Hugh III, Count of Saint-Pol
French count
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Hugh III (French: Hugues) was count of Saint-Pol from 1130 until his death in 1141. He was responsible for massacres and therefore excommunicated.
Biography
Hugh was the son of Hugh II[1] and Elissende of Ponthieu. He waged a vigorous war against the Collet family, whom he forced to take refuge in the abbey of Saint-Riquier. After besieging the fortress, he stormed it on 28 August 1131 and put it to fire and the sword, killing men, women, and children, including the clergy. The survivors, including the abbot, took refuge in Abbeville. The abbot raised a complaint at the Council of Reims (1131), which excommunicated Hugh 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.
Hugh and Beatrix had:
Beatrix, the mother of these children, is buried at Cercamp. Hugh remarried to Marguerite of Clermont.[2] They had:
- Ralph,[2] died 4 April 1142, buried in Cercamp
- Guy, married Matilda of Doullens[2]
- Angélique or Angéline,[2] wife of Anselm of Housdain
- Elise, wife of Robert V, Lord of Béthune,[2]
- Beatrix, wife of Robert, son of Ralph I, Lord of Coucy