land. In 1102 Stephen Henry was
succeeded by his son, Theobald IV. the Great, who united the countship
of Troyes with his domains in 1128. In 1135, on the death of his
maternal uncle, Henry I., king of England, he was called to Normandy by
the barons of the duchy, but soon renounced his claims on learning that
his younger brother, Stephen, had just been proclaimed king of England.
In 1152 Theobald V. the Good, second son of Theobald IV., became count;
he died in 1191 in Syria, at the siege of Acre. His son Louis succeeded
in 1191, took part in the fourth crusade, and after the taking of
Constantinople was rewarded with the duchy of Nicaea. He was killed at
the battle of Adrianople in 1205, in which year he was succeeded by his
son, Theobald VI. the Young, who died childless. In 1218 the countship
passed to Margaret, eldest daughter of Theobald V., and to Walter
(Gautier) of Avesnes, her third husband.

The Chatillon branch of the counts of Blois began in 1230 with Mary of
Avesnes, daughter of Margaret of Blois and her husband, Hugh of
Chatillon, count of St Pol. In 1241 her brother, John of Chatillon,
became count of Blois, and was succeeded in 1279 by his daughter, Joan
of Chatillon, who married Peter, count of Alencon, fifth son of Louis
IX., king of France. In 1286 Joan sold the countship of Chartres to the
king of France. Hugh of Chatillon, her first-cousin, became count of
Blois in 1293, and was succeeded by his son, Guy I., in 1307. In 1342
Louis II., eldest son of Guy I., died at the battle of Crecy, and his
brother, Charles of Blois, disputed the duchy of Brittany with John of
Montfort. Louis III., eldest son of Louis II., became count in 1346, and
was succeeded by John II., second son of Louis II., in 1372. In 1381 Guy
II., brother of Louis III. and John II., succeeded in 1381, but died
childless. Overwhelmed with debt, he had sold the countship of Blois to
Louis I., duke of Orleans, brother of King Charles VI., who took
possession of it in 1397.

In 1498 the countship of Blois was united with the crown by the
accession of King Louis XII., grandson and second successor of Louis I.,
duke of Orleans.

See Bernier, _Histoire de Blois_ (1682); La Saussaye, _Histoire de la
ville de Blois_ (1846). (A. Lo.)

BLOMEFIELD, FRANCIS (1705-1752), English topographer of the county of
Norfolk, was born at Fersfield, Norfolk, on the 23rd of July 1705. On
leaving Cambridge in 1727 he was ordained, becoming in