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Birth:          ABT 1004 of Boulogne, Vendee, France
Death:          1049 

Notes
named in a charter of 1038 as Baron of Flanders
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eustace_I,_Count_of_Boulogne
Eustace I, Count of Boulogne, was a nobleman and founder of the Boulogne branch of 
the House of Flanders. He held the county of Boulogne from 1042 until his death in 
1049.

Life[edit]

He was the elder son of Count Baldwin II of Boulogne and Adelina of Holland.[1] 
Eustace succeeded his father as count of Boulogne in 1042.[2] Eustace I was also 
the count of Lens.[3] In 1028 Eustace I confirmed the foundation of a college of 
canons in his castle at Lens[3] and despite accounts of Lens passing to Baldwin V of 
Flanders circa 1036 it was still held by Eustace I and was passed to his son Lambert 
at his death.[4]

During the minority of Baldwin IV, Count of Flanders, Eustace's grandfather, Arnulf III, 
Count of Boulogne had broken free of Flanders and operated as an independent 
prince, as did Eustace's father and Eustace himself.[5] In 995, having attained his 
majority, Baldwin IV attempted to recover several of the independently held castles 
and to expand the Flemish borders.[5] This had caused considerable animosity 
between Baldwin IV, Count of Flanders and Eustace's father, but when Baldwin IV's 
son Baldwin V succeeded him in 1035 Eustace I and Baldwin V of Flanders 
cooperated on several ventures including several charters and in limiting the powers 
of the Castellan-advocates of several abbeys including the Abbey of Saint Bertin in 
Flanders.[6]

Eustace I was allied to the ducal house of Normandy by the marriage of his son 
Eustace II to Goda, niece of Richard II.[7] This had far reaching alliances to other 
branches of these families including that of Edward the Confessor, King of England.[7] 
Under Eustace I the counts of Boulogne rose to great prominence in Northern France.
[8] Eustace I died in 1049.[2]

He was apparently a patron of Samer Abbey near Calais and he is said to have been 
buried there.[9]

Family and children[edit]

He was married to Matilda of Leuven,[a] daughter of Lambert I, Count of Leuven and 
Gerberga of Lower Lorraine and had four children:[2]
Eustace II of Boulogne.[2]
Godfrey, Bishop of Paris (1061–1095).[2]
Lambert II, Count of Lens.[13]
Gerberga, married Frederick, Duke of Lower Lorraine.[2]

Parents
OF BOULOGNE Baldwin (Baudouin) (Enricule) II "le Petit Arnoul" (ABT  976 - ABT 1027)
OF HOLLAND Adele (ABT  982 - ABT 1045)

Siblings
____ Eustace (Eustache) I (ABT 1004 - 1049)

Marriage To DE LOUVAIN Matilda (Mahaut) (ABT  994 - )
    m.  

Notes

Parents
____ Lambert I "Baudry" "Bearded" (ABT  950 - 12 Sep 1015)
OF LOWER LORRAINE Gerberge (ABT  972 - ABT 1015)

Children by DE LOUVAIN Matilda (Mahaut) ABT  994 - 
____ Eustace (Eustache) II "aux Gernons" (ABT 1018 - ABT 1080)
____ Gerberge (ABT 1020 - ABT 1049)
DE BOULOGNE (OF LENS) Lambert (ABT 1022 - 1054)

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