Dirk VII, Count of Holland
{{Short description|Count of Holland from 1190 to 1203}}
{{more citations needed|date=July 2013}}
{{Infobox monarch
| name = Dirk VII
| image = File:Graaf van Holland Dirk VII kopje penning (cropped).jpg
| caption = Royal effigy on a silver penny of Dirk VII
| succession = Count of Holland
| reign = 1190–1203
| coronation =
| full name =
| predecessor = Floris III
| successor = Ada
| spouse = Adelaide of Cleves
| issue = Aleidis
Petronilla
Ada
| royal house =
| father = Floris III
| mother = Ada of Huntingdon
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{death date|1203|11|4|mf=y}}
| death_place = Dordrecht
| place of burial = |
}}
Dirk VII (died 4 November 1203, in DordrechtA. W. E. Dek Genealogie der graven van Holland, Zaltbommel : Europese Bibliotheek, 1969., but without further sources; see [http://home.scarlet.be/~ijpelaan/Graven/Dirk-VII.html Dirk VII, graaf van Holland]{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} (Dutch)) was the count of Holland from 1190 to 1203. He was the elder son of Floris III and Ada of Huntingdon.
Life
Due to a civil war in the Holy Roman Empire, Emperor Henry VI had to find ways to make friends. He supported Dirk by giving him the right to levy tolls on Flemish traders in Geervliet. Henry also gave Holland the Grote Waard (Dordrecht and its surroundings), at the cost of the bishopric of Utrecht. He also set aside the Salic law for the succession to the County of Holland, which meant that it could be inherited by a female heir. In 1196, Dirk temporarily gained the princely authority of the bishopric of Utrecht. This meant war with Count Otto I of Guelders. Otto was defeated at the Battle of the Grebbeberg. In 1197 Dirk van Are was elected as the new bishop. As such, he recovered the princely authority of Utrecht. The Hohenstaufens were losing the civil war, so Count Dirk changed sides and gave his allegiance to the Welfs.
Image:Graaf van Holland Dirk VII kopje penning.jpg or kopje of Dirk VII|228x228px]]The Frisians in Oostergo and Westergo supported Dirk's brother William, who invaded Holland. William was supported by some of the West Frisians as well.
In 1202 Dirk allied himself with Otto of Guelders, and they both attacked Brabant. Brabant claimed Holland, Utrecht and Guelders as dukes of Lotharingia. Den Bosch and Geertruidenberg were sacked during this campaign. Duke Henry I of Brabant took Dirk prisoner at Heusden. As well as having to pay a high ransom, he had to accept the Duke of Brabant as his overlord in southern Holland and the bishop of Utrecht as his overlord in northern Holland.
File:Huwelijk Ada van Holland met Lodewijk II met stervende Dirk VII van Holland.jpg
Dirk died on 4 November 1203 and was succeeded by his daughter Ada, who lost the county to Dirk's brother William.[http://www.historici.nl/Onderzoek/Projecten/DVN/lemmata/data/adavanholland/en Online Dictionary of Dutch Women]
Family and children
In 1186 Dirk married Adelaide, a daughter of Count Dietrich II of Cleves and Ida of Louvain. They had three daughters:
- Aleidis (died about 1203).
- Petronilla (died before 1203)
- Ada (c. 1188–1227)
References
{{Reflist}}
{{S-start}}
{{succession box |
title = Count of Holland |
years = 1190–1203 |
before = Floris III |
after = Ada |
}}
{{S-end}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:12th-century nobility from the Holy Roman Empire
Category:13th-century nobility from the Holy Roman Empire