Baldwin's father was named Audacer but little else is known of him. His family was related to the counts of Laon. Before holding Flanders Baldwin was already a count, probably at Ghent. Baldwin was in Senlis in 862. Somehow he decided to take Judith, the daughter of Charles the Bald, the king, for his wife. Judith, had been the wife of two English kings, Athelwulf († 858) and Athelbald († 860). On her return and still in her teens she was being held at the castle of Senlis by her father. Baldwin took Judith, the twice daughter of Charles the Bald, 