  john ii of avesnes (1247 â 22 august 1304), count of hainaut, holland, and zeeland. ==life== john ii, born 1247, was the oldest son of john i of avesnes and adelaide of holland, daughter of floris iv, count of holland.detlev schwennicke, europÃ¤ische stammtafeln: stammtafeln zur geschichte der europÃ¤ischen staaten, neue folge, band ii (marburg, germany: verlag von j. a. stargardt, 1984), tafel 22 he was count of hainaut from 1280 to his death and count of holland from 1299 until his death. john continued the war between the house of dampierre and the house of avesnes against count guy of flanders for imperial flanders. he became count of holland in 1299 with the death of john i, count of holland,johan c h blom, history of the low countries (new york: berghahn books, 2006), p. 58 through his mother adelaide of holland, heiress and regent of this county. the personal union he established between hainaut and hollandâzeeland lasted for another half-century. his cousin, count floris v, was fighting against flanders for zeeland.johan c h blom, history of the low countries (new york: berghahn books, 2006), pp. 57â8 he sought help of france against flanders. the french defeated the flemish in 1300 and 1301. the rebels in zeeland were defeated as well. john's brother, guy of avesnes, became bishop of utrecht.elizabeth moore hunt, illuminating the borders of northern french and flemish manuscripts, 1270 â 1310 (new york: routledge, 2007), p. 125 so all his main enemies were gone. the tide changed dramatically after a flemish uprising and the defeat of the french army at the battle of the golden spurs in 1302, where his eldest son was killed fighting for the french. flemish patriots attacked hainaut and zeeland supported by the dissatisfied population there. guy of namur defeated john's son, william, in a battle on the island of duiveland. bishop guy of utrecht was taken prisoner. guy of namur and duke john ii of brabant conquered most of utrecht, holland, and zeeland. guy of namur was finally defeated in 1304 by the fleet of holland and france at the naval [[battle of
1247_births 1304_deaths 13th-century_Dutch_people 14th-century_Dutch_people Counts_of_Hainaut Counts_of_Holland Counts_of_Zeeland House_of_Avesnes