Walter III was a FrenchCount of the Vexin,Amiens andMaine. He held Vexin from 1035 to 1063.
Walter was the son ofCount Drogo of Vexin and Amiens andGodgifu, daughter of KingÆthelred II of England.
He appeared in 1030 as a witness to a donation made by his father to theAbbey of Jumièges, and succeeded him in 1035. Walter continued the policy of his father, good relations with theCapetians and theDuchy of Normandy, but the breakdown of their relationship in 1052 called this policy into question. He first attempted neutrality between the two, but ended up joining the camp of KingHenry I in 1057.[1]
Walter married Biota, the daughter of CountHerbert I of Maine, but had no children.[2] Or he was the father of Walter Tirel, who slayed William Rufus.
His wife's nephew CountHerbert II of Maine, died in 1062, bequeathingMaine to DukeWilliam of Normandy, but the lords of Maine refused him, revolted and chose Walter as Count, with the support of CountGeoffrey III of Anjou. Duke William began the conquest of Maine by taking the fortresses one by one and finally seizing Le Mans and capturing Walter and Biota. They were imprisoned inFalaise and died there under mysterious circumstances.[3]
His death benefitted Duke William on two accounts, firstly he had removed the Count of Maine, and secondly, Walter was the last living child of Godgifu and thus a possible claimant to the English throne uponKing Edward's death.[4]
His cousin,Ralph IV of Valois, inherited the counties of Vexin and Amiens, with the exception of the towns ofPontoise andChaumont-en-Vexin which the King of France had seized.[2]