Waleran I of Limburg
Encyclopedia
Waleran I (died 1082), 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
.
The origins of his family are poorly known, he appears to have been a member of a collateral branch of the house of Ardennes
, then ruling in Upper Lorraine. He may instead have been maternally related to that house. His mother may have been Adela, daughter of Duke Theodoric I
.
He inherited Arlon together with his brother Fulk, who died in 1078, leaving him sole count. Waleran married Jutta, daughter of Frederick, Duke of Lower Lorraine
. This marriage gave him the county of the Len (or Lengau
), a district around Liège
. Waleran constructed a castle in his new territory: the Lenburg, whence Limburg. Waleran made this castle his seat and he is known as the first count of Limburg. His son, Henry, inherited his counties on his death.
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
of Arlon from AD
Anno Domini
and Before Christ are designations used to label or number years used with the Julian and Gregorian calendars....
1052 and Limburg
Duchy of Limburg
The Duchy of Limburg, situated in the Low Countries between the river Meuse and the city of Aachen, was a state of the Holy Roman Empire. Its territory is now divided between the Belgian provinces of Liège and Limburg , the Dutch province of Limburg , and a small part of North Rhine-Westphalia in...
from 1065. He was the son of Waleran, Count of Arlon. He was also the 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,...
.
The origins of his family are poorly known, he appears to have been a member of a collateral branch of the house of Ardennes
Ardennes
The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests, rolling hills and ridges formed within the Givetian Ardennes mountain range, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France , and geologically into the Eifel...
, then ruling in Upper Lorraine. He may instead have been maternally related to that house. His mother may have been Adela, daughter of Duke Theodoric I
Thierry I, Duke of Upper Lorraine
Theodoric I was the count of Bar and duke of Upper Lorraine from 978 to his death. He was the son and successor of Frederick I and Beatrice, daughter of Hugh the Great, count of Paris, and sister to the French king Hugh Capet.His mother was the regent until 987...
.
He inherited Arlon together with his brother Fulk, who died in 1078, leaving him sole count. Waleran married 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....
. This marriage gave him the county of the Len (or Lengau
Lengau
Lengau is a municipality in the district Braunau am Inn in Upper Austria, Austria.-References:...
), a district around Liège
Liège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
. Waleran constructed a castle in his new territory: the Lenburg, whence Limburg. Waleran made this castle his seat and he is known as the first count of Limburg. His son, Henry, inherited his counties on his death.