The Gerulfings were the first family to rule over what would become the County of Holland and the County of Zeeland, then called West Frisia.
Origins
They were named after Gerulf the Elder (died after 839), who is believed to have descended from the Frisian king Radbod (died 719). Dijkstra suggests that Dirk may have been the son of a sister of Gerolf and that his own father died while he was still an infant.
The first count of Holland, Dirk I, was the son or foster-son of Gerolf, Count in Frisia He received land around Egmond from Charles the Fat at a place called Bladella (modern-day Bladel near Eindhoven) in 922. This is seen as the beginning of the county of Holland. However, until about 1100, the usual names for the county were West-Friesland, Frisia or Kennemerland; in spite of this the counts from Dirk I onwards are traditionally named of Holland.
Note that the chronology of the first few counts is uncertain. The existence of a count between Dirk I and Dirk II was only recently suggested, since it is thought that the references to counts named Dirk between 896 and 988 refer to three, not two, different counts. This third Count Dirk is placed between Dirk I and II and numbered as Dirk I bis to avoid confusion with the already established numbering referring to the other counts of Holland named Dirk.
The main line of the family died out in 1299.
Bentheim and other branches A branch of the dynasty held the County of Bentheim. The property was inherited through Sophia of Rheineck, married to Dirk VI of Holland. Their children split the property. This branch survived longer than the original family: it went extinct in 1421, after which Bentheim was inherited through non-direct female line.
Bastard lines of the family were the Van Teylingen, Van Brederode and Van der Duyn. The House of Egmond and the Van Wassenaer may also trace their origins to an illegitimate child from this family.
Rulers
Gerulfing dynasty
+ Bentheim underHouse of SalmTecklenburg underTecklenburg family County ofWest FrisiaLater renamedCounty of Holland(885-1299) County ofBentheim(1176-1421)County ofTecklenburg(1279-1328)Inherited bythe House of AvesnesInherited bythe County of SchwerinInherited bythe Götterswyk family
Monarch BornReignRuling partConsortDeathNotes Gerulf I the Elder c.820Son of ?c.840 – 855County of West FrisiaA daughter of Waldger of Corbieat least four childrenc.855aged 34-35 First ruler of the family in West Frisia. Gerulf II c.850Son of Gerulf I855 – 896County of West FrisiaUnknowntwo children896aged 45-46 Dirk I c.875Son of Gerulf II896 – 5 October 939County of West FrisiaGeva of Hamalandat least one child5 October 939Andernachaged 63-64 Recent historians propose a 'Dirk I bis' for the latter part of Dirk I's reign (roughly from c.931). Dirk II c.920Son of Dirk I and Geva of Hamaland5 October 939 – 6 May 988County of West FrisiaHildegard of Flanders950three children6 May 988Egmondaged 67-68 Arnulf of Ghent c.950GhentSon of Dirk II and Hildegard of Flanders6 May 988 – 18 September 993County of West FrisiaLutgardis of LuxembourgMay 980three children18 September 993Winkelaged 42-43Regency of Lutgardis of Luxembourg (993-1005) Dirk III of Jerusalem 982Son of Arnulf and Lutgardis of Luxembourg18 September 993 – 27 May 1039County of West FrisiaOthelindis of Saxony(d.9 March 1044)three children27 May 1039Egmondaged 56-57 Dirk IV 1016First son of Dirk III and Othelindis of Saxony27 May 1039 – 13 January 1049County of West FrisiaUnmarried13 January 1049Dordrechtaged 32-33 Floris I 1017VlaardingenSecond son of Dirk III and Othelindis of Saxony13 January 1049 – 28 June 1061County of West FrisiaGertrude of Saxonyc.1050three children28 June 1061Nederhemertaged 43-44Regency of Gertrude of Saxony (1061-1093) and Robert I, Count of Flanders (1067-1093) Dirk V is the first to be called Count of Holland. Dirk V 1052VlaardingenSon of Floris I and Gertrude of Saxony28 June 1061 – 17 June 1091County of HollandOthethild(ca.1065-18 November 1120)1083two children17 June 1091Geldernaged 38-39 Floris II the Fat 1085VlaardingenSon of Dirk V and Othethild17 June 1091 – 2 March 1121County of HollandGertrude-Petronilla of Lorrainec.1105four children 2 March 1121aged 35-36Regency of Gertrude-Petronilla of Lorraine (1121-1131) The early reign of Dirk VI was marked by conflict. After a rebellion from her second son, Floris, Gertrude supported him and associated him to her regency in 1129-1131. However, after a second rebellion, she returned her support to her eldest son, and Floris didn't recover power. Floris was eventually assassinated by Dirk's supporters. Dirk VI 1114The HagueFirst son of Floris II and Gertrude-Petronilla of Lorraine2 March 1121 – 1129August 1131 – 5 August 1157County of Holland(from 1150 with the County of Bentheim, ruling with his wife)Sophia of Salm, Countess of Bentheimc.1135nine children5 August 1157aged 42-43 Floris (III) the Black c.1115Second son of Floris II and Gertrude-Petronilla of Lorraine1129 – August 1131Unmarried26 October 1132near Utrechtaged 17-18 Floris III c.1140The HagueFirst son of Dirk VI and Sophia of Salm, Countess of Bentheim5 August 1157 – 1 August 1190County of HollandAda of Scotland28 August 1162Egmondeleven children1 August 1190Antiochaged 49-50Children of Dirk VI, divided the inheritance. c.1145Second son of Dirk VI and Sophia of Salm, Countess of Bentheim5 August 1157 – 1208County of Bentheim(ruling with his mother until 1176)Alberada of Arnsbergfive children1208aged 62-63 Dirk VII c.1165First son of Floris III and Ada of Scotland1 August 1190 – 4 November 1203County of HollandAdelaide of Cleves1186three children4 November 1203Dordrechtaged 37-38 Ada 1188Daughter of Dirk VII and Adelaide of Cleves4 November 1203 – 14 October 1206County of HollandAda of Scotland28 August 1162Egmondeleven children1237aged 48-49Claimants to the succession of Dirk VII. Dirk wanted for his brother to succeed him, but his widow pushed their daughter Ada for the inheritance, marrying her to the count of Loon, who should rule alongside his wife; The inheritance struggle motivated the Loon War: Ada was sent to England and her husband didn't have enough supporters; the matter was eventually settled in 1206, establishing a co-rulership between them, but soon undone, as by 1210 William was already using the title alone, which may indicate the abandonment of Ada's claim. William is noted for participating in the Fifth Crusade: on his way to Egypt, stopped in Portugal and helped to conquer Alcácer do Sal. William I c.1167The HagueSecond son of Floris III and Ada of Scotland4 November 1203 – 4 November 1203Adelaide of Guelders1198Stavorenfive childrenMaria of BrabantJuly 1220five children4 February 1222The Hagueaged 54-55 c.1180Son of and Alberada of Arnsberg1208 – May 1248County of BentheimJudith of Rietbergfive childrenMay 1248aged 67-68Regency of (1222-1224) Floris IV 24 June 1210The HagueSon of William I and Adelaide of Guelders4 February 1222 – 19 July 1234County of HollandMatilda of BrabantDecember 1224five children19 July 1234Corbieaged 24Regency of Matilda of Brabant (1234-1235)Regency of William of Holland (1235-1238)Regency of Otto (III), Bishop of Utrecht (1238-1239) Also King of Germany from 1247. William II February 1227Son of William I and Adelaide of Guelders19 July 1234 – 28 January 1256County of HollandElisabeth of Brunswick-Lüneburg25 January 1252Braunschweigtwo children28 January 1256Hoogwoudaged 28 Coincidentally, his numbering in Tecklenburg is the same as the one in Bentheim, as in both feuds there was only one previous count Otto. c.1215BentheimSon of and Judith of RietbergMay 1248 – 1280County of Bentheim(from 1262 with the County of Tecklenburg, ruling with his wife until 1264)Judithone childHeilwig, Countess of Tecklenburgc.1245three childrenc.1280Tecklenburgaged 74-75Regency of Floris of Holland, the Guardian (1256-1258)Regency of Adelaide of Holland, Countess of Hainaut (1258-1263)Regency of Otto II, Count of Guelders (1263-1266) Floris V The Peasant's God 24 June 1254LeidenSon of William II and Elisabeth of Brunswick-Lüneburg28 January 1256 – 27 June 1296County of Holland1269eleven children27 June 1296Muiderbergaged 42 18 March 1253BentheimFirst son of and Heilwig, Countess of Tecklenburg1280 – 1307County of Bentheim(from 1262 with the County of Tecklenburg, ruling with his wife until 1264)Hedwig of Oldenburg(d. 2 February 1304)May/June 1277thirteen children1311Tecklenburgaged 57-58Children of Otto II, divided the inheritance. In 1307, Egbert resigned his county to join the Teutonic Order. c.1255TecklenburgSecond son of and Heilwig, Countess of Tecklenburg1280 – 1285County of TecklenburgApril/May 1251five childrenc.1285Ibbenbürenaged 29-30Regency of (1285-1297) c.1280Son of and 1285 – 3 May 1307County of TecklenburgBeatrice of Rietberg(1275-1325)1296two children3 May 1307aged 26-27Regency of John III, Lord of Renesse (1296-1297)Regency of Wolfert I van Borselen (1297-1299) Left no descendants. The county was inherited by his cousin John, son of the previous regent Adelaide of Holland. John I 1284Son of Floris V and 27 June 1296 – 10 November 1299County of HollandElizabeth of England7 January 1297Ipswichno children10 November 1299Haarlemaged 14-15Holland inherited by the House of Avesnes 1301Son of and Beatrice of Rietberg3 May 1307 – 4 May 1328County of TecklenburgKunigunda van Daallec.1315no children4 May 1328aged 26-27Left no children. c.1283Son of and Hedwig of Oldenburg1307 – 21 July 1333County of Bentheim3 August 1310eight children21 July 1333aged 49-50 Richardis c.1290Daughter of and Beatrice of Rietberg4 May 1328 – c.1328?County of TecklenburgGunzelin VI, Count of Schwerinc.1310five childrenc.1328?aged 37-38?Heiress of her brother. It is not certain if she survived him.Tecklenburg inherited by the County of Schwerin c.1310First son of and 21 July 1333 – 1344County of BentheimCatharina of Steinfurtc.1335?no children1344aged 33-34 Left no children. The county passed to his younger brother. 1327Second son of and 1344 – 1364County of BentheimUnmarried1379aged 49-50 Also provost of . Abdicated to his younger brother. c.1330Third son of and 1364 – 2 November 1421County of BentheimPetronilla of Steinfurt(1359-November 1404)2 October 1370no children2 November 1421Bentheimaged 90-91 Left no descendants. Bentheim was inherited by his great-nephew, grandson of his sister Hedwig.Bentheim inherited by the
References
Bibliography Detlev Schwennicke, Europäische Stammtafeln Band II. (1984) Table 2: A. W. E. Dak: Genealogie der graven van Holland. ’s-Gravenhage 1954 A. C. F. Koch: Oorkondenboek van Holland en Seeland tot 1299 I. ’s-Gravenhage 1970 J. G. Kruisheer: De oorkonden en de kanselerij von den graven van Holland tot 1299 II. ’s-Gravenhage-Haarlem 1971 Johanna Maria van Winter: Die Hamaländer Grafen als Angehörige der Reichsaristokratie im 10. Jahrhundert,. in: Rheinische Vierteljahresblätter 44 (1980), p. 14–46 Johanna Maria van Winter: Ansfrid en Dirk twee namen uit de Nederlandse Geschiedenis van de 10e en 11e eeuw. in: Naamkunde. 13. Jahrgang (1981), p. 39–74 Johanna Maria van Winter: De vornaamste adelijk geslachten in de Nederlanden 10e en 11e eeuw. in: Algemene Geschiedenis der Nederlanden I. Haarlem-Bussum 1981, p. 225–229