William II, Lord of Egmond

He was the son of Gerard, Lord of Egmond and an unknown mother, possibly Beatrix, daughter of Wouter of Haarlem, or Mabilia. He became Lord of Egmond after his father's death around Christmas 1242. Because he was still underaged, he was supervised by a regent, his second cousin Walter / Wouter "Stoutkind" ("naughty child") van Egmont until 1248.

In 1258, he transferred the ambachtsheerlijkheden of Spanbroek, Oudedorp, Oudkarspel and Wadeweij to Count Floris V of Holland. In return he is enfeoffed with the heerlijkheid of Warmhuizen. He purchased some territory to the North of Egmond, near Huisduinen and Bergen and starts to develop this area in the following years.

Willem participated in a campaign against Friesland in 1282 and was rewarded with tithes from the heerlijkheid of Hemert. John I, Count of Holland invited him over for John's wedding to Elizabeth of Rhuddlan in 1297. Later in the year William's wife died, and Gerard, his only son, died in 1300. Upon his death in 1304, he was succeeded by his grandson, William III.

Egmond coat of arms

Willem was married to Ada. They had at least two children:

• Gerard (c. 1260–1300), married Elisabeth van Strijen. Among their offspring were:
  • William III, Lord of Egmond (1281 - 1312)
  • Walter II, Lord of Egmond (1283 - 1321)
• Halewina (born c. 1285), married Henry of Cuyk, burgrave of Leiden

• List of Lords and Counts of Egmont

• Willem II van Egmond at www.slotkapel-egmond.nl
• Heren van Egmond, with references to primary sources
• Johannes a Leydis: Opusculum de gestis regalium abbatum monasterii sancti Athalberti ordinis sancti Benedicti in Egmonda, written between 1477 and 1484
• Willem Procurator: Chronicle, translated by M. Gumbert-Hepp and J.P. Gumbert (ed.), Uitgeverij Verloren, Hilversum, 2001