Dirk I, Count of Holland
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Dirk I ('Theodoric(us)') was Count of Holland, thought to have been in office from ca. 921 to ca. 928.
[edit] 'Count in Frisia'
The actual title of count Dirk I was 'count in Friesland'. Dirk was thought to be a son of Gerulf (II), 'count in Frisia', subordinate and murderer of Godfrey 'the Sea King' at Herispich (Spijk) in 885.
Almost nothing is known of his life, a situation further clouded by the present-day hypothesis that he had a son, Dirk, who succeeded him instead of the traditional view that he was succeeded by his supposed son Dirk II.
[edit] Founding of the abbey at Egmond
In 922 Dirk was present at a place called Bladella (present day Bladel, in the extreme south of the Dutch province of Noord Brabant), at which he received certain lands ('at a place called Egmond') from the West Frankisch king Charles III the Fat. Dirk subsequently erected a nunnery at said lands, at which nuns prayed continiously for the well-being of the comital dynasty.
Under Dirk II however, this wooden convent was rebuilt in stone to house the relics of Saint Adalbert. Adalbert was not well known at that time, he was said to have preached Chrisitianity in the immediate surroundings two centuries earlier). The convent was also to be for a community of Benedictine monks from Ghent, replacing the nuns.
[edit] References/Bibliography
- Cordfunke, 'Graven en Gravinnen van het Hollandse Huis' (1986).
| Preceded by Gerulf |
Count of Friesland west of the Vlie 921–928 |
Succeeded by Dirk |
