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Birth:          ABT 1099 Alsace, France
Death:          17 Jan 1168 

Notes
b 1099 or 1101
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thierry,_Count_of_Flanders
Theoderic (Dutch: Diederik, French: Thierry, German: Dietrich;c.?1099 – January 17, 
1168), commonly known as Thierry of Alsace, was the fifteenth count of Flanders from 
1128 to 1168. He was the youngest son of Duke Theoderic II of Lorraine and Gertrude 
of Flanders (daughter of Robert I of Flanders). With a record of four campaigns in the 
Levant and Africa (including participation in the Second Crusade, the failed 1157–
1158 siege of the Syrian city Shaizar, and the 1164 invasion of Egypt), he had a rare 
and distinguished record of commitment to crusading.
Life[edit]

After the murder of his cousin Charles the Good in 1127, Theoderic claimed the county 
of Flanders as grandson of Robert I, but William Clito became count instead with the 
support of King Louis VI of France.[1] William's politics and attitude towards the 
autonomy of Flanders made him unpopular,[1] and by the end of the year Bruges, 
Ghent, Lille, and Saint-Omer recognized Theoderic as a rival count. Theoderic's 
supporters came from the Imperial faction of Flanders.

Louis VI of France had Raymond of Martigné, the Archbishop of Reims, 
excommunicate Theoderic. Louis VI then besieged Lille, but was forced to retire when 
Henry I of England, William Clito's uncle, transferred his support to Theoderic.[1] 
However, Theoderic was defeated at Axspoele and fled to Bruges.[1] He was forced 
to flee Bruges as well, and went to Aalst, where he was soon under siege from 
William, Godfrey I of Leuven, and Louis VI. The city was about to be captured when 
William was found dead on July 27, 1128, leaving Theoderic as the only claimant to 
the seat.

Theoderic set up his government in Ghent and was recognized by all the Flemish cities 
as well as King Henry, who had his Flemish lords in England swear fealty to him. 
Theoderic himself swore homage to Louis VI after 1132, in order to gain the French 
king's support against Baldwin IV, Count of Hainaut, who had advanced his own claim 
on Flanders.

Pilgrimage and Second Crusade[edit]

In 1132 his wife, Suanhilde, died, leaving only a daughter. In 1139 he went on 
pilgrimage to the crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem, and married Sibylla of Anjou, 
daughter of King Fulk of Jerusalem and the widow of William Clito; a very prestigious 
marriage. This was the first of Theoderic's four pilgrimages to the Holy Land. While 
there he also led a victorious expedition against Caesarea Phillippi, and fought 
alongside his father-in-law in an invasion of Gilead. He soon returned to Flanders to 
put down a revolt in the Duchy of Lower Lotharingia, ruled at the time by Godfrey III of 
Leuven.

Theoderic joined the Second Crusade in 1147. He led the crossing of the Maeander 
River in Anatolia and fought at the Battla of Attalya in 1148, and after arriving in the 
crusader Kingdom he participated in the Council of Acre, where the ill-fated decision 
to attack Damascus was made.

Theoderic participated in the Siege of Damascus, led by his wife's half-brother 
Baldwin III of Jerusalem, and with the support of Baldwin, Louis VII of France, and 
Conrad III of Germany, he lay claim to Damascus. However, the native crusader 
barons preferred one of their own nobles, Guy Brisebarre, lord of Beirut. According to 
William of Tyre, the resulting dispute contributed to the final failure of the siege: 'for 
the local barons preferred that the Damascenes should keep their city rather than to 
see it given to the count', and so did all they could to ensure the siege collapsed. [2] 
Therefore, William continues, many contemporaries blamed Theoderic for the ultimate 
failure of the Second Crusade (though it is notable that William himself declines to say 
whether he believed Theoderic responsible).

During his absence, Baldwin IV of Hainaut invaded Flanders and pillaged Artois; 
Sibylla reacted strongly and had Hainaut pillaged in response. The Archbishop of 
Reims intervened and a treaty was signed. When Theoderic returned in 1150, he took 
vengeance on Baldwin IV at Bouchain, with the aid of Henry I, Count of Namur and 
Henry II of Leez, Bishop of Liège. In the subsequent peace negotiations, Theoderic 
gave his daughter Marguerite in marriage to Baldwin IV's son, the future Baldwin V, 
Count of Hainaut.

Returns to Holy Land[edit]

In 1156 Theoderic had his eldest son married to Elizabeth of Vermandois, daughter 
and heiress of Raoul I of Vermandois.[3] In 1156 he returned to the Holy Land, this 
time with his wife accompanying him. He participated in Baldwin III's siege of Shaizar, 
but the fortress remained in Muslim hands when a dispute arose between Theoderic 
and Raynald of Châtillon over who would possess it should it be captured. He returned 
to Flanders 1159 without Sibylla, who remained behind to become a nun at the 
convent of St. Lazarus in Bethany. Their son Philip had ruled the county in their 
absence, and he remained co-count after Theoderic's return. In 1164 Theoderic 
returned once more to the Holy Land. He accompanied King Amalric I, another half-
brother of Sibylla, to Antioch and Tripoli. He returned home in 1166, and adopted a 
date palm as his seal, with a crown of laurels on the reverse.

Death[edit]

He died on January 17, 1168, and was buried in the Abbey of Watten, between 
Saint-Omer and Gravelines. His rule had been moderate and peaceful; the highly 
developed administration of the county in later centuries first began during these 
years. There had also been great economic and agricultural development, and new 
commercial enterprises were established; Flanders' greatest territorial expansion 
occurred under Theoderic.

Family[edit]

His first wife, Swanhilde, died in 1132, leaving only one daughter:
1.Laurette of Flanders,[4] who married four times: 1)Iwain, Count of Aalst; 2)Henry II, 
Duke of Limburg; 3)Raoul I of Vermandois, Count of Vermandois; 4)Henry IV of 
Luxembourg. Laurette finally retired to a nunnery, where she died in 1170.

Theoderic secondly married Sibylla of Anjou, daughter of Fulk V of Anjou and 
Ermengarde of Maine,[4] and former bride of William Clito. Their children were:
1.Philip of Flanders (died 1191)[4]
2.Matthew of Alsace (died 1173), married Countess Marie I of Boulogne
3.Margaret I of Flanders (died 1194), married Ralph II, count of Vermandois and Valois 
(died 1167, son of Ralph I), and then she married Baldwin V, Count of Hainaut
4.Gertrude of Flanders (died 1186), married Humbert III of Savoy
5.Matilda of Flanders, abbess of Fontevrault
6.Peter of Flanders (died 1176), Bishop of Cambrai[4]

Parents
OF ALSACE Theodoric II (Dietrich) (Thierry) (ABT 1050 - 30 Dec 1115)
DE FLANDERS Gertrude (ABT 1070 - 1117)

Siblings
D'ALSACE Thierry (Dietrich) II (ABT 1099 - 17 Jan 1168)
OF LORRAINE Gisela (ABT 1100 - )

Marriage To D'ANJOU Sybil (Sibilla) (ABT 1112 - 1165)
    m.  

Notes
his 2d

Parents
____ Fulk (Foulques) V "le Jeune" (1092 - 13 Nov 1143)
OF MANS (DU MAINE) Ermendgarde (Erembourge) (Ermentrude) (1096 - 1126)

Children by D'ANJOU Sybil (Sibilla) ABT 1112 - 1165
DE LORRAINE Margaret (Marguerite) (ABT 1135 - 15 Nov 1194)
D'ALSACE Matthew (Matthieu) (ABT 1137 - 25 Jul 1173)

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