Dirk VI, Count of Holland
| Dirk VI of Holland | |
|---|---|
| Count of Holland | |
Dirk VI as imagined in the 16th century
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| Reign | 2 March 1121 – 5 August 1157 |
| Predecessor | Floris II |
| Successor | Floris III |
| Born | c. 1114 |
| Died | August 5, 1157 |
| Burial | Rijnsburg Abbey |
| Spouse | Sophie of Salm, Countess of Bentheim |
| Issue | Pilgrim (Dirk) † 1151 Floris III Otto, Count of Bentheim Baldwin II, Bishop of Utrecht Dirk, Bishop of Utrecht Sophie, Abbess at Rijnsburg Abbey Hedwig, Nun at Rijnsburg Abbey Gertrud Petronella |
| Father | Floris II |
| Mother | Petronilla of Lorraine |
Dirk VI of Holland (c. 1114 – 5 August 1157), also known as Dietrich in German, Thierry in French, and Theodoric in English, was Count of Holland between 1121 and 1157, at first, during his minority, under the regency of his mother Petronilla. He was the son of Count Floris II. After his death he was succeeded by his eldest son Floris III. He married Sofie of Salm, Countess of Rheineck and Bentheim. She was heiress of Bentheim, which she ruled together with her husband and which was inherited by the couple's second son Otto after his parents' death.
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.
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