Jacqueline | |
---|---|
Countess of Hainaut, Holland and Zeeland | |
Reign | 30 May 1417 – 12 April 1433 |
Predecessor | William IV and VI |
Successor | Philip the Good |
Born |
The Hague |
15 July 1401
Died | 8 October 1436 Teylingen Castle, near Leiden |
(aged 35)
Burial | Binnenhof, The Hague |
Spouse |
John, Dauphin of France (m. 1415; dec. 1417) John IV, Duke of Brabant (m. 1418; ann. 1422) Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester (m. 1423; ann. 1428) Frank van Borssele (m. 1434; wid. 1436) |
House | House of Wittelsbach |
Father | William II, Duke of Bavaria |
Mother | Margaret of Burgundy |
Jacqueline (Dutch: Jacoba van Beieren; French: Jacqueline de Bavière; 15 July 1401 – 8 October 1436), was a Duchess of Bavaria-Straubing, Countess of Holland and Zeeland and Countess of Hainaut from 1417 to 1433. She was also Dauphine of France for a short time between 1415 and 1417 and Duchess of Gloucester in the 1420s, if her marriage to Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, is accepted as valid.
Born in The Hague, Jacqueline, from her birth, was referred to as "of Holland", indicating that she was the heiress of her father's estates.
Jacqueline was the last Wittelsbach ruler of Hainaut and Holland. Following her death, her estates passed into the inheritance of Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy.
She was the only daughter of William II, Duke of Bavaria (also known as William VI, Count of Holland) from his marriage with Margaret, a daughter of Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy and Margaret III, Countess of Flanders.
At the age of only 22 months (in Paris on 5 May 1403) and again at the age of 4 (in Compiègne on 29 June 1406), Jacqueline was betrothed to John, Duke of Touraine, fourth son of King Charles VI of France and Queen Isabeau of Bavaria. Both children were brought up in the Castle of Le Quesnoy in Hainaut. The boy had been given into tutelage of his future father-in-law, since he was expected to succeed as ruler in Hainaut and not in any way in France itself. On 22 April 1411 the Pope gave his dispensation for the union and on 6 August 1415, when Jacqueline was fourteen, she and John married in The Hague. With this marriage, Duke William II wanted to secure the succession of his daughter to his domains; although he had at least nine illegitimate children, Jacqueline was his only legitimate offspring and as a female, her rights would be contested by her paternal uncle Bishop John of Liège and her cousin Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy since 1419.