2021-06-24 Thu

Floris V reigned as Count of Holland and Zeeland from 1256 until 1296. His life was documented in detail in the Rijmkroniek by Melis Stoke, his chronicler. He is credited with a mostly peaceful reign, modernizing administration, policies beneficial to trade, generally acting in the interests of his peasants at the expense of the nobility, and reclaiming land from the sea. His dramatic murder, engineered by King Edward I of England and Guy, Count of Flanders, made him a hero in Holland.

Floris was the son of Count William II (1227–1256) and Elisabeth of Brunswick-Lüneburg. His father was slain in 1256 by Frisians when Floris was just two years old. Custody over Floris fell first to his uncle (Floris de Voogd from 1256 to 1258), then to his aunt (Adelaide of Holland from 1258 to 1263). The fight over custody of Holland culminated in the battle of Reimerswaal on 22 January 1263, where Count Otto II of Guelders defeated Aleidis and was chosen regent by the nobles who opposed Aleidis.

Otto II served as Floris V's guardian until he was twelve years old (1266) and considered capable of administering Holland himself. Floris’s mother, Elisabeth, continued to reside in Holland after her husband’s death in 1256. She died on 27 May 1266 and is buried in Middelburg abbey church. She died in the same year that Count Floris V was declared old enough to rule without guardianship, on 10 July 1266.

Under him, the territory of Holland greatly expanded and prospered. The above shown Penny or 'kopje' of Floris V, minted during his minority under the guardianship of his uncle Floris de Voogd (1256-1258).

Image Source: Wikipedia.org