The Count of Flanders was the ruler or leader of the county of Flanders from the 9th century until the French Revolution in 1790. The first count was Baldwin I "Iron Arm". By expanding its borders the early counts managed to keep Flanders independent. Later, the lack of natural borders allowed invaders into Flanders. Counts of Flanders were always concerned with hunting and preserving their hunting grounds. For that reason many were called foresters. The last count was Francis II. After 1795 Flanders no longer existed as a county.

List of Counts of Flanders

1st House of Flanders 

Baldwin I Iron Arm (863-879), married Judith daughter of Charles the Bald.
Baldwin II the Bald (879-918), son of Baldwin I and Judith
Arnulf I the Great (918-964), son of Baldwin II, joinly with:
Baldwin III (958-962), son of Arnulf I
Arnulf II (964-988), son of Baldwin III
Baldwin IV the Bearded (988-1037), son of Arnulf II
Baldwin V de Lille (1037-1067), son of Baldwin IV
Baldwin VI (1067-1070), son of Baldwin V, Count of Hainaut
Arnulf III (1070-1071), son of Baldwin VI, Count of Hainaut
Robert I the Frisian (1071-1093), son of Baldwin V
Robert II (1093-1111), son of Robert I
Baldwin VII Hapkin (1111-1119), son of Robert II

House of Estridsen 

Charles I the Good (1119-1127), cousin of Baldwin VII, designated by him

House of Normandy 

William I Clito (1127-1128), great-grandson of Baldwin V,  designated by Louis VI of France

House of Alsace or House of Metz 

Theodoric (1128-1168), grandson of Robert I, recognised by Louis VI of France
Philip I (1168-1191), son of Theodoric
Margaret I (1191-1194), daughter of Theodoric,
jointly with her husband Baldwin of Hainaut

2nd House of Flanders 

Baldwin VIII (1191-1194), husband of Margaret I, patrilineal great-great-grandson of Baldwin VI, also Count of Hainaut
Baldwin IX (1194-1205), son of Baldwin VIII, also Latin Emperor of Constantinople
Joan I (1205-1244), daughter of Baldwin IX, jointly with
Ferdinand (1212-1233)
Thomas (1237–1244)
Margaret II (1244-1278), sister of Joan, married first to Burchard IV of Avesnes and then William of Dampierre
jointly with her sons from second marriage, William III of Dampierre (1247-1251) and Guy of Dampierre (1251-1305)
In 1244, the Counties of Flanders and Hainaut were claimed by Margaret II's sons, the half-brothers John I of Avesnes and William III of Dampierre in the War of the Succession of Flanders and Hainault. In 1246, King Louis IX of France awarded Flanders to William.

House of Dampierre 

William I (1247-1251), son of Margaret II and William II of Dampierre
Guy I (1251-1305), son of Margaret II and William II of Dampierre, also Count of Namur
Robert III ("the Lion of Flanders") (1305-1322), son of Guy
Louis I (1322-1346), grandson of Robert III
Louis II (1346-1384), son of Louis I
Margaret III (1384-1405), daughter of Louis II,
jointly with her husband, Philip II

House of Burgundy 

John the Fearless (1405-1419), son of Margaret III and Philip II of Burgundy
Philip III the Good (1419-1467), son of John
Charles II the Bold (1467-1477), son of Philip the Good
Mary the Rich (1477-1482), daughter of Charles the Bold, jointly with her husband Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor

House of Habsburg 

Philip IV the Handsome (1482-1506), son of Mary and Maximilian
Charles III (1506-1555), son of Philip, also Holy Roman Emperor (as Charles V) and King of Spain (as Charles I)

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

Philip V (1555-1598), son of Charles III, also King of Spain as Philip II
Isabella Clara Eugenia (1598-1621), daughter of Philip II,
jointly with her husband Albert, Archduke of Austria)
Philip VI (1621-1665), grandson of Philip III, also King of Spain as Philip IV
Charles IV (1665-1700), son of Philip IV, also King of Spain as Charles II
Philip VII (House of Bourbon) (1700-1706), great-grandson of Philip IV

Between 1706 and 1714 Flanders was invaded by the English and the Dutch during the War of the Spanish Succession. The fief was claimed by the House of Habsburg and the House of Bourbon. In 1713, the Treaty of Utrecht settled the succession and the County of Flanders went to the Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg.

Charles V (1714-1740), great grandson of Philip III, also Holy Roman Emperor (elect)
Maria Theresa (1740-1780), daughter of Charles IV, jointly with
Francis I (1740-1765)
Joseph I (1780-1790), son of Maria Theresa and Francis I
Leopold (1790-1792), son of Maria Theresa and Francis I
Francis II (1792-1835), son of Leopold, also Holy Roman Emperor

The title was abolished after revolutionary France annexed Flanders in 1795. Francis II relinquished his claim on the Low Countries in the Treaty of Campo Formio of 1797. The area remained part of France until the end of the Napoleonic Wars.

References 

Counts and countesses of Flanders
History of France