Clémence de Bourgogne

  General Notes:

CLEMENCE de Bourgogne ([1078]-[1133]). "Clementie Flandrarum comitisse" is named as wife of "Robertus iunior" in the Cartulaire de Saint-Bertin. Orderic Vitalis names her as wife of Count Robert but does not give her origin. Her origin is confirmed by the Genealogica Comitum Flandriæ Bertiniana which names "Clementiam filiam Willelmi comitis Burgundionum cognomento Testahardith" as wife of "Rodbertus Rodberti filius". Clemence could not have been born much later than 1078, given the birth of her first child (by her first husband) in 1093. She was appointed regent in Flanders during the absence of her first husband on crusade. She promoted the monastic movement and introduced Cluniac rule into several abbeys in Flanders. She founded Bourbourg Abbey with her first husband in [1103]. "Balduinus Flandrensium comes et Clementia comitissa" confirmed the donation of the church of Saint-Bertin to Cluny made by "dominus meus Rotbertus comes", by charter 12 Apr 1112. She opposed the succession in 1119 of Count Charles, supporting the candidature of Guillaume d'Ypres. The primary source which confirms her second marriage has not yet been identified. The Cartulaire de Saint-Bertin records the death in [1133] of "Clementia Roberti iunioris vidua" and specifies that "eatenus pene terciam partem Flandrie dotis loco tenuit", although it is curious that this does not refer to her second husband who was still alive when his wife died.

m firstly(before 1092) ROBERT de Flandres, son of ROBERT I "le Frison" Count of Flanders & his wife Gertrud von Sachsen (1065-5 Oct 1111). He succeeded his father in 1093 as ROBERT II Count of Flanders.

m secondly ([1125]) as his second wife, GODEFROI V Duke of Lower Lotharingia, Comte de Louvain, son of HENRI II Comte de Louvain & his wife Adela [van Betuwe en Teisterbant] (-25 Jan 1139, bur Afflighem Abbey). ¹

Clémence married Robert II de Flandre Comte de Flandre, son of Robert I de Flandre Comte de Flandre and Gertrud von Sachsen, before 1092.¹ (Robert II de Flandre Comte de Flandre was born in 1065 ¹ and died on 5 Oct 1111 ¹.)

Clémence next married Godefroid I de Louvain Duc de Basse-Lotharingie, son of Henri II de Louvain Comte de Louvain and Adela van Teisterbant. (Godefroid I de Louvain Duc de Basse-Lotharingie died on 25 Jan 1139 and was buried in Abdij Abbey, Affligem, Vlaams-Brabant, 1790, BE.)