Henry I, Duke of Brabant
Encyclopedia
Henry I of Brabant (1165 – 5 September 1235), named "The Courageous" Duke of Brabant
(from 1183) and Duke of Lower Lotharingia (from 1190) until his death.
. He became Duke of Brabant
in 1183 / 1184 and succeeded his father as Duke of Lower Lotharingia in 1190. He was the son of Godfrey III of Leuven
, Duke of Lower Lotharingia and landgrave of Brabant
, and Margaret of Limburg.
He was one of the leaders of the crusade begun by King Henry VI of Germany
, which he joined in mid-1197. In the October of the same year he took part in the recapture of Beirut
and, then moved to Jaffa
with the Crusaders: however, before reaching the city he got news of the death of the King of Jerusalem, Henry II of Champagne
, and he returned to Acre
. Here he acted as regent until the arrival of the new King, Amalric II
.
In 1208, after the assassination of Philip of Swabia
, King of the Romans, Henry was proposed as successor by King Philip II Augustus. In the war which followed, he reached in Germany emperor Otto IV
, but the two were defeated in the Battle of Bouvines
.
In 1213, Henry also suffered a heavy defeat against the Bishopric of Liège
in the Battle of Steppes
.
Under Henry I, there was a town policy and town planning. Henry's attention went out to those regions that lent themselves to the extension of his sovereignty and in some locations he used the creation of a new town as an instrument in the political organisation of the area. Among the towns to which the Duke gave city rights and trade privileges was 's-Hertogenbosch.
Henry died at Cologne
in 1235. He was buried in St. Peter's chapter church
at Leuven
where his late Romanesque effigy can still be seen.
(Mathilde of Flanders), daughter of Marie of Boulogne
and Matthew of Alsace
1179. He had six children by his first marriage:
His second marriage was at April 22, 1213 in Soissons
to Marie, princess of France, daughter of King Philip II of France
. They had two children:
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
(from 1183) and Duke of Lower Lotharingia (from 1190) until his death.
Biography
He was probably born in LeuvenLeuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
. He became Duke of Brabant
Duke of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was formally erected in 1183/1184. The title "Duke of Brabant" was created by the German Emperor Frederick Barbarossa in favor of Henry I, son of Godfrey III of Leuven . The Duchy of Brabant was a feudal elevation of the since 1085/1086 existing title of Landgrave of Brabant...
in 1183 / 1184 and succeeded his father as Duke of Lower Lotharingia in 1190. He was the son of Godfrey III of Leuven
Godfrey III of Leuven
Godfrey III was count of Leuven , landgrave of Brabant, margrave of Antwerp, and duke of Lower Lorraine from 1142 to his death.He was the son of Godfrey II and Lutgarde of Sulzbach...
, Duke of Lower Lotharingia and landgrave of Brabant
Brabant (landgraviat)
The Landgraviat of Brabant must be distinguished from the Duchy of Brabant. The Duchy of Brabant was initially a feudal elevation of the landgraviat, but its name was applied to the entire country under the control of the Dukes of Brabant, from the 13th century on.This imperial fief was assigned to...
, and Margaret of Limburg.
He was one of the leaders of the crusade begun by King Henry VI of Germany
Crusade of 1197
The Crusade of 1197 was a crusade launched by the Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI in response to the failure of Frederick I Barbarossa's crusade in 1190, and thus is also known as the "Emperor's Crusade." The Crusade ended in utter failure...
, which he joined in mid-1197. In the October of the same year he took part in the recapture of Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
and, then moved to Jaffa
Jaffa
Jaffa is an ancient port city believed to be one of the oldest in the world. Jaffa was incorporated with Tel Aviv creating the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. Jaffa is famous for its association with the biblical story of the prophet Jonah.-Etymology:...
with the Crusaders: however, before reaching the city he got news of the death of the King of Jerusalem, Henry II of Champagne
Henry II of Champagne
Henry II of Champagne was count of Champagne from 1181 to 1197, and King of Jerusalem from 1192 to 1197, although he never used the title of king.- Early Life and Family :...
, and he returned to Acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
. Here he acted as regent until the arrival of the new King, Amalric II
Amalric II of Jerusalem
Amalric II of Jerusalem or Amalric I of Cyprus, born Amalric of Lusignan , King of Jerusalem 1197–1205, was an older brother of Guy of Lusignan....
.
In 1208, after the assassination of Philip of Swabia
Philip of Swabia
Philip of Swabia was king of Germany and duke of Swabia, the rival of the emperor Otto IV.-Biography:Philip was the fifth and youngest son of Emperor Frederick I and Beatrice I, Countess of Burgundy, daughter of Renaud III, count of Burgundy, and brother of the emperor Henry VI...
, King of the Romans, Henry was proposed as successor by King Philip II Augustus. In the war which followed, he reached in Germany emperor Otto IV
Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Otto IV of Brunswick was one of two rival kings of the Holy Roman Empire from 1198 on, sole king from 1208 on, and emperor from 1209 on. The only king of the Welf dynasty, he incurred the wrath of Pope Innocent III and was excommunicated in 1215.-Early life:Otto was the third son of Henry the...
, but the two were defeated in the Battle of Bouvines
Battle of Bouvines
The Battle of Bouvines, 27 July 1214, was a conclusive medieval battle ending the twelve year old Angevin-Flanders War that was important to the early development of both the French state by confirming the French crown's sovereignty over the Angevin lands of Brittany and Normandy.Philip Augustus of...
.
In 1213, Henry also suffered a heavy defeat against the Bishopric of Liège
Bishopric of Liège
The Bishopric of Liège or Prince-Bishopric of Liège was a state of the Holy Roman Empire in the Low Countries in present Belgium. It acquired its status as a prince-bishopric between 980 and 985 when Bishop Notger, who had been the bishop of Liege since 972, acquired the status of Prince-Bishop...
in the Battle of Steppes
Battle of Steppes
The Battle of Steppes was fought in Belgium on October 13, 1213 between Hugh Pierrepont, Bishop of Liège, and Henry I, Duke of Brabant.- Cause :In 1212, Albert II Count of Dagsburg, the last ruler of the County of Moha died without a son....
.
Under Henry I, there was a town policy and town planning. Henry's attention went out to those regions that lent themselves to the extension of his sovereignty and in some locations he used the creation of a new town as an instrument in the political organisation of the area. Among the towns to which the Duke gave city rights and trade privileges was 's-Hertogenbosch.
Henry died at Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
in 1235. He was buried in St. Peter's chapter church
St. Peter's Church, Leuven
Saint Peter's Church of Leuven, Belgium, is situated on the city's Grote Markt , right across the ornate Town Hall...
at Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
where his late Romanesque effigy can still be seen.
Marriages
He married Mathilde of BoulogneMathilde of Flanders
Matilde of Flanders was the youngest daughter of Marie I, Countess of Boulogne and her husband Matthew, Count of Boulogne. Matilde was Duchess of Brabant, by her marriage to Henry I, Duke of Brabant.- Family :...
(Mathilde of Flanders), daughter of Marie of Boulogne
Marie of Boulogne
Marie I was the suo jure Countess of Boulogne from 1159 to 1170. She also held the post of Abbess of Romsey for five years until her abduction by Matthew of Alsace, who forced her to marry him.-Early years:Marie was the youngest daughter of King Stephen of England and his wife Matilda I, Countess...
and Matthew of Alsace
Matthew of Alsace
Matthew of Alsace was the second son of Thierry, Count of Flanders and Sibylla of Anjou. By marriage to Marie de Boulogne, he became Count of Boulogne, in 1160. They were divorced in 1170, but he continued as Count until his death....
1179. He had six children by his first marriage:
- Marie (c. 1190 – May 1260), married in MaastrichtMaastrichtMaastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
after May 19, 1214 Otto IV, Holy Roman EmperorOtto IV, Holy Roman EmperorOtto IV of Brunswick was one of two rival kings of the Holy Roman Empire from 1198 on, sole king from 1208 on, and emperor from 1209 on. The only king of the Welf dynasty, he incurred the wrath of Pope Innocent III and was excommunicated in 1215.-Early life:Otto was the third son of Henry the...
, married July 1220 Count William I of Holland - Adelaide (b. c. 1190), married 1206 Arnulf, Count of LoosLoosLoos may refer to:Places* Loos, Nord, France* Loos-en-Gohelle, France* Loos Islands, also known as Îles de Los, Guinea* Loos, British Columbia, Canada* Los, SwedenPeople*Loos Other...
, married February 3, 1225 William X of Auvergne (c. 1195–1247), married before April 21, 1251 Arnold van Wesemaele (d. aft. 1288), ancestor of Joan of BoulogneJoan II, Countess of AuvergneJoan II, Countess of Auvergne and Boulogne , also known as Jeanne de Boulogne, and Joan, Duchess of Berry, , was the daughter of John II of Auvergne , and second wife of John, Duke of Berry...
, second wife of John, Duke of BerryJohn, Duke of BerryJohn of Valois or John the Magnificent was Duke of Berry and Auvergne and Count of Poitiers and Montpensier. He was the third son of King John II of France and Bonne of Luxemburg; his brothers were King Charles V of France, Duke Louis I of Anjou and Duke Philip the Bold of Burgundy... - Margaret (1192–1231), married January 1206 Gerhard III, Count of GueldersGerard III, Count of GueldersGerard III of Guelders was the Count of Guelders and Zutphen from 1207 until his death in 1229. He was a son of Count Otto I of Guelders, and is sometimes called Gerard IV or Gerard V...
(d. October 22, 1229) - Mathilde (c. 1200 – December 22, 1267), married in AachenAachenAachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
in 1212 Henry II, Count Palatine of the Rhine (d. 1214), married on December 6, 1214 Floris IV, Count of HollandFloris IV, Count of HollandFloris IV , Count of Holland from 1222 to 1234. He was a son of William I of Holland and Adelaide of Geldern.... - Henry II of BrabantHenry II, Duke of BrabantHenry II of Brabant was Duke of Brabant and Lothier after the death of his father Henry I in 1235...
(1207–1248) - Godfrey (1209 – January 21, 1254), Lord of Gaesbeek, married Marie van Oudenaarde
His second marriage was at April 22, 1213 in Soissons
Soissons
Soissons is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France, located on the Aisne River, about northeast of Paris. It is one of the most ancient towns of France, and is probably the ancient capital of the Suessiones...
to Marie, princess of France, daughter of King Philip II of France
Philip II of France
Philip II Augustus was the King of France from 1180 until his death. A member of the House of Capet, Philip Augustus was born at Gonesse in the Val-d'Oise, the son of Louis VII and his third wife, Adela of Champagne...
. They had two children:
- Ysabeau (Elizabeth) (d. October 23, 1272), married in LeuvenLeuvenLeuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
March 19, 1233 Count Dietrich of ClevesDuchy of ClevesThe Duchy of Cleves was a State of the Holy Roman Empire. It was situated in the northern Rhineland on both sides of the Lower Rhine, around its capital Cleves and the town of Wesel, bordering the lands of the Prince-Bishopric of Münster in the east and the Duchy of Brabant in the west...
, Lord of DinslakenDinslakenDinslaken is a city in the district of Wesel, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is known for its harness horse race track, its now closed coal mine in Lohberg and its wealthy neighborhoods Hiesfeld and Eppinghoven.- Geography :...
(c. 1214–1244), married 1246 Gerhard II, Count of WassenbergWassenbergWassenberg is a town in the district Heinsberg, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated near the border with the Netherlands, on the river Rur, approx. 6 km north-east of Heinsberg and 15 km south-east of Roermond....
(d. 1255) - Marie, died young
See also
- Dukes of Brabant family treeDukes of Brabant family treeThis is a family tree of the Dukes of Brabant from 1139 up to 1430. Godfrey I, count of Leuven, became Duke of Lower Lotharingia in 1106. Henry I became the first Duke of Brabant in 1183/1184.See also:*Duchy of Brabant*List of family trees...
- Chronique des Ducs de Brabant, Adrian van Baerland, Antwerp (1612). Available at the online library of Geneanet. http://www.geneanet.org