Hugh III, Count of Saint-Pol

Hugh III (French: Hugues) was count of Saint-Pol from 1130 until his death in 1141. Responsible for massacres, he was struck with anathema.

The son of Hugh II and Elissende of Ponthieu, Hugh waged a vigorous war against the Collet family, whom he forced to take refuge in the Abbey of Saint-Riquier. After a siege of the fortress, he stormed it on 28 August 1131 and put it to fire and blood, killing men, women, and children, including the clergy. The survivors, including the abbot, took refuge in Abbeville. The abbot filed a complaint with the Council of Reims, which struck him with anathema in 1132. The ban was confirmed by Pope Innocent II.

His further atrocities against the clergy brought the intervention of King Louis VI, at which point he submitted to penance. He obtained the absolution of Pope Innocent II in 1137 by financing the foundation of three abbeys: Cercamp, Klaarkamp, and Ourscamp.

In 1140, he joined with the Count of Hainaut against Thierry, Count of Flanders, but was defeated.

With his wife, Beatrix of Rollancourt, he had five sons and three daughters:

  • Enguerrand
  • Hugh, died without issue in 1150
  • Anselm
  • Ralph, died 4 April 1142, buried in Cercamp after
  • Guy, married Matilda of Doullens
  • Angélique or Angéline, wife of Anselm of Housdain
  • Adelaide, wife of Robert V, Lord of Béthune, with whom she had 8 children including Jean de Béthune, Bishop of Cambrai
  • Beatrix, wife of Robert, fourth son of Ralph I, Lord of Coucy

Beatrix, the mother of these children, is buried at Cercamp.

References
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