of Arnoul II, Count of Guînes and Beatrix of Bourbourg, born at Ardres about 1198. Beatrix and her husband were on opposite sides during the War of Bouvines, or at least at cross purposes. The period saw multiple invasions of the County, in particular from Renaud I, Count of Dammartin, and heavy damage from Philip II of France, to whom Arnoul was allied. Beatrix took Baldwin to Flanders about 1214; later he was able to effect a reconciliation with his father.

Baldwin succeeded his father Arnoul II in 1220, aged 22. He quarrelled with his mother Beatrix, who died 1224 at Bourbourg. He was attacked by Ferdinand, Count of Flanders on his release from prison, where he had been for twelve years confined to the Louvre, since 1214 and the Battle of Bouvines where he had opposed Philip II.

His uncle Baldwin "Le Clerc" was assassinated in 1229. Marie, Countess of Ponthieu mediated: she was a connection by marriage, as well as a grand-daughter of Louis VII of France. In the same year Baldwin accompanied Philip Hurepel (Philip I, Count of Boulogne) in his expedition against the Count of Champagne. This amounted to an act of rebellion, against Blanche of Castile who was acting as regent to Louis IX; the leaders were barons from the north of France, and Baldwin was prominent among them.

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