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Richilde, Countess of Mons and Hainaut (c. 1031 - 15 March 1086).

Since her father is named Reginar, she has often been mistakenly recorded a daughter of Regnier V of Mons, who was actually her father-in-law. Her mother would descend from the counts of Egisheim.

She was married firstly to Herman of Mons, count of Hainaut, son of Reginar V, count of Mons and Mathilde of Verdun, circa 1043. They served as co-rulers in Mons and Hainaut from 1039 to 1051.

Soon after the death of Herman, Richilde married Baldwin, eldest son of Baldwin V of Flanders. At that point she started preparing for the unification of Hainaut and Flanders under the rule of the children of her second marriage. The two children of her first marriage were placed into the Church. Her daughter Gertrude became a nun and her son Robert (who was apparently physically disabled) became a clergyman and eventually Bishop of Châlons-sur-Marne.

Her husband Baldwin became count of Flanders (as Baldwin VI) in 1067, and they ruled both Flanders and Hainaut until his death in 1070. After his death their son Arnulf became count of Flanders, but he was challenged by Baldwin's younger brother Robert the Frisian. Despite help from Philip I of France her forces were defeated at the Battle of Cassel, Arnulf was captured and soon died, and King Philip invested Robert with the county of Flanders.

Richilde and her younger son Baldwin still had Hainaut, and made subsequent unsucccessful attempts to recover Flanders.

Richilde and Baldwin were parents of:

• Arnulf III, Count of Flanders (c. 1055 - February 22, 1071).
• Baldwin II, Count of Hainaut (c. 1056 - 1098).

Baldwin VI died on July 17, 1070. Richilde served as Regent for their son Arnulf III.

In 1071 Richilde thirdly married to William Fitzosbern, 1st Earl of Hereford (c. 1025-1071).

• Nicholas, Karen S. (1999). "Countesses as Rulers in Flanders", in Theodore Evergates: Aristocratic Women in Medieval France, 111-137. 
• Salmonson, Jessica Amanda.(1991) The Encyclopedia of Amazons. Paragon House. Page 222. ISBN 1-55778-420-5
• The Family History of Robert Brian Stewart
• Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America Before 1700 by Frederick Lewis Weis, Line 163-23.

Preceded by Regnier V of Mons

Count of Hainaut 1039–1051

Succeeded by Baldwin VI, Count of Flanders

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