• Born: Cambrai, Nord, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France
• Married:
• Died: After 8 Jul 949

  Research Notes:

Isaac's parentage is not known. The date when he was installed as Comte de Cambrai is not known. However, it was presumably before 8 Jun 908, the date of a charter under which "Hludowicus…rex" donated property "in pago Palanichoge in comitatu Egenonis in loco Ingilinstat" to Hatto Archbishop of Mainz after consulting "fidelium nostrorum comitum vero Burchardi, Egenonis et Ysaac". This document also suggests strongly that Isaac owed his appointment to the German king and therefore that at that time Cambrai must have been within Lotharingian jurisdiction. Although it is not completely certain that "Ysaac comes" in this charter was Isaac Comte de Cambrai, no other Count Isaac has been identified in the early 10th century. "Raginarius comes" and the abbot of Stavelot granted property "in pago Hasbanio in locis Honavi, Versines et Serangio" to "quidam fidelium nostrorum Harduinus" by charter dated 911, signed by "Ragenarii comitis, Issaac comitis, Macineri comitis…". "Isaac et Sigard comites" interceded for the church of Cambrai in a charter of Charles III "le Simple" King of the West Franks dated 22 May 916. The Gesta Episcorum Cameracensium records a dispute between "Isaac comes" and "Fulbertum episcopum". Flodoard's Annals record that "Berengarius" captured "Giselbertum" and only freed him after receiving "filiis Ragenarii fratris ipsius Gisleberti" as hostages, after which Giselbert ravaged the lands of "Berengarii, Ragenariique fratris sui et Isaac comitis". Flodoard also refers to "Ysaac comes" in his History of Reims. "…Isaac comitis…" subscribed the charter dated 11 Sep 918 under which "Elstrudis comitissa…cum filiis suis Arnulfo et Adelolfo" donated "hereditatem suam Liefsham…in terra Anglorum in Cantia" to Saint-Pierre de Gand, for the soul of "senioris sui Baldwini". A document dated 7 Nov 921 recording a meeting between Charles III "le Simple" King of France and Heinrich I King of Germany names "Matfredus, Erkengerus, Hagano, Boso, Waltherus, Isaac, Ragenberus, Theodricus, Adalardus, Adelelmus" as representatives of the former. Flodoard's Annals record that "Gislebertus…dux et Otho, Isaac atque Theodericus comites" offered the French crown to Louis IV "d'Outremer" King of the West Franks in 939. "…Isaac comitis, Arnulfi filii eius…" signed the charter dated 8 Jul 941 (“regnante Hludowico anno VI”) under which "Arnulfus…regis…marchysus" restored property to Saint-Pierre de Gand. Koch suggests that this chapter was originally dated 949 (“anno XIV”), the change having been made to make it appear that the document was an element of the reform of Gent abbey in 941. The Vita S. Humberti Maricolensis names "Isaac" as comte de Cambrai in a passage dated to 946. It is assumed that Isaac died before 30 Apr 948, the date of a charter under which Otto I King of Germany granted the abbey of Saint-Géry, to the exclusion of all lay authority, to the bishop of Cambrai, a step which the king would probably not have taken if a count of Isaac's seniority had still maintained jurisdiction in the town. This speculation must be incorrect if it is right, as mentioned above, that the charter dated 8 Jul 941, subscribed by Isaac, should be redated to 8 Jul 949. ³