• 
  
  • Kortrijk
• These early citadels will later evolve into castellanies, serving as centers of:
  • Local government
  • Militia organization
  • Judicial courts
• Baldwin also seizes lands abandoned by royal and ecclesiastical officials, expanding his territorial control in the absence of strong Carolingian authority.

The Anglo-Flemish Alliance: Baldwin’s Marriage to Ælfthryth (884)

• In 884, Baldwin marries Ælfthryth (Elfrida), daughter of King Alfred the Great of England.
• This Anglo-Flemish alliance strengthens Baldwin’s position against the Vikings, who continue to raid both England and Flanders.
• The immediate goal of the marriage is to help Baldwin control the lower Canche River valley, a region of strategic military and economic importance.

Legacy of Baldwin II’s Early Rule

• Transforms Flanders into a fortified region, securing its long-term independence.
• Establishes early structures of feudal governance, ensuring that Flemish rulers have strong regional control.
• Strengthens ties between Flanders and England, laying the foundation for future alliances between the two regions.

Despite the continuous Viking threat, Baldwin II successfully consolidates Flanders, turning a vulnerable borderland into one of the most powerful medieval principalities in Europe.