Matthias II, Duke of Lorraine
Encyclopedia
Matthias II was Duke of Lorraine from 1220 to his death. He was the son of Duke Frederick II
and Agnes of Bar
and succeeded his brother, Theobald I
.
He immediately had to give away Nancy to his brother's widow, Gertrude of Dagsburg
, who remarried to Theobald IV of Champagne, whose suzerainty Matthias had to recognise, due to the fruitless wars his brother had waged against an imperial coalition. Theobald hoped to get his hands on the county of Metz
, but failing that, he repudiated Gertrude. Gertrude had no children by a third marriage and Nancy reverted to the duchy on her death in 1225.
Matthias accompanied Emperor Frederick II
on the Sixth Crusade
in 1228 and into Italy
in 1235. By this, he reinitiated the close alliance with the Holy Roman Emperors which his forefathers had had for over a century from the appointment of Adalbert
until the war between his brother and Frederick, which had ruptured that long friendship.
Matthias faced several unruly barons, especially the Count of Lunéville
, who had the discreet support of the Count of Bar. He was victorious and reattached Lunéville to the duchy in an exchange. However, peace was not achieved. In 1230, Henry II of Bar
was at it again, with Hugh II of Vaudémont and the Bishop of Toul, ravaged his ducal territories and took a few castles.
On Henry of Bar's death in 1240, Matthias tried to retake those lost castles from Theobald II of Bar
, the old count's young son, but he failed and a peace was signed in 1245 which lasted several decades. That same year, the emperor was excommunicated and Matthias distanced himself from the Imperial camp before joining the papal party of Pope Innocent IV
in 1247. He died only a few years thence after having negotiated the profitable marriage of his son with the daughter of the Count of Champagne
.
, Duke of Limburg
and Count of Luxembourg, and Ermesinde of Luxembourg
. They had the following issue:
Frederick II, Duke of Lorraine
Frederick II was the duke of Lorraine from 1206 to his death, son of Frederick I and Ludmilla, daughter of Mieszko III the Old, of the Piast Dynasty....
and Agnes of Bar
Barrois
Barrois is a "pays" in the eastern part of France. In the Middle Ages it was part of the duchy of Bar, then bordering the duchy of Lorraine. Today Barrois is a "pays" of the present-day Région Lorraine.-External links:*...
and succeeded his brother, Theobald I
Theobald I, Duke of Lorraine
Theobald I was the duke of Lorraine from 1213 to his death. He was the son and successor of Frederick II and Agnes of Bar....
.
He immediately had to give away Nancy to his brother's widow, Gertrude of Dagsburg
Gertrude of Dagsburg
Gertrude of Dagsburg was the daughter and heiress of Albert II, count of Metz and Dagsburg . She was a trouvère, and was married three times....
, who remarried to Theobald IV of Champagne, whose suzerainty Matthias had to recognise, due to the fruitless wars his brother had waged against an imperial coalition. Theobald hoped to get his hands on the county of Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
, but failing that, he repudiated Gertrude. Gertrude had no children by a third marriage and Nancy reverted to the duchy on her death in 1225.
Matthias accompanied Emperor Frederick II
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...
on the Sixth Crusade
Sixth Crusade
The Sixth Crusade started in 1228 as an attempt to regain Jerusalem. It began seven years after the failure of the Fifth Crusade. It involved very little actual fighting...
in 1228 and into Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in 1235. By this, he reinitiated the close alliance with the Holy Roman Emperors which his forefathers had had for over a century from the appointment of 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 ....
until the war between his brother and Frederick, which had ruptured that long friendship.
Matthias faced several unruly barons, especially the Count of Lunéville
Lunéville
Lunéville is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department and lies on the Meurthe River.-History:...
, who had the discreet support of the Count of Bar. He was victorious and reattached Lunéville to the duchy in an exchange. However, peace was not achieved. In 1230, Henry II of Bar
Henry II of Bar
Henry II of Bar alternately Henri II of Bar was a Count of Bar who reigned from 1214 to 1239. He died in Gaza while on Crusade.-Spouse and children:In 1219 he married Philippa de Dreux , the daughter of Robert II of Dreux....
was at it again, with Hugh II of Vaudémont and the Bishop of Toul, ravaged his ducal territories and took a few castles.
On Henry of Bar's death in 1240, Matthias tried to retake those lost castles from Theobald II of Bar
Theobald II of Bar
Theobald II, Count of Bar was a count of Bar. He was the son of Henry II of Bar and Philippa of Dreux. He became count of Bar when his father was killed in the Holy Land on 13 November 1239, but news of Henry's death only reached him at the start of 1240. As Theobald was still a minor, his...
, the old count's young son, but he failed and a peace was signed in 1245 which lasted several decades. That same year, the emperor was excommunicated and Matthias distanced himself from the Imperial camp before joining the papal party of Pope Innocent IV
Pope Innocent IV
Pope Innocent IV , born Sinibaldo Fieschi, was pope from June 25, 1243 until his death in 1254.-Early life:...
in 1247. He died only a few years thence after having negotiated the profitable marriage of his son with the daughter of the Count of Champagne
Count of Champagne
The Counts of Champagne ruled the region of Champagne from 950 to 1316. Champagne evolved from the county of Troyes in the late eleventh century and Hugh I was the first to officially use the title "Count of Champagne". When Louis became King of France in 1314, upon the death of his father Philip...
.
Family
In 1225, he married Catherine of Limburg (died 1255), daughter of Waleran III of LimburgWaleran III of Limburg
Waleran III was initially lord of Montjoie, then count of Luxembourg from 1214. He became count of Arlon and duke of Limburg on his father's death in 1221. He was the son of Henry III of Limburg and Sophia of Saarbrücken.As a younger son, he did not expect to inherit...
, Duke of Limburg
Duke of Limburg
The counts of Limburg rose to prominence when one of their house was appointed Duke of Lower Lorraine.Though Lorraine was soon confiscated, the ducal title was kept within the family, transferred it to the county of Limburg, which was eventually ratified by the Holy Roman Emperor...
and Count of Luxembourg, and Ermesinde of Luxembourg
Ermesinde of Luxembourg
Ermesinde of Luxembourg , also known as Ermesinde of Namur, was the Countess of Luxembourg, Laroche and Durbuy between 1197 and 1247. She was the only child of Henry IV, Count of Luxembourg and Namur, and his second wife Agnes of Guelders.Prior to her birth, her aging father Henry IV had designated...
. They had the following issue:
- FrederickFrederick III, Duke of LorraineFrederick III was the Duke of Lorraine from 1251 to his death. He was the only son and successor of Matthias II and Catherine of Limburg....
(1240–1302), his successor in Lorraine - Laure, married in 1250 to Jean de Dampierre (died 1258), viscount of TroyesTroyesTroyes is a commune and the capital of the Aube department in north-central France. It is located on the Seine river about southeast of Paris. Many half-timbered houses survive in the old town...
, and then to Guillaume de Vergy, lord of MirebeauMirebeauMirebeau is a commune in the Vienne department in the Poitou-Charentes region in western France.-Demographics:-Twin towns:*Bassemyam, Burkina Faso*Membrilla, Spain*Regen, Germany*Saint-raymond, Quebec...
and AutreyAutreyAutrey may refer to the following communes in France:* Autrey, Meurthe-et-Moselle, in Meurthe-et-Moselle* Autrey, Vosges, in Vosges* Autrey-le-Vay, in Haute-Saône* Autrey-lès-Cerre, in Haute-Saône* Autrey-lès-Gray, in Haute-Saône... - Isabella (died 1266), married Guillaume de Vienne (died 1255), then, in 1256, Jean de Chalon (1243–1309)
- Catherine, married in 1255 to Richard de Montfaucon (died 1279), daughter of Thierry III, Count of MontbéliardMontbéliardMontbéliard is a city in the Doubs department in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France. It is one of the two subprefectures of the department.-History:...
- Adeline (died ca. 1278), married Louis of Savoy (died 1302), baron of VaudVaudVaud is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and is located in Romandy, the French-speaking southwestern part of the country. The capital is Lausanne. The name of the Canton in Switzerland's other languages are Vaud in Italian , Waadt in German , and Vad in Romansh.-History:Along the lakes,...
See also
- Dukes of Lorraine family treeDukes of Lorraine family treeThis 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...