The sources are conflicting about whether Count Herman or his wife was the child of Count Reginar [IV]. The Chronicon Hanoniense indirectly suggests that Herman was Reginar's son by naming "Hermanno comite qui post quamplures comites comitatum Hanoniensem iure hereditario possedit" and "eius uxore Richelde comitissa", while specifying that after the death of Count Herman his wife succeeded and "totam terram Hanoniensis comitatus tam de iure dotalicii quam de procuratione puerorum suorum tenuit". In addition, the Lamberti Annales record that "filius Baldewini" (referring to the son of Baudouin I Comte de Hainaut) inherited "comitatum Reginheri quondam comitis cum castello…Mons" which "mater eius" accepted as her dower from "priore marito", which certainly suggests that the latter was Reginar´s son. The sources which favour Herman's Hainaut origin are discussed by Van Overstraten, who also quotes an 18th century French translation of a version of an undated charter, dated to [1024/39], under which "Lietgarde…avec sa fille Wileburge" donated property to the abbey of Saint-Ghislain, subscribed by "Rainier comte de Hainau avec son fils Herman". This subscription does not appear in the 17th century Latin copy of the charter, which Van Overstraten also quotes. The original of the charter is lost. The relationship is corroborated by the Flandria Generosa which records the excommunication of Herman’s widow’s second husband for his marriage with "cognati sui Herimanni comitis uxorem". If Herman was the son of Comte Reginar [V], he would have been the first cousin once removed of Baudouin I Comte de Hainaut, the relationship being through the Capet family of Herman’s paternal grandmother. The term “cognatus” could describe such relationship....
He succeeded his father as HERMAN Comte de Hainaut, Comte de Mons.
The Annales Hanoniæ record the death of "Hermanno" in 1029, but presumably this is a transcription error for 1049. The necrology of Liège Saint-Lambert records the death "V Non Jul" of "Herimanni comitis", although it is not known whether this refers to Herman Comte de Mons. 2
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