William II of Dampierre

William II of Dampierre
Born	1196
Died	(1231-09-03)3 September 1231
Noble family	House of Dampierre
Spouse(s)	Margaret II, Countess of Flanders
Issue	William III of Dampierre Guy of Dampierre John of Dampierre Joan of Dampierre Marie of Dampierre
Father	Guy II of Dampierre
Mother	Mathilde of Bourbon

William II (1196 – 3 September 1231) was the lord of Dampierre from 1216 until his death. He was the son of Guy II, constable of Champagne, and Mathilde of Bourbon.

His brother, Archambaud VIII, inherited Bourbon, and William inherited Dampierre. He married Margaret II, Countess of Flanders and Hainault, in 1223 and was thus regent of Flanders until his death as "Willem I" (or "Guillaume I^er"). In 1226 William and Margaret founded a Cistercian nunnery at Saint-Dizier. Their sons William III and John continued to confirm and patronize the nunnery during their lives, including William II's burial there in 1231. William and Margaret founded more Cisterian nunneries throughout the county of Flanders, including Flines Abbey.

He had four children (three sons) by Margaret and the eldest took part in the War of the Succession of Flanders and Hainault:

• William III, Count of Flanders and Lord of Kortrijk
• Guy, Count of Flanders and Margrave of Namur
• John I, Lord of Dampierre, Viscount of Troyes, and Constable of Champagne
• Joanna, married in 1239 to Hugh III of Rethel, then in 1243 to Theobald II of Bar

Sources

• Evergates, Theodore (2007). The Aristocracy in the County of Champagne, 1100-1300. University of Pennsylvania Press.
• Lester, Anne E. (2011). Creating Cistercian Nuns: The Women's Religious Movement and Its Reform in Thirteenth Century Champagne. Cornell University Press.