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TheCount of Hainaut (French:Comte de Hainaut;Dutch:Graaf van Henegouwen;German:Graf von Hennegau) was the ruler of thecounty of Hainaut, a historical region in theLow Countries (including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany). In English-language historical sources, the title is often given the older spellingHainault.

Throughout the 10th century, it is uncertain whether the region of Hainaut was ever united under one count. Separate counties may for example have existed based at the forts ofMons andValenciennes.

• (uncertain)Reginar I (d. 915)
• Sigard (fl. 902–920), also Count ofLiugas
• (uncertain)Reginar II (r. 920–after 932)
• (uncertain)Reginar III (r. before 940–958)
• Godfrey I (r. before 958–964), also Duke of Lower Lotharingia
• Richar (r. 964–973), also Count of Liugas

Counts of Mons

• (uncertain)Renaud (r. 973)
• Godfrey II "the captive" (r. 974–998)
• (uncertain)Reginar IV (r. 998–1013)
• Reginar V (r. 1013–1039), acquired the southern part of theBrabant province around 1024
• Herman (r. 1039–1051), marriedRichilde, acquired Valenciennes around 1045 or 1049

Counts and Margraves of Valenciennes

• (uncertain)Amaury (fl. 953–973)
• (uncertain)Werner (r. 973)
• Arnulf of Valenciennes (d. 1011/1012), also probably count of Cambrai
• Baldwin IV (r. 988–1035)
• Baldwin V (r. 1035–1045)
• (uncertain) Reginar of Hasnon (d. c. 1049), father ofRichilde, Countess of Hainaut (1045-1048/49)
• Herman (r. 1039–1051), as husband ofRichilde (1048/49-1051)

Under Herman and Richilde Hainaut was united in a single consolidated County of Hainaut.

• Baldwin I (r. 1051–1070), also Count of Flanders
• Arnulf I (r. 1070–1071), son of Baldwin VI, also Count of Flanders
• Baldwin II (r. 1071–1098), son of Baldwin I
• Baldwin III (r. 1098–1120), son of Baldwin II
• Baldwin IV (r. 1120–1171), son of Baldwin III
• Baldwin V (r. 1171–1195), son of Baldwin IV, alsoCount of Flanders from 1191
• Baldwin VI (r. 1195–1205), son of Baldwin V, also Count of Flanders andLatin Emperor of Constantinople
• Joan (r. 1205–1244), daughter of Baldwin VI, also Countess of Flanders
• Margaret I (r. 1244–1253), daughter of Baldwin VI, also Countess of Flanders, married first toBouchard IV of Avesnes and thenWilliam of Dampierre

The Counties of Flanders and Hainaut were claimed by Margaret's sons, the half-brothersJohn I of Avesnes andWilliam III of Dampierre in theWar of the Flemish Succession. In 1246,King Louis IX of France awarded Hainaut to John. Margaret refused to hand over the government, but was forced to do so in 1254 by John and the Germananti-kingWilliam II, Count of Holland.

• John I (r. 1253–1257), son of Margaret I andBouchard IV of Avesnes

• Margaret I (r. 1257–1280), resumed control after John I's death

• John II (r. 1280–1304), son of John I, alsoCount of Holland
• William I (r. 1304–1337), son of John II, also Count of Holland
• William II (r. 1337–1345), son of William I, also Count of Holland
• Margaret II (r. 1345–1356), daughter of William I,
  • jointly with her husbandLouis IV, Holy Roman Emperor (d. 1347) and their son William III

• William III (r. 1345–1389), son of Margaret II and Louis IV
  • jointly with his brothersLouis the Brandenburger,Louis the Roman andOtto the Bavarian (1347–1349),
    Stephen II of Bavaria (1347–1353) andAlbert I
• Margaret returned in 1350 in opposition to her son and held Hainaut until 1356.
• Albert I, (Regent since 1358, ruled as count 1389–1404)
• William IV (r. 1404–1417), son of Albert I
• Jacqueline (r. 1417–1433), daughter of William IV

Jacqueline was opposed by her uncleJohn, Duke of Bavaria-Straubing, son of Count Albert I in a war of succession. John's claims devolved uponPhilip III, Duke of Burgundy, a nephew of William IV, whose mother had been the sister of William. In April 1433 he forced Jacqueline to abdicate from Hainaut and Holland in his favour.

• Philip I the Good (r. 1433–1467)
• Charles I the Bold (r. 1467–1477), son of Philip the Good
• Mary the Rich (r. 1477–1482), daughter of Charles the Bold, jointly with her husbandMaximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor

• Philip II the Handsome (r. 1482–1506), son of Mary and Maximilian
• Charles II (r. 1506–1555), son of Philip, alsoHoly Roman Emperor (as Charles V)

Charles II proclaimed thePragmatic Sanction of 1549 eternally uniting Hainaut with the other lordships of the Low Countries in a personal union. When the Habsburg empire was divided among the heirs of Charles V, theLow Countries, including Hainaut, went toPhilip II of Spain, of the Spanish branch of the House of Habsburg.

• Philip III (r. 1555–1598), son of Charles III, also King of Spain
• Isabella Clara Eugenia (r. 1598–1621), daughter of Philip II,
  • jointly with her husbandAlbert, Archduke of Austria)
• Philip IV (r. 1621–1665), grandson of Philip III, also King of Spain
• Charles III (r. 1665–1700), son of Philip IV, also King of Spain

Between 1706 and 1714 the Low Countries were invaded by the English and the Dutch during theWar of the Spanish Succession. The fief was claimed by theHouse of Habsburg and theHouse of Bourbon. In 1714, theTreaty of Rastatt settled the succession and the County of Hainaut went to the Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg.

• Charles IV (r. 1714–1740), great grandson of Philip III, als Holy Roman Emperor (elect)
• Mary Theresa (r. 1740–1780), daughter of Charles IV, marriedFrancis I, Holy Roman Emperor
• Joseph I (r. 1780–1790), son of Maria Theresa and Francis I, also Holy Roman Emperor
• Leopold I (r. 1790–1792), son of Maria Theresa and Francis I, also Holy Roman Emperor
• Francis I (r. 1792–1835), son of Leopold I, also Holy Roman Emperor

The title was factually abolished in the aftermath of theFrench Revolution and the annexation of Flanders by France in 1795. Although, the title remained officially claimed by the descendants of Leopold I until the reign ofCharles I of Austria.

In theKingdom of Belgium, the title of Count of Hainaut was traditionally given to the eldest son of the Belgiancrown prince, who was himself styled asDuke of Brabant. In 2001, with the birth ofPrincess Elisabeth of Belgium (now Duchess of Brabant), heir and elder daughter of Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant (nowPhilippe, King of the Belgians), it was decided not to feminise and award her the title of Countess of Hainaut, but to abolish the title.

• Prince Leopold, Duke of Brabant (1859–1865), son ofLeopold II of Belgium
• Baudouin I of Belgium (1930–1934), son ofLeopold III of Belgium

• County of Hainaut

• Counts of Hainaut
• County of Hainaut
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