- BY MAARTJE KRAMER -
Aleid, also known as Adelaide of Cleves, was born in the late 12th century. Little is known about her early life at the court of her father, Diederik IV of Cleves. Adelaide came from the powerful House of Cleves, which had close ties with the County of Holland. In 1186, she married Dirk of Holland, who would later become Count Dirk VII. This marriage strengthened the alliance between these two influential houses. The couple had three daughters: Aleydis, Petronilla, and Ada. Only their youngest daughter, Ada, would outlive them.
When Dirk became count in 1190, Adelaide assumed a prominent role in governing the county as his wife. Uniquely, she was the first to officially bear the title "Countess of Holland." This title was more than ceremonial—Adelaide was an active co-ruler, signing numerous charters alongside her husband. Her involvement in governance suggests she may have been preparing for the possibility of a regency in the event of her husband's early death.
The counties of Holland and Zeeland faced both internal and external threats during Dirk VII’s rule. In 1195, Adelaide was forced to take charge when her brother-in-law, William of Holland, instigated a rebellion against Dirk with the support of the West Frisians. While Dirk was fighting the Count of Flanders in Zeeland, Adelaide led her army against William from the Abbey of Egmond. Although the monks complained about the disruption her presence caused, a contemporary account from the abbey acknowledged Adelaide’s capability and determination as a commander. She successfully pushed back William's forces, temporarily securing the county.
After Dirk VII’s untimely death in 1203, Adelaide faced a new challenge: securing the succession for her daughter, Ada. To prevent William from claiming the county, Adelaide hastily arranged a marriage between Ada and Count Louis of Loon. This union was meant to undermine William’s power and protect the rule of Adelaide and her daughter, but William declared the marriage invalid.
Adelaide was unable to defeat William, and Ada was captured and sent to England by order of King John, an ally of William. Despite Adelaide’s pleas to the English king, Ada remained imprisoned until 1210. After the succession struggle, Adelaide largely disappeared from historical records, though we know she remained active. In 1207, she wrote a letter to King John, urging him to release her daughter. Eventually, Louis of Loon managed to secure Ada’s freedom, but Ada had to renounce her claim to the County of Holland.
In 1237, Adelaide made a financial donation to the Abbey of Rijnsburg, where she was buried after her death in 1238. She rests alongside other prominent members of the comital family, including William of Holland. This suggests that there may have been less personal animosity between Adelaide and William than the medieval chronicler Melis Stoke would have us believe.
Adelaide of Cleves, the first countess of Holland, was a formidable woman who navigated a tumultuous period of political strife. Her legacy shows she was a role model for future generations of women in a male-dominated world. Despite her ultimate defeat in the succession conflict, her resilience remains an important part of Holland’s history.
Adelaide’s life story has been viewed through different lenses over the centuries. The medieval chronicler Melis Stoke, writing on behalf of Floris V, portrayed her as a cunning, power-hungry woman who overstepped her role as wife and mother. Stoke cast her as an antagonist in the political conflict between the counties, condemning her swift actions to marry off her daughter after Dirk’s death. He painted her as unladylike and calculating.
Six hundred years later, Dutch critic Conrad Busken Huet offered a reappraisal of Adelaide. He defended her decisions, arguing that she acted out of necessity, not ambition. According to Huet, Adelaide did exactly what was expected of a sovereign: she defended her daughter and her position with the strength of a lioness. He viewed the negative depictions of Adelaide as narrow-minded and biased, and called for a more nuanced recognition of her legacy.
Image: Kaiser, J.W. & Craeyvanger, R., 'Vrouw Aleid overwint de West-Friezen'. In: J.P. Arend, Algemeene Geschiedenis des Vaderlands (1840).
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