Henry, Duke of Lower Lorraine
Encyclopedia
Henry I was the count of Limburg and Arlon from 1082 to his death and duke of Lower Lorraine between 1101 to 1106. He was the son of Waleran I of Limburg
and Jutta, daughter of Frederick, Duke of Lower Lorraine
.
He opposed Egilbert, Archbishop of Trier
, and took back some property which the former Countess Adela had given to the church. Egilbert summoned him to return them, but he refused and was excommunicated. Egilbert took up arms and seriously defeated him.
As advocate of the abbey of Sint-Truiden
, a title he had inherited from his father, he intervened in the internal affairs of the abbey. The abbot Herman, named by Poppo, Bishop of Metz, and supported by Godfrey of Bouillon
and Henry, fell out with the Emperor Henry IV and the abbey was transferred to the authority of Arnold, Count of Loon. Arnold forced Henry and Godfrey to withdraw from the monastery.
After many local nobles left on the First Crusade
, among them Godfrey, Henry's power in the region of Belgia was greatly increased and he abused it, especially against the monasteries. The emperor intervened and took Limburg
in July 1101. Henry was now forced to make submission and he was granted the duchy of Lower Lorraine, which Godfrey had abandoned on Crusade.
As duke, he fell into competition with Godfrey I of Louvain. He demonstrated little in the way of loyalty the emperor either. He joined Henry V
against his father the emperor, but then turned back to the emperor's side. This was unfortunate for the duke, for the emperor died in 1106 and the partisans of Henry V attacked those of his father. The fields of Belgia were devastated, Limburg was taken, and Henry was imprisoned in Hildesheim
. The duchy was transferred to Godfrey of Louvain.
Henry later escaped and tried to retake Limburg and Lower Lorrain. He failed and made peace with the new emperor and duke. He continued nevertheless to employ the ducal title as "Duke of Limburg," the first of a long line. He also readily joined revolts against Henry V, fighting at the side of Lothair, Duke of Saxony, at the victories of Andernach
in 1114 and Welphesholt on 11 February 1115. He was succeeded by his son Waleran.
He married ADELAIDE de POTTENSTEIN(1061 – 1106), daughter of BOTTO de POTTENSTEIN (POTENSTEIN or Pottenstein) and Judith of Schweinfurt, daughter of Otto III, Duke of Swabia
. They had the aforementioned Waleran and three daughters. One daughter, Adelaide, married Conrad I, Duke of Merania
. Henry may also have been the father of Simon, Constable of Jerusalem
after the First Crusade
.
Waleran I of Limburg
Waleran I , called Udon, was the count of Arlon from AD 1052 and Limburg from 1065. He was the son of Waleran, Count of Arlon. He was also the advocate of the abbey of Sint-Truiden....
and Jutta, daughter of Frederick, Duke of Lower Lorraine
Frederick, Duke of Lower Lorraine
Frederick of Luxembourg was the count of Malmedy from 1035 and duke of Lower Lorraine from 1046. He was a younger son of Frederick, lord of Gleiberg, and Ermentrude, and grandson of Siegfried, Count of Luxembourg, hence his name....
.
He opposed Egilbert, Archbishop of Trier
Egilbert, Archbishop of Trier
Egilbert , called of Rothenburg, was the Archbishop of Trier from 1079 until his death. He was a partisan of the Emperor Henry IV during the Investiture Controversy, and was rewarded in 1100 with the dignity of Archchancellor of Gaul.He was involved in a dispute with Henry, Duke of Lower Lorraine....
, and took back some property which the former Countess Adela had given to the church. Egilbert summoned him to return them, but he refused and was excommunicated. Egilbert took up arms and seriously defeated him.
As advocate of the abbey of Sint-Truiden
Sint-Truiden
Sint-Truiden is a city and municipality located in the province of Limburg, Flemish Region, Belgium, near the towns of Hasselt and Tongeren. The municipality includes the old communes of Aalst, Brustem, Duras, Engelmanshoven, Gelinden, Gorsem, Groot-Gelmen, Halmaal, Kerkom-bij-Sint-Truiden,...
, a title he had inherited from his father, he intervened in the internal affairs of the abbey. The abbot Herman, named by Poppo, Bishop of Metz, and supported by Godfrey of Bouillon
Godfrey of Bouillon
Godfrey of Bouillon was a medieval Frankish knight who was one of the leaders of the First Crusade from 1096 until his death. He was the Lord of Bouillon, from which he took his byname, from 1076 and the Duke of Lower Lorraine from 1087...
and Henry, fell out with the Emperor Henry IV and the abbey was transferred to the authority of Arnold, Count of Loon. Arnold forced Henry and Godfrey to withdraw from the monastery.
After many local nobles left on the First Crusade
First Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
, among them Godfrey, Henry's power in the region of Belgia was greatly increased and he abused it, especially against the monasteries. The emperor intervened and took Limburg
Limburg
Limburg may refer to:A province divided between Belgium and the Netherlands as consequence of the Treaty of London* Province of Limburg , a former province of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
in July 1101. Henry was now forced to make submission and he was granted the duchy of Lower Lorraine, which Godfrey had abandoned on Crusade.
As duke, he fell into competition with Godfrey I of Louvain. He demonstrated little in the way of loyalty the emperor either. He joined Henry V
Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry V was King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor , the fourth and last ruler of the Salian dynasty. Henry's reign coincided with the final phase of the great Investiture Controversy, which had pitted pope against emperor...
against his father the emperor, but then turned back to the emperor's side. This was unfortunate for the duke, for the emperor died in 1106 and the partisans of Henry V attacked those of his father. The fields of Belgia were devastated, Limburg was taken, and Henry was imprisoned in Hildesheim
Hildesheim
Hildesheim is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located in the district of Hildesheim, about 30 km southeast of Hanover on the banks of the Innerste river, which is a small tributary of the Leine river...
. The duchy was transferred to Godfrey of Louvain.
Henry later escaped and tried to retake Limburg and Lower Lorrain. He failed and made peace with the new emperor and duke. He continued nevertheless to employ the ducal title as "Duke of Limburg," the first of a long line. He also readily joined revolts against Henry V, fighting at the side of Lothair, Duke of Saxony, at the victories of Andernach
Andernach
Andernach is a town in the district of Mayen-Koblenz, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, of currently about 30,000 inhabitants. It is situated towards the end of the Neuwied basin on the left bank of the Rhine between the former tiny fishing village of Fornich in the north and the mouth of the...
in 1114 and Welphesholt on 11 February 1115. He was succeeded by his son Waleran.
He married ADELAIDE de POTTENSTEIN(1061 – 1106), daughter of BOTTO de POTTENSTEIN (POTENSTEIN or Pottenstein) and Judith of Schweinfurt, daughter of Otto III, Duke of Swabia
Otto III, Duke of Swabia
Otto III , called the White and known as Otto of Schweinfurt, was the margrave of the Nordgau and duke of Swabia . He was the son of Henry of Schweinfurt, margrave of the Nordgau, and Gerberga of Henneberg...
. They had the aforementioned Waleran and three daughters. One daughter, Adelaide, married Conrad I, Duke of Merania
Conrad I, Duke of Merania
Conrad I was the Duke of Merania, , now in present day Italy, from 1153 until his death. Thitherto he had been the advocate of St Andreas at Freising since 1150 and Count of Dachau from 1152....
. Henry may also have been the father of Simon, Constable of Jerusalem
Simon, Constable of Jerusalem
Simon was the first known constable of Jerusalem.He is cited in two royal charters, the first in 1108 and the second in 1115 as Symon ducis filius. He may be identified with the Simontos, mentioned by Anna Comnena as an envoy of Baldwin I of Jerusalem to Tripoli in order to receive Greek...
after the First Crusade
First Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
.