Raoul II of Clermont


Raoul II/III of Clermont-Nesle was Seigneur of Nesle in Picardy :de:Grafschaft Nesle|, Viscount of Châteaudun :de:Vizegrafschaft Châteaudun|, Grand Chamberlain of France and Constable of France.

Biography

Raoul was the eldest son of Simon II of Clermont by Adele of Montfort, daughter of Amaury VI of Montfort. His father had a brother called Raoul, sometimes numbered II, causing confusion about the parentage of Raoul's children, as either somehow might come into question. Having Raoul's uncle as No. II and his nephew as Raoul IV, makes himself No. III. There are other issues with the genealogy, as discussed in the article about Simon II.
Raoul de Clermont was one of the most important generals of King Louis IX of France. He participated in most campaigns of the King, including the Eighth Crusade against Tunis. appointed Constable of France in 1285, he fought in the Aragonese Crusade and in the Franco-Flemish War against the County of Flanders, with Count Guy of Dampierre, his in-law. The governor of Flanders, Jacques de Châtillon, put in place by the French king was also Raoul's in-law. The French King Philip "the fair" sent him with his brother Guy I of Clermont, Marshal of France, to attack the enemy at the Siege of Lille, where they were victorious and took a large number of prisoners. In 1302, together with his brother Guy, he fought under Robert II, Count of Artois against the Flemish in the Battle of the Golden Spurs at Kortrijk, and the French army was utterly defeated, all three killed and the Flemish regained independence.
His daughter Alix succeeded in Châteaudun but record about succession in Nesle is not present.

Marriage and issue

Raoul married firstly in c.1268 Alix of Dreux, Viscountess of Châteaudun, daughter of Robert of Dreux, and Clemence, Viscountess of Châteaudun. Raoul and Alix had three daughters:
In January 1296 Raoul married secondly Isabelle of Hainault, daughter of John II, Count of Holland and Philippa of Luxembourg. They had no recorded children. Some genealogists attribute Isabelle and Béatrix to this second marriage.

Ancestry