Dirk VI, Count of Holland

Dirk VI of Holland (ca. 1114–5 August 1157), count of Holland between 1121 and 1157. He was the son of Floris II. His son Floris III succeeded him. He married Sofie, Countess of Rheineck, Salm and Bentheim.

When his father died he was only 7 years old, and his mother, Petronilla of Saxony governed as a regent. Petronilla supported the uprising of her halfbrother, duke Lothair of Saxony against emperor Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor. Lothair became king of Germany in 1125 and gave Leiden and surroundings (which was officially a part of the bishopric of Utrecht) to the county of Holland. While he was young there was a rebellion from the West Frisians in West Friesland helped by Floris, his younger brother and the Kennemerlanders (west of West Friesland. They were defeated in 1131, and in October 1132 Floris was killed. The West Frisians continued their resistance.

He had supported his relative Lothair of Saxony against Henry V and parts of Holland were recovered that had been occupied by Utrecht. With help from Conrad II he was able to get a candidate of his own recognised as being the bishop of Utrecht.

Dirk and his mother supported the monasteries of Egmond and Rijnsburg, which florished in this period. Monks began to work as officials for the count, because they could write and read. Dirk went on a crusade to the Holy Land in 1139.

External links

*Biography at worldroots
*Biography at allbiographies