Arnulf II, Count of Boulogne

Arnulf II of Boulogne (died 972) was Count of Boulogne from 964 to 972. He was the son of Count Adelolf of Boulogne. He succeeded as count in 964 after the death of his uncle Arnulf I, Count of Flanders, who was also Count of County of Flanders, and held it until his own death. He is the father of Arnulf III, Count of Boulogne, who succeeded him as Count of Boulogne.

Arnulf II
Count of Boulogne
Reign	964–after 31 January 972
Predecessor	Arnulf I (as Count of Flanders and Boulogne)
Successor	Arnulf III, Count of Boulogne
Born	Unknown
Died	after 31 January 972
Spouse(s)	Unknown
Issue	Arnulf III, Count of Boulogne
Father	Adelolf, Count of Boulogne
Mother	Unknown

Background

Arnulf was the son of Adelolf, Count of Boulogne, a younger son of Baldwin II, Count of Flanders. Adelolf died in 933, and the county of Boulogne passed under the control of his elder brother, Arnulf I, Count of Flanders. According to Vanderkindere, Arnulf II became count in 964 upon the death of Arnulf I, restoring Boulogne to Adelolf’s direct line.^[1]

No sources give a confirmed birth date for Arnulf II. His age at the time of succession is not recorded, but his appearance as count in 964 suggests he was likely an adult by that time.^[2]

Reign

Arnulf II's reign is sparsely documented. No surviving charters can be reliably attributed to him. A document dated 972 refers to a "Count Arnulf of Boulogne", but modern scholars such as Nicholas and Dhondt suggest it may be a later forgery or misattribution from the 11th century.^{[2] [3]}

His control appears to have remained limited to the immediate Boulogne region. There is no record of major ecclesiastical patronage or involvement in larger political events.

Family and succession

The name of Arnulf II’s wife is not known. He is generally regarded as the father of Arnulf III, Count of Boulogne, who succeeded him after 972. This paternal link is suggested by genealogical continuity but is not confirmed by any contemporary document.^[4]

Legacy

Arnulf II's primary historical role lies in preserving the hereditary comital rights of the Boulognese line. His succession ensured that the county remained within the lineage of Baldwin II through Adelolf. Although little is known of his reign, he represents a transitional figure in the broader consolidation of regional aristocratic rule in northern France during the 10th century.

See also

• House of Flanders
• Counts of Boulogne