John II, Duke of Brabant

John II van Brabant (September 27, 1275 – October 27, 1312, Tervuren), also called John the Peaceful, was Duke of Brabant, Lothier and Limburg (1294–1312). He was the son of John I of Brabant and Margaretha of Flanders, daughter of Guy of Dampierre.
John II succeeded his father in 1294During the reign of John II, Brabant continued supporting a coalition to stop French expansion. He tried to conquer South Holland (district of medieval Holland) from the pro-French count John II of Holland, but was not successful. John, who suffered from kidney stones and wanted his duchy to be peacefully handed over to his son upon his death, in 1312 signed the famous Charter of Kortenberg.
After his death in 1312John II was buried in the St. Michael and Gudula Cathedral in Brussels.

On July 8, 1290, John married Margaret Plantagenet in Westminster Abbey, London. She was a daughter of King Edward I of England and his first Queen consort Eleanor of Castile. Only one child was born out of this marriage:

• John III, Duke of Brabant.

John II had several illegitimate children:

• Jan van Corsselaer, was later named Lord of Witthem, Wailwilre, Machelen, la Rochette and Colonster.
• Jan van Wyvliet. Lord of Blaesveld and Kuyc. Married to Margaret Pipenpoy.
• Jan Cordeken. Emperor Ludwig later legitimized Jan Cordeken, Lord of Glymes and the charter dated to 27 August 1344 lists John II as the father and Elisabeth Gortygin as his mother.
• Jan Magermann. Married to Adelise d'Elsies.

• Oude Kronik van Brabant, p. 71.
• Annales Halesiensibus 1290, MHG SS XVI, p. 483.
• Florentii Wigornensis Monachi Chronicon, Continuatio, p. 243.
• Stubbs, W. (ed.) (1882) Annales Londonienses and Annales Paulini (London), Annales Londonienses, p. 98.
• Genealogia Ducum Brabantiæ Ampliata 14, MGH SS XXV, p. 397.
• Butkens (1724), Vol. I, Preuves, p. 145, "Extraict des registres de la ville de Malines".
• Butkens (1724), Vol. I, Preuves, p. 144, "Extraict des registres de la ville de Malines".
• Butkens (1724), Vol. I, Preuves, p. 146, "Extraicts des chartes de la maison de Berges sur Soom".