Matthias I was the duke of Lorraine from 1138 to his death as the eldest son and successor of Simon I

Simon I, Duke of Lorraine

Simon I was the duke of Lorraine from 1115 to his death, the eldest son and successor of Thierry II and Hedwige of Formbach....

 and Adelaide

Adelaide of Leuven

Adelaide of Leuven was the wife of Simon I, Duke of Lorraine . She was the daughter of Henry III of Leuven and his wife Gertrude of Flanders...

. Like his forefathers going back to Thierry II

Thierry II, Duke of Lorraine

Theodoric II , called the Valiant, was the duke of Lorraine from 1070 to his death. He was the son and successor of Gerhard and Hedwige de Namur...

 and even to Adalbert

Adalbert, Duke of Lorraine

Adalbert was the Duke of Upper Lorraine from 1047 until his death. He was the first son of Gerard de Bouzonville , Count of Metz, and Gisela ....

, he was a stern supporter of the king of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor

Holy Roman Emperor

The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...

. He married Judith (sometimes called Bertha), daughter of Frederick II, Duke of Swabia

Frederick II, Duke of Swabia

Frederick II , called the One-Eyed, was the second Hohenstaufen duke of Swabia from 1105. He was the eldest son of Frederick I and Agnes....

, and therefore niece of the Hohenstaufen

Hohenstaufen

The House of Hohenstaufen was a dynasty of German kings in the High Middle Ages, lasting from 1138 to 1254. Three of these kings were also crowned Holy Roman Emperor. In 1194 the Hohenstaufens also became Kings of Sicily...

 king Conrad III

Conrad III of Germany

Conrad III was the first King of Germany of the Hohenstaufen dynasty. He was the son of Frederick I, Duke of Swabia, and Agnes, a daughter of the Salian Emperor Henry IV.-Life and reign:...

 and sister of Frederick Barbarossa, future emperor.

He accompanied Barbarossa on a number of important occasions, including his imperial coronation by Pope Adrian IV

Pope Adrian IV

Pope Adrian IV , born Nicholas Breakspear or Breakspeare, was Pope from 1154 to 1159.Adrian IV is the only Englishman who has occupied the papal chair...

 in Rome

Rome

Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...

, 1155. He assisted the emperor in his wars against Adrian and his successor Alexander III

Pope Alexander III

Pope Alexander III , born Rolando of Siena, was Pope from 1159 to 1181. He is noted in history for laying the foundation stone for the Notre Dame de Paris.-Church career:...

 and the kings of France and Sicily

Sicily

Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...

. He extended his own ducal demesne at the expense of the bishop of Toul, but was an important donor to the Church and founder of abbeys.

He died in 1176 and was interred in his abbey of Clairlieu in Villers-lès-Nancy

Villers-lès-Nancy

Villers-lès-Nancy is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.Inhabitants are known as Villarois.-Geography:Villers-lès-Nancy is a suburb on the southwest of Nancy...

. By his Hohenstaufen marriage (1138), he had:

• Simon
  Simon II, Duke of Lorraine
  Simon II was the Duke of Lorraine from 1176 to 1205. He was the son and successor of Matthias I and Judith, daughter of Frederick II, Duke of Swabia....
  
   (died 1205), his successor in Lorraine
• Frederick
  Frederick I, Duke of Lorraine
  Frederick I was the duke of Lorraine from 1205 to his death. He was the second son of Matthias I and Judith, daughter of Frederick II, Duke of Swabia. He succeeded his brother, Simon II, who had already given him the county of Bitche in 1176 and had recognised him over the northern, germanophone...
  
   (died 1206), count of Bitche
  Bitche
  Bitche is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.It is known for its large citadel. The surrounding territory is known as le Pays de Bitche in French and Bitscherland in German.-Geography:...
  
   and his nephew's successor
• Judith (died 1173), married Stephen II, count of Auxonne
  Auxonne
  Auxonne is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department in Bourgogne in eastern France.Auxonne is one of the sites of the defensive structures of Vauban, clearly seen from the train bridge as it enters the Auxonne SNCF train station on the Dijon - Besançon train line. It also was home to the Artillery...
  
   (1170)
• Alice (died 1200), married Hugh III, Duke of Burgundy
  Hugh III, Duke of Burgundy
  Hugh III of Burgundy was duke of Burgundy between 1162 and 1192. Hugh was the eldest son of duke Odo II and Marie of Champagne, daughter of Theobald and Mathilda of Carinthia....
  
  
• Thierry (died 1181), bishop of Metz (1174–1179)
• Matthias (died 1208), count of Toul
• Unnamed daughter who died young

See also

• Dukes of Lorraine family tree
  Dukes of Lorraine family tree
  This is a family tree of the House of Lorraine. It ranges from the foundation of the Longwy dynasty, in 1047, to the abdication of Francis III of Lorraine in 1737.See also: Lorraine...