Editing Hook and Cod wars (section)

== Margaret of Bavaria vs William V (1349–1357) ==

=== William's first attempt to become Count of Holland ===
In 1349 Margaret decided that it would be better if William of Bavaria became count of Holland and Zeeland, while she would remain Count of Hainault with William as her lieutenant. In return she wanted to have 15,000 gold guilders, and 6,000 guilders each year. Neither Beaumont nor the cities of Holland were prepared to agree with these conditions, but William then started to style himself as Count of Holland and Zeeland.{{sfn|Blok|1923|p=323}} The Egmonds, Heemskerks and Wateringens, later known as Cods now started to appear in the county's charters. 

Meanwhile the bishop had attacked Holland shortly after 25 March 1349. He besieged and burned the small Holland city [[Oudewater]]. The army of Holland then marched to [[Schoonhoven]], where it was beaten. On 24 August a truce was made till 11 November 1350.{{sfn|Aurelius|De Hamer|2011|p=212r}}

Margaret had meanwhile travelled from Bavaria to Hainaut. She summoned her unruly son to [[Le Quesnoy]]. Here William begged for forgiveness in April 1350. With William removed from Holland, Margaret seems to be in control, but none of the causes of the troubles had been solved.

[[File:Delft Stadhuis Turm (Blick von der Nieuwe Kerk) 1.jpg|thumb|Belfort from 1275 above Delft city hall]]
The trigger that led to open hostilities was the assassination of the Cod lord Claes Dirkszoon van Zwieten van Drakenburg. This happened on 23 August 1350. The city of Delft and its allies reacted by attacking their enemies, robbing, plundering and taking prisoners. The city next held trials after which a number of prisoners were decapitated and [[breaking wheel|wheeled]]. The trials and executions were a direct infringement on the [[high, middle and low justice|high justice]] of the count of Holland.{{sfn|Van den Bergh|1842|p=213}} Meanwhile there was also a conspiracy between part of the nobility and the Bishop of Utrecht.{{sfn|Blok|1923|p=324}}

In September 1350 Margaret and William were both in Geertruidenberg, where William renounced his pretensions on 27 September 1350.{{sfn|Van Mieris|1754|p=786}} [[John II, Lord of Polanen|John of Polanen]], [[Dirk III van Brederode|Dirk van Brederode]] and their party offered to help Margaret.{{sfn|Van den Bergh|1842|p=215}} In September 1350 they signed the [[Hook Alliance Treaty]]. Meanwhile the dissatisfied nobles and cities formed the Cod League. The earliest proof of the [[Cod Alliance Treaty|Cod Alliance]]{{sfn|Van Mieris|1754|p=778}} dates from November 1350.

Margaret and the Hook lords then tried to restore order from Geertruidenberg. They summoned all suspected subjects to send hostages to await their judgement. However, those of Delft and their allies simply did not appear, and said that everything had been done by the orders of their true lord Count William.{{sfn|Van den Bergh|1842|p=216}} In the council of nobles and cities that Margaret held, William denied this. He then sent open letters to Delft and other cities, ordering them to submit to Margaret. Delft and its allies simply kept the letters, and conspired with the Bishop of Utrecht, who burned the [[Binnenhof]] in The Hague.{{sfn|Van den Bergh|1842|p=217}} Margaret stayed in Geertruidenberg till at least 23 October 1350.{{sfn|Van den Bergh|1842|p=215}}

With Delft and many cities north of the [[Hollandse IJssel]] in open rebellion, Margaret now summoned the council and commoners of the area south of the Hollandse IJssel to Dordrecht. Here a ceremony was held in which the abdication of William was repeated. Margaret then sent William to Hainaut.{{sfn|Van den Bergh|1842|p=218}}

[[File:Nobelpoort_Zierikzee.JPG|thumb|The Nobelpoort in Zierikzee]]
Margaret next continued to Zeeland to restore order there. She went to [[Zierikzee]] to become acknowledged there, and to handle some court cases. While there, she summoned William and John of Beaumont. She wanted to make Beaumont her lieutenant in Holland, Zeeland, and Friesland. Her only condition was that she would retain the high justice. This made the offer unacceptable to Beaumont, and so both returned to Hainaut.{{sfn|Van den Bergh|1842|p=220}}{{sfn|Blok|1923|p=324}} In October 1350 Margaret then started negotiations with [[Edward III of England]]. The idea was that he would use force to take control in Holland, Zeeland and Friesland, and would be compensated by getting temporary custody of the area.{{sfn|Van Mieris|1754|p=786}}

=== William rebels ===
The attempt to make Beaumont lieutenant might have been reason for William to fear a complete loss of his pretensions. Gerard van Herlaer advised him to contact the Cod party again. In the night of 1-2 February 1351 Gerard van Herlaar and Gerard van Merxem succeeded in freeing William of Bavaria from Burbant Castle in [[Ath]].{{sfn|Van Doornmalen|2017|p=95}} William then formally allied himself with the Cod party, which acknowledged him as their count. He also allied with the Bishop of Utrecht.{{sfn|Blok|1923|p=324}}

Margaret reacted by making her son Louis her formal heir, and by seeking aid from England.{{sfn|Rymer|1740|p=59}} In early 1351 Margaret, her son Duke Louis, and the Lords of Borselen and went to Dordrecht to attempt to subdue William again. While Dordrecht, Middelburg and Zierikzee allied with Margaret, William was acknowledged by [[Kennemerland]] and [[West Friesland (region)|West-Friesland]]. Diplomatic action by Beaumont and the Queen of England failed. In April 1351 Margaret moved to Calais to negotiate with the English. William then seized Dordrecht. [[Wolfert III van Borselen]] joined William, causing Middelburg to flip to William's side.{{sfn|Blok|1923|p=325}}

=== A short war ===
The civil war now erupted in earnest. William of Bavaria's first moves were directed against the many castles that the Hook party held in Holland. Most of these were quickly conquered, others offered significant resistance. On 21 May 1351 [[Rosenburgh Castle]] surrendered after a violent siege. The count then moved on to take [[Polanen Castle]] in June 1351. In the same campaign, [[Binckhorst Castle]] was also taken after significant resistance. In the north [[Radboud Castle|Medemblik Castle]] offered significant resistance and was besieged in March-April 1351. 

On 15 May 1351 William succeeded in concluding a peace which ended the war with Utrecht, which had started in 1345. This was also important, because the parties would also evict each other's enemies from their territory.{{sfn|Van Mieris|1754|p=791}} Meanwhile, some of the stronger Hook castles could not be taken that quickly. [[Brederode Castle]] would only surrender on 23 October 1351. [[Oud Haerlem Castle]], owned by [[John II, Lord of Polanen|John II of Polanen]] would hold out into 1352. This also applied to [[Geertruidenberg Castle]]. Its [[Siege of Geertruidenberg (1351-1352)|blockade and siege]] would last from December 1351 to July 1352.{{sfn|Van Doornmalen|2017|p=96}}

On the other hand [[Edward III of England]], husband of Margaret's sister [[Philippa of Hainault|Philippa]], sent a fleet to Margaret's aid. This was initially successful. In May 1351 Margaret's combined forces won the [[Battle of Veere]]. Wolfert III van Borselen died soon after, but it seems that Margaret was not able to profit from her victory. I.e. Middelburg continued to hold William's side.

About six weeks later, the victorious Hooks and their English allies sailed up the Meuse. On 4 July 1351 they fought the [[Battle of Vlaardingen (1351)|Battle of Zwartewaal]] on the [[Oude Maas|Old Meuse]]. It was a clear victory for William and the Cods. The English admiral and many Hooks were killed. The outcome ruined Margaret's cause. William quickly moved south to start a [[Siege of Zierikzee (1351)]], which surrendered in October. 

In December 1351 Margaret hanged her last strongholds in Holland (Geertruidenberg Castle, the castle of Vreeland on the Vecht, and [[Oud Haerlem Castle]] near Heemskerk) over to King Edward, who changed sides soon afterwards.{{sfn|Blok|1923|p=325}} In February 1352 William married Edward's cousin [[Maud, Countess of Leicester|Maud of Lancaster]]. Margaret returned to Hainaut and did not succeed in rekindling the war.

=== Peace between Margaret and her son ===
In December 1354 Margaret came to an understanding with her son. William was recognized as count of Holland and Zeeland, she of [[County of Hainaut|Hainaut]]. William would pay a large amount of money and a pension to his mother. Prisoners were released, and a general amnesty was proclaimed.{{sfn|Blok|1923|p=326}}

In July 1356 Margaret died. It left William in possession of the entire Holland-Hainaut inheritance. William did not enjoy his victory for long. In late Summer 1357 he went to England. Shortly after his return he showed signs of insanity. It became so serious that his wife and council decided to call over his younger brother Albert. The count was then locked up, first in The Hague, and then in [[Le Quesnoy]], where he would live imprisoned for 31 years until his death.{{sfn|Blok|1923|p=326}}