The French verse romance was composed circa 1200, commissioned by Countess Yolande (who is generally identified as Yolande, daughter of Baldwin IV, Count of Hainaut).
Count | Count Basie | County of Hainaut | count | Baldwin | Alec Baldwin | James Baldwin | Stanley Baldwin | Hainaut | Count Dracula | Baldwin Locomotive Works | The Count of Monte Cristo | William Baldwin | James Baldwin (writer) | Baldwin, Nassau County, New York | Imperial Count | Daniel Baldwin | Count of Flanders | Count of Barcelona | Count Basie Orchestra | Baldwin Spencer | Adam Baldwin | Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares | Count of Soissons | You Can Count on Me | Jean-Frédéric Phélypeaux, Count of Maurepas | Hainaut (province) | Count Palatine | Count palatine | Count of Paris |
The books contain elements of historical fiction, being set in the time of the Crusades and covering events like the Battle of Hattin, and including historical figures such as the leper king of Jerusalem Baldwin IV, the Muslim leader Saladin, and the Hashshashin of Alamut.
The lords of Ligne belonged to the entourage of the Count of Hainaut at the time of the Crusades.
While in Europe he also visited France on behalf of King Baldwin IV, to negotiate a marriage between Hugh III, Duke of Burgundy, and Baldwin's sister Sibylla, but the marriage never took place; Sibylla instead married Guy of Lusignan the next year.
King Albert II decided in 2001 to no longer award courtesy titles such as Count of Flanders, Count of Hainaut and Prince of Liège.