Matilda of Dendermonde
Matilda of Dendermonde (died 14 April 1224) was a Flemish noblewoman born around 1165. She was the daughter and heiress of Walter II, Lord of Dendermonde.
Her first marriage was to Gerard III, Lord of Grimbergen, which produced no surviving children. Before 1190 she married William II, Lord of Béthune. When her husband died in 1214, Béthune was at war with the King of France and controlled by French troops. Because her eldest son Daniel was still a minor, Matilda was put in charge of the town and used the title advocatus of Arras until 1216, when Daniel reached age 21 and became Lord of Béthune. She remained Lady of Dendermonde and advocate of Ghent, defending her hereditary rights.
In 1223 she founded the abbey of St Giles at Dendermonde for Cistercian nuns; the charter was witnessed by many of her children and relatives whom she trusted to maintain the abbey after her death.
She died in 1224. Matilda and William II had seven children; the known ones include Daniel, Lord of Béthune; Robert VII, Lord of Béthune; Maud of Béthune; and John of Béthune (died 1238).
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 13:10 (CET).