Background
He was the son of Gerard, Lord of Egmond and an unknown mother, possibly Beatrix, daughter of Wouter of Haarlem, or Mabilia. He became Lord of Egmond after his father"s death around Christmas 1242.
He was the son of Gerard, Lord of Egmond and an unknown mother, possibly Beatrix, daughter of Wouter of Haarlem, or Mabilia. He became Lord of Egmond after his father"s death around Christmas 1242.
In 1258, he transferred the ambachtsheerlijkheden of Spanbroek, Oudedorp, Oudkarspel and Wadeweij to Count Floris V of Holland. In return he is enfeoffed with the heerlijkheid of Warmhuizen. He purchased some territory to the North of Egmond, near Huisduinen and Bergen and starts to develop this area in the following years.
Willem participated in a campaign against Friesland in 1282 and was rewarded with tithes from the heerlijkheid of Hemert.
John I, Count of Holland invited him over for John"s wedding to Elizabeth of Rhuddlan in 1297.