HISTORAE DE HARNE

History of the Counts of Harnes

The land of Harnes in ancient times was an expanse of wetlands and odious bogs located at the headwaters of the Deule River, a tributary of the Scheldt (Schelde) River of Belgium. In fact, the name Harnes is probably derived from harn or hearn, an old Flemish word that means a marsh or swamp. Thus, Harnes in ancient times must have been a very wet and inhospitable place.

St. Martin, the much venerated Bishop of Tours, is said to have built around 383 A.D. a small chapel on some high dry ground in the land of Harnes. Martin of Tours made many converts among the people of the marshes, and a small community quickly grew up around his chapel. Although the land was ultimately overrun, and the chapel destroyed, during the Barbarian invasions of the Vth century, the village of Harnes survived and exists to this day.

The bogs of ancient Harnes are gone now, the land having been drained long ago to make way for farmlands and fields. Yet prehistoric bogs, far more ancient than those that St. Martin knew, remain in the form of coal beds in the underground coal mines of nearby Courriers. The prosperity once afforded by these mines brought many newcomers to Harnes, and the town by 1975 had grown to nearly 14,000 people. Unfortunately, most of these mines are closed today, the coal seams having played out, and many families must now commute to jobs in the giant industrial city of Lille, located just a few miles to the northeast.

Vikings began raiding the coasts of northern Europe in the IXth century and sailed their longboats up many rivers, including the Scheldt and Deule, in search of plunder. Entire towns were looted and burned; and the King of France, apparently powerless to stop the Norsemen, withdrew his troops, thereby abandoning the lowlands of the Scheldt to the raiders.

Because the people were left to fend for themselves, the land, in essence, could be claimed by anyone able to defend it from the Vikings. In this the local nobles did well, and they created for themselves several small counties that existed, more or less, independent of the crown. Despite later attempts by the king to reclaim his old lands, these nobles lived well, prospered, and were called reguli or "small kings". The Count of Flanders, Arnold the Old, was the most powerful of these reguli, and he kept the French King at bay for many years. However, when Count Arnold died the king quickly invaded and forced the new count and his followers to once more swear allegiance the crown.

Although the Abbey of St. Peters of Ghent on Mt. Blandin succeeded St. Martin’s chapel as the owner of the land of Harnes, the abbey lost its claim to these lands in the aftermath of the Norse invasions. Nonetheless, Arnold the Old reinstated the abbey’s ownership in 941, and his grandson, Arnold II, confirmed this donation in 966 or 972. The abbey chose not to work the land itself but entrusted its care to the old lords who ruled Harnes as stewards of the church. These nobles called themselves the "Mayors of the Palace of St. Peters of Ghent at Harnes", and they ruled Harnes from a castle on the north bank of the Deule. The first of these mayors were the powerful counts of Boulogne and Lens. Later, around 1072, Harnes was separated from Boulogne and Lens, and these mayors became vassals to the Count of Flanders. Eventually, they were known as counts in their own right and ruled Harnes as vassals of the Count of Artois.

The Name of Harnes

St. Martin's chapel and the surrounding marshlands were originally part of the ancient Roman civitate of Atrebatum (Arras), one of 115 administrative districts that composed the frontier province of Belgica Segunda. Rome ruled these lands for more than four centuries; but the Salic Franks, an invading barbarian tribe from Germany, forced the Romans out of Belgica Segunda in 406 A.D. and occupied most of the Scheldt River drainage.

Although Latin was spoken throughout the province, it was quickly replaced by an ancient form of German when the Franks replaced the Romans as masters of the Scheldt. It was probably about this time that the marshes of the upper Deule became known as the land of Harnes. Most likely, "harn" is an old Frankish word that means dirty or discolored water and was used to describe any off-color liquid ranging from urine to the foul, stagnant water of a bog. With time, "harn" came to mean a marsh or bog in medieval Flemish, a language derived from the old Frankish tongue. Interestingly, the same word in medieval German, another language derived from the old Frankish tongue, came to mean urine. In addition, "tarn", a similar sounding word used in parts of England and Scotland, denotes a marsh and probably derives from the language of the Frisians, an invading Germanic tribe from across the channel who were closely related to the Franks. Consequently, the land of Harnes can loosely be translated as "the land of dirty water".

The Early Lords of Harnes

In 860 the Forester of Bruges, Baldwin Iron-arm, kidnapped for his bride the daughter of Charles the Bald, the Emperor of France. Charles later forgave Baldwin; and, after changing Baldwin’s title to that of the Count of Flanders, he charged his new son-in-law with the defense of the northern coasts, in particular the drainage of the Scheldt River. When Count Baldwin died he was succeeded by his son Baldwin the Bald. The new count took advantage of the chaos wrought by Viking invaders and made himself a margrave, the title of a count of several counties, by forcefully subjecting many of the neighboring nobles. Baldwin’s cousin Ralph was margrave of the counties to the south of Flanders, a march that included the land of Harnes and the future county of Artois. When Ralph died in 892 Baldwin seized these lands and added them to his own march. Later, Baldwin’s lands were divided into the counties of Boulogne, Flanders, and Lens, with Harnes attached to the northern part of Lens.

The succession and lineage of the Counts of Boulogne is uncertain and confusing. What follows is based largely on research by the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy, which is repeated in large part on the Racines et Histoire website.

(864-879) - Baldwin I "Iron-arm" (d. 879), appointed lay abbot of the abbey of St. Peters of Ghent.

(879-918) - Baldwin II "the Bald", Markgrave of Flanders (d. 918), son of Baldwin I.

(918-933) - Adalof, Count of Boulogne (d. 933), son of Baldwin II.

(933-964/965) - Arnold I "the Old", Markgrave of Flanders (d. 964/965), brother of Adalof, and son of Baldwin II.

(965-972) - Arnold I, Count of Boulogne (d. 972), nephew of Arnold I of Flanders, and son of Adalof of Boulogne.

(972 -973) - Baldwin I, Count of Boulogne (d. 973), illegitimate son of Adalof of Boulogne, he was regent of Flanders during the minority of his nephew Arnold II "the younger" of Flanders, who was the grandson of Arnold "the Old" of Flanders.

(973 -?) - Ernicule, Count of Boulogne, possibly a descendant of Arnold the Old.

Arnold II, Count of Boulogne, son of Ernicule.

Eustace I, Count of Boulogne, brother of Arnold II, and son of Ernicule.

Ardolph (d. after 996), Count of Guines and husband of Mathilde of Boulogne, the sister of Arnold II and Eustace I of Bologne. He was also the son of Siefried, Count of Guines, who married Elstrude the daughter of Arnold "the Old" of Flanders. He may have been Count of Bologne as well after the death of either Arnold II or Eustace I. He is possibly the same person who is identified in other sources as Guy of Guines.

(?-1033) - Baldwin II, Count of Boulogne (d. 1033), said to be a son of Guy (could this also be Ardolph?) of Guines, but this is not certain.

(1033-1047) - Eustace I, Count of Boulogne (d. 1049), possibly the son of Baldwin II, but this is not certain.

(1047-1054) - Lambert, Count of Lens (d. 1054), son of Eustace I. One source argues convincingly that Lambert was actually killed in 1047 at the Battle of Cassel, and was succeeded as Count of Lens by his son, also named Lambert, who was actually the one killed in 1054 at the battle of Lille. If so, the Lambert who became COunt of Lens would be the grandson of Eustace I.

(1054-1072) - Eustace II, Count of Boulogne & Lens (d. 1093), son of Eustace I, and either the brother or uncle of Lambert of Lens. Eustace II was the father of three heroes of the First Crusade. His eldest son, Godfrey of Bouillon (d. 1100), became Duke of Bouillon. The second son, Eustace III (d. 1125), succeeded his father as Count of Boulogne; and the youngest son, Baldwin I (d. 1118), became Count of Edessa and King of Jerusalem. Their father, Eustace II, was an ally of the Duke of Normandy, and he followed William the Conqueror on the invasion of England in 1066. Later, Eustace became an important landholder in Norman England, a reward no doubt for services rendered to William during the invasion.

The Counts of Harnes

The Count of Flanders, Robert the Frisian, divided the county of Lens in 1072 into the fiefs of Lens, Harnes, and Henin-Lietard. The towns of Harnes, Annay, and Loison were included in Harnes; whereas Lens, Henin, Lietard, Noyelles, Billy, and Montigny were divided between Lens and Henin-Lietard. Later, Pont-a-Vendin, Courriers, and Cuinchy were added to Harnes. The people of Harnes were literally owned by the nobles, and the nobles themselves served as vassals to the counts of Flanders. Nonetheless, the actual land did not belong to the lords, nor to the king, but to the abbey of St. Peters of Ghent by virtue of St. Martin's ancient chapel. As such, the lords of Harnes administered this land as stewards of the abbey. Originally, these lords were called mayors of the palace, but later they styled themselves as counts.

(1072-?) - Michel I, possibly a son or relative of Lambert of Lens, although none of the surviving medieval sources seem to indicate such.

(?-c.1120) - Michel II, probably a son of Michel II.

(c.1120-1126/27) - Drogo, the brother of Michel II.

(1126/27-1151) - Michel III (d. 1151), a son of Michel II.

(1151-1198) - Michel IV (d. 1198), the son of Michel III.

(1189?-1192?) - Philip of Boelare (d. 1196/97), the son of Michel IV. Philip probably ruled Harnes while his father was off fighting in the Holy Land during the Third Crusade.

(1198-1207) - Michel V, "le Chevalier-trouvere" or "the knight-trouvere" (d. before 1231), the younger son of Michel IV. Michel ruled Harnes during the minority of his nephew, Michel of Boelare. Since both are known as Michel V, they are easily confused. The "trouvere" were medieval balladeers who composed epic poems in "langue d’oui", the dialect of northern France. Michel bears this description since he commissioned a copy, in French not Latin, of one of the popular medievel romances - a chronicle of Charlemagne and his general Roland falsely attributed to Archbishop Turpin of Reims.

(1207-1229/30) - Michel V of Harnes, II of Boelare (d. 1229/30), the son of Philip of Boelare.

(1229/30-1248) - Philippa of Harnes (d.1248), the daughter of Michel V, the knight-trouvere.

(1229/30-1248) - Hugh IV of Antoing (d. after 1246), the husband of Philippa of Harnes.

(1285-1302) - John (Hugh) II, "le Mangeur" or "the Destroyer" (killed at the battle of Courtrai in 1302), the elder son of Hugh I. John ruled the southeast half of the land of Harnes and was known as the lord of Harnes and Pont-a-Vendin.

(1296-1302) - Michel VII (killed at the battle of Courtrai in 1302), the younger son of Hugh I. Michel ruled the northwest half of the land of Harnes and was known as the lord of Cuinchy.

(1302-1321) - Michel VIII (d. 1321), the son of Michel VI.

(1321) - Robert (d. 1321), the son of Michel VII.

(1321-?) - Michel IX (d. between 1330 & 1340), the son of Michel VIII.

(?-1340?) - Englebert I, the brother of Michel IX. Englebert became a monk and left the responsibilities of the countship to others.

(?-1340) - Margaret of Reyghersvliet, the widow of Michel IX.

(?-1340) - John VII of Ghistelle (killed at the battle of Crecy in 1346), the second husband of Margaret of Reyghersvliet.

(1340-1354) - The House of Lens, probably Gerard VI, Count of Rasseghem, Lens and Liederkerke or his heirs. Gerard was a distant cousin of Michel IX.

(1354-?) - John VIII of Ghistelle, the son of John VII of Ghistelle and Margaret of Reyghersvliet. It is probable that either the King of France or the Constable of France forced John to renounce the countship after John fought on the side of the King of England during a conflict between England and France.

(?-1364) - Englebert IV of Enghien (d. 1402), the nephew of the Constable of France. Englebert was probably a temporary military governor who administered Harnes and possibly some of the surrounding lands in the aftermath of one of the conflicts of the Hundred Years War.

(1364-1380) - William of Reyghersvliet (killed at the siege of Tenremonde in 1380), probably a younger son of John VII of Ghistelle and Margaret of Reyghersvliet.

(1380-1385/86) - John IX of Ghistelle, the Great (d. 1414), the son of John VIII of Ghistelle.

(1386-1413) - Isabeau of Ghistelle (d. 1413), the cousin of John IX of Ghistelle and probably a daughter of Willliam of Reyghersvliet.

(1386-1390) - Hugh IX of Antoing, II of Melun & Viscount of Ghent, the first husband of Isabeau of Ghistelle.

(1390-1408) - Robert VIII of Bethune (d.1408), the second husband of Isabeau of Ghistelle.

(1413-1442) - Jacqueline of Bethune (d. 1442), the daughter of Robert VIII of Bethune and Isabeau of Ghistelle.

(1413-1442) - Raoul of Ailly, Lord of Picquigny (d. 1463) the husband of Jacqueline of Bethune.

(1442-1458) - John of Ailly, Lord of Picquigny (d. 1492), the son of Raoul of Ailly and Jacqueline of Bethune.

An argument arose in 1458 between the King of France, Charles VII, and the Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Good, over the jurisdiction of the lands along the Somme River. Because the castle of Picquigny was among those lands in dispute, John of Ailly was forced into the conflict. As counselor and chamberlain of Charles VII, John sided with his king, thereby arousing the wrath of Duke Philip. Consequently, the Duke threw John into prison, after which several lords immediately laid claim to John’s lands. Among these claimants were:

• John of Burgundy, Count of Etampes (d. 1491), brother-in-law of John of Ailly and a cousin of Philip the Good.

• Louis of Luxembourg, Count of St. Pol & Constable of France (beheaded in 1475), the husband of the heiress of Ghistelle.

• Charles VII, King of France (d. 1461), the sovereign of John of Ailly.

After Charles VII died in 1461, he was succeeded as King of France by his son Louis IX. The new king immediately negotiated a treaty with Philip the Good. Consequently, Duke Philip renounced the Burgundian claim to the Somme Valley. The duke then released John of Ailly from prison, and after exiling the former count to the court of France, dissolved the countship of Harnes and assumed direct authority over John’s lands. Nonetheless, the local lords, all former vassals of John, continued to rule the county in the name of their exiled sire. The countship remained unfilled until sometime shortly before 1536 when the King of France, Francis I, revived it during a war with Spain in order to protect his interests in the area.

(?-1558) - Englebert II, probably a nephew of John of Ailly.

Although Englebert II was named Count of Harnes by Francis I of France, he served as vassal to both the King of France and the King of Spain. When Philip II of Spain invaded Artois in 1558 during a war with France, he found himself with his army in the vicinity of Harnes and sent a herald to Count Englebert requesting hospitality. The Count of Harnes, no friend to the Spanish cause, told the herald to "say to the king that hospitality is impossible, as there is no more chateau of Harnes". He then set fire to the documents, furniture, and buildings of his manor house. When that was done, the count fled to the Abbey of Saint Peters of Ghent and became a monk. A year before his death, Englebert bequeathed his title and possessions to the abbey, thereby leaving his heir and nephew, Denys de Harne, to earn his bread by the sword.

Ultimately, the Spaniards were victorious. Unfortunately, Spanish rule of the Low Countries, as the Scheldt drainage was called, was one of fierce oppression of any faiths that failed to follow strict Catholic doctrine. The Protestant Wars of Rebellion grew out of this intolerance, and continual warfare devastated the region for many years. Hoping to escape these religious wars, the sons of Denys de Harne, Jean and Simon, left the land of their birth sometime in the early 1600s and settled in Ypres. Their descendants prospered and were generally government magistrates and officers of the city.

The Constables of Flanders

The constable, or count of the stables, was initially the commander of his lord’s cavalry, but later the office developed into that of a military commander-in-chief. Thierry (Theodoric) of Alsace became Count of Flanders in 1127 after a long and bitter civil war. The next year, Thierry awarded the office of constable to an ally Michel III of Harnes, who was probably a descendent of the Counts of Lens. Although prior to Michel’s appointment, the constables served at the whim of the count, this office became a hereditary position after 1128 and was generally held by the descendants of Michel.

(1128-1151) - Michel III of Harnes (d. 1151), appointed constable by Thierry of Alsace.

(1151-1161) - Henry of Bourbourg, served as constable during the minority of Michel IV.

(1161-1189?) - Michel IV of Harnes (d. 1198), the son of Michel III.

(1189?-1196/97?) - Philip of Boelare (d. 1196/97), the son of Michel IV.

(1196/97?-1207) - Michel V of Harnes, le Chevalier-trouvere (d. before 1231), the brother of Philip of Boelare. Michel ruled during the minority of his nephew.

(1207-1229/30) - Michel V of Harnes, II of Boelare (d. 1229/30), the elder son of Philip I of Boelare.

(1229/30- 1249?) - Philip II of Boelare (d. 1249), the younger son of Philip I of Boelare.

Philip II left no male heirs and, although it is not stated, it seems probable that the office of constable passed to his son-in-law, Razo VIII of Liederkerke (d. 1306/1308). Because Razo was Philip’s successor to the Peerdom of Boelare, his ascension to the office of constable becomes even more probable when we learn that in 1295 his son, Razo IX (d. 1323), is both Peer of Boelare and standard bearer of Flanders. Apparently, the standard bearer in earlier times was also the constable. Most likely, the responsibilities of the constable were separated after the death of Razo VIII, with Razo IX becoming the standard bearer and Razo’s cousin Michel VIII of Harnes becoming the new constable.

(1249?-?) - Razo VIII of Liederkerke (d. (1306/1308), the son-in-law of Philip II of Boelare.

(?-1321) - Michel VIII of Harnes (d. 1321), a descendent of Michel V, le Chevalier-trouvere.

(1321-?) - Michel IX of Harnes?, the son of Michel VIIl. Although Michel IX is never referred to as the constable of Flanders, it is assumed that he succeeded to that office after the death of his father.

Michel IX of Harnes died sometime between 1330 and 1340, most likely a victim of the Black Plaque or the Hundred Years War between France and England. After his death, the direct line of the Counts of Harnes dies out, and it is difficult to ascertain what happens to the office of constable. Possibly, it passed to the house of Antoing, a Flemish family closely related to the lords of Harnes. These nobles, as Viscounts of Ghent, were castellans of Gravensteen, a mighty castle located in Ghent on the banks of the Scheldt River. Because this stronghold was the mightiest fortress in Flanders, as well as the primary residence of the counts of Flanders, its castellans were essentially the chief military officers of Flanders and second in power only to the Count himself.

The House of Ghistelle, which inherited the lands of Harnes from the Antoing family, was sympathetic to the English cause, and it seem unlikely that the Count of Flanders, who at the time supported France, would have allowed the lords of Ghistelle to become the constables of Flanders. When a constable reappears in the French court a hundred years later, he is one the lords of Antoing.

Castles and Castellans

Several members of the House of Harnes were castellans, or castle-keepers. The first stronghold associated with the family is the castle of Harnes which was built sometime between 920 and 960, probably by Count Arnold I of Flanders, on a low hill in the land of Harnes, possibly the same site that once held St. Martin’s chapel. Shops and houses sprang up around this fortress, and today the same site is the central square of the town of Harnes. Later, the castle became a French fortress, and it was apparently attacked and burned by the Flemish during a revolt against the French in 1316. The castle remained in French hands until 1493 when the Emperor Maximillian of Austria had it dismantled during a war with France.

The Counts of Harnes were also the castellans of Cassel, another fortress just a days ride to the north of Harnes. Michel III acquired Cassel around 1139, possibly through an inheritance. This castle remained in family until 1218 when Michel II of Boelare (V of Harnes) sold it to Countess Joan of Flanders.

Three nobles related to the House of Harnes were castellans of Gravensteen, a great Flemish castle that was once the primary residence of the Counts of Flanders and to this day still stands in the old city center of Ghent. These castellans were: 1) Hugh V of Antoing, the husband of Phillipa of Harnes and father of Michel VII of Harnes; 2) John of Lens, a grandson of Hugh IV and cousin of Michel VII; and 3) Hugh IX of Antoing, who was Count of Harnes in name of his wife, Isabeau of Ghistelle.

The Peers of Boelare

There existed in Flanders several powerful lords, among them the sires of Boelare, who were known as the peers of Flanders. Because the peers controlled castles along the frontiers of Flanders, they formed the first line of defense along the county borders- a responsibility which entitled them to certain powers not enjoyed by other vassals to the Count of Flanders. For example, the peers formed a court able to pass sentence on the count, and it was their duty to choose a new count if the old count died without an heir. Thus, the college of the peers formed a check on the power of the count, and collectively they were considered his equals.

(972?-after 1166) - Stephen I is the first lord of Boelare of whom there is record. He was followed by four descendants, all named Stephen. However, the direct line of the peers died out sometime between 1166 and 1175, and the peerdom passed to Nicholas of Boelare, a probable descendent of Stephen III.

(before 1175) - Nicholas of Boelare, probably a great grandson of Stephen III. Nicholas married Ada of Le Roeulx, a granddaughter of Count Baldwin II of Hainaut. Ada probably outlived her husband and held the peerdom until it passed in dowry to her daughter’s husband.

(before 1195) - Alice (Ada) of Boelare, the daughter of Nicholas of Boelare and Ada of Le Roeulx. Alice is easily confused with both her mother and with another Ada who was her mother’s husband.

(?-1196/97) - Philip I of Harnes and Boelare (d. 1196/97), the husband of Ada of Boelare. Philip received the peerdom in dowry from his wife.

(?-1229/30) - Michel II of Boelare, V of Harnes (d. 1229/30), the elder son of Alice of Boelare and Philip of Harnes.

(1229/30-?) - Philip II of Boelare, a younger son of Alice of Boelare and Philip of Harnes.

(?-after 1249) - Aleyde of Boelare, the daughter of Philip II of Boelare.

(?-c.1295) - Razo VIII of Liederkerke (d. 1306/1308), the husband of Aleyde of Boelare.

(c.1295-1323) - Razo IX of Liederkerke (d. 1323), the son of Razo VIII of Liederkerke and Aleyde of Boelare.

After the death of Razo IX, the lands of Boelare passed to the House of Harnes. When Flanders became part of the Duchy of Burgundy in 1389, the Flemish peerdoms became meaningless positions, and the title disappears from use.

Knights of the Crusades

Several of the lords of Harnes participated in the Crusades. Either Michel I or Michel II probably followed their cousins, Godfrey of Bouillon and/or Baldwin II of Boulogne, on the First Crusade (1096-1099). Another de Harnes, Michel III, was the constable of Thierry of Alsace and probably followed Thierry when Thierry initiated the Second Crusade (1147-1149). Michel V, the Knight-trouvere followed Baldwin IX of Flanders on the conquest of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade (1202-1204). and became a French hero at the battle of Bouvines on French soil in 1214. Michel VI and/or his son Hugh I followed King Louis IX (St. Louis) of France on at least one of his crusades (1250 or 1270).

Armes de Harnes

The widespread use of armor during the middle ages made the identification of an armored knight on horseback difficult and led to the practice of knights wearing identifying emblems so that friend might be distinguished from foe on the field of battle. At first, these emblems were personal, and each knight was free to choose his own. Later, emblems became associated with certain families and were passed down from generation to generation. Traditions soon developed governing the use of these insignia, and these traditions eventually became formalized into law. Typically, the eldest son inherited the family emblem when his father died, and younger sons assumed variations of the same emblem. Sometimes a knight used the emblem of his wife or mother if these women possessed lands or titles that he was destined to inherit.

Because knights of the XIIth century usually rode into battle with their family emblems emblazoned on their shields, these emblems became known as "arms". Later, knights of the XIIIth century embroidered their arms on the surcoats they wore over their chainmail armor. Hence, these hereditary insignia became known as "coats of arms".

The first known use of a coat of arms by a member of the House of Harnes was by Michel IV during the later part of the XIIth century. His arms (shown as his seal on the left) consisted of a silver shield of pretence on a red field. These same arms were displayed by his sons. The eldest son, Philip of Boelare, assumed arms identical to his father; while the younger son, Michel V of Harnes, le Chevalier-trouvere, differentiated his arms by placing a label of six points above a shield of pretence. Philip’s descendants adopted variations of the silver shield of pretence on a red field, and this design became the arms of the House of Boelare. As tradition demanded, the descendants of Michel V assumed different arms.

Phillipa of Harnes was the sole heir of Michel V and married Hugh IV of Antoing. Phillipa’s eldest son, Hugh V of Antoing, assumed the arms of his father, a gold rampant lion on a red field. Michel VI of Harnes, the younger son, differentiated his arms from those of his brother by placing a double tail on the lion and crossing the tail in saltire. Thereafter, the lords of Harnes displayed a rampant lion with double tail crossed in saltire, while the lords of Antoing displayed a rampant lion with single tail. The evolution of the arms displayed by various members of the House of Harnes is shown below

The de Haerne family of Belgium, direct descendants of the Counts of Harnes, display the same arms as Michel VI of Harnes (shown on left). Interestingly, the town of Harnes, a former holding of the family, displays not the arms of the old overlords, but the arms of the Abbey of St. Peters of Ghent (the medieval landholder of the town) consisting of three upright golden keys on a red field (shown on the right). Below are the arms of Desire de Haerne, one of the signers of the Belgian Constitution, as shown on the front cover of a short monograph written in French.

• Shield - A gold rampant lion on a red field. The lion is open-mouthed, faces to the left, and has a double tail crossed in saltire.

• Helmet - The helmet of a French count with seven grills and two bars. Usually, the helmet is shown in profile in the pre-15th century fashion.

• Crest - The arm of a crusading knight holding a scimitar captured from a Saracen enemy of the Holy Land. Several lords of Harnes actually participated in the Crusades. Either Michel I or Michel II probably followed their cousins, Godfrey of Bouillon and/or Baldwin II of Boulogne, on the First Crusade (1096-1099). Another de Harnes, Michel III, was the constable of Thierry of Alsace and probably followed Thierry when Thierry initiated the Second Crusade (1147-1149). Michel V, the Knight-trouvere followed Baldwin IX of Flanders on the conquest of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade (1202-1204). and became a French hero at the battle of Bouvines on French soil in 1214. Michel VI and/or his son Hugh I followed King Louis IX (St. Louis) of France on at least one of his crusades (1250 or 1270).

• The head of a bull - the badge of the constables of Flanders - is also displayed as the crest on some versions of the de Harne armes. Most likely, the bull is the original crest and was worn by the lords of Harnes on their helmets when they rode into battle or to the tournament. If so, the arm of the crusading knight represents a later device used in illustrations and embroidery.

• Supporters - Two serfs bearing clubs. The left serf bears a red banner with a bull- the badge of the constables of Flanders. The right serf bears a red banner with a silver shield of pretence- the arms of the House of Boelare.

• Motto - "vivre sans honneur est mourir" - to live without honor is to die.

• War Cry - "Bury, Antoing!"

• Livery Colors - Red and gold.

revised March 1, 2010