The Battle of Worringen was fought on 5 June 1288 near the town of
Worringen
Worringen is a ''Stadtteil'' (quarter) of the city of Cologne, Germany. Situated 15 km north of the city centre, on the left bank of the Rhine, it is part of the district of Chorweiler. In 1288, it was the site of the Battle of Worringen
...
(also spelled Woeringen), which is now the northernmost borough of
Cologne
Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 m ...
. It was the decisive battle of the
War of the Limburg Succession
The War of the Limburg Succession, was a series of conflicts between 1283 and 1289 for the succession in the Duchy of Limburg.
The cause of the War of the Limburg Succession was the death of Waleran IV, Duke of Limburg in 1280, and his only daugh ...
, fought for the possession of the
Duchy of Limburg
The Duchy of Limburg or Limbourg was an imperial estate of the Holy Roman Empire. Much of the area of the duchy is today located within Liège Province of Belgium, with a small portion in the municipality of Voeren, an Enclave and exclave, excla ...
between on one side the Archbishop
Siegfried II of Cologne and Count
Henry VI of Luxembourg
Henry VI ( – 5 June 1288) was Count of Luxembourg and Arlon from the death of his father, Henry V the Blond, in 1281 until his own death at the battle of Worringen, seven years later, when he was succeeded by his son, Henry VII.
Lif ...
, and on the other side, Duke
John I of Brabant. It was one of the largest battles in Europe in the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
.
Prelude
![1250 Flandern Brabant Hennegau Loon Lüttich Limburg Jülich Köln Berg Namur Chiny Luxemburg Trier](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/1250_Flandern_Brabant_Hennegau_Loon_L%C3%BCttich_Limburg_J%C3%BClich_K%C3%B6ln_Berg_Namur_Chiny_Luxemburg_Trier.png)
The conflict arose after Duke
Waleran IV of Limburg
Waleran IV (or Walram IV) (died 1279) was the duke of Limburg from 1247 to his death. He was the son and successor of Henry IV and Ermengarde, countess of Berg.
He played a great part in the politics of the Great Interregnum in Germany. He le ...
, a scion of the Lotharingian
Ardennes-Verdun dynasty, had died without male heirs in 1279. His duchy was inherited by his daughter
Ermengarde, who had married Count
Reginald I of Guelders
Reginald I of Guelders (1255 – October 9, 1326 in Monfort) was Count of Guelders from January 10, 1271 until his death. He was the son of Otto II, Count of Guelders and Philippe of Dammartin.
In 1276 he married Irmgard of Limburg, only daug ...
about 1270. Her husband claimed the Limburg heritage and in 1282 had his ducal title recognized by the German king
Rudolf I
Rudolf I (1 May 1218 – 15 July 1291) was the first King of Germany from the House of Habsburg. The first of the count-kings of Germany, he reigned from 1273 until his death.
Rudolf's election marked the end of the Great Interregnum which h ...
.
The marriage of Reginald and Ermengarde, however, remained childless and when she died in 1283, Count
Adolf VIII of Berg
Adolf VIII of Berg (also referred to as Adolf V) (c. 1240 – 28 September 1296) was the eldest son of Count Adolf VII of Berg and Margaret of Hochstaden.Walther Möller, ''Stammtafeln westdeutscher Adelsgeschlechter im Mittelalter'' (Darmstadt, 19 ...
, Duke Waleran's nephew as son of his elder brother Count
Adolf VII, also claimed the Limburg duchy. As far as the succession in the female line was denied, Reginald was unable to assert his claims. An agreement seemed possible; nevertheless, Adolf of Berg preceded his Ardennes relatives when in September 1283 he sold his claims to the mighty
Reginar Reginar may refer to:
* Reginar, Duke of Lorraine (c. 850–915)
* Reginar II, Count of Hainaut (c. 890–932)
* Reginar III, Count of Hainaut (c. 920–973)
* Reginar IV, Count of Mons (c. 950–1013)
* Reginar V, Count of Mons (c. 995–1039)
* H ...
duke John of Brabant.
John intended to enlarge his
Brabant Brabant is a traditional geographical region (or regions) in the Low Countries of Europe. It may refer to:
Place names in Europe
* London-Brabant Massif, a geological structure stretching from England to northern Germany
Belgium
* Province of Bra ...
territory and re-unite the former Duchy of
Lower Lorraine
The Duchy of Lower Lotharingia, also called Northern Lotharingia, Lower Lorraine or Northern Lorraine (and also referred to as '' Lothier'' or '' Lottier'' in the northwest of the
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a Polity, political entity in Western Europe, Western, Central Europe, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, dissolution i ...
. Limburg was also economically important as it stretched along the major ''
Via Regia
The Via Regia (Royal Highway) is a European Cultural Route following the route of the historic road of the Middle Ages. There were many such ''viae regiae'' associated with the king in the medieval Holy Roman Empire.
History Origins
The V ...
'' trade route to
Aachen
Aachen ( ; ; Aachen dialect: ''Oche'' ; French and traditional English: Aix-la-Chapelle; or ''Aquisgranum''; nl, Aken ; Polish: Akwizgran) is, with around 249,000 inhabitants, the 13th-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia, and the 28th- ...
and
Cologne
Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 m ...
on the
Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, so ...
river. Though John held the title of
Duke of Lothier
Lothier refers to the territory within the Duchy of Lower Lotharingia, governed by the dukes of Brabant and their successors after 1190 until the end of the Ancien Régime in 1796.
In 1190, at the Diet of Hall in the abbey of Comburg, the Germa ...
since 1190, it had been solely honorific and did not imply any inheritance claims. The Limburg nobles therefore refused to accept John's overlordship, when his forces invaded the duchy.
Between 1283 and 1288, the conflict was delayed by several smaller confrontations between both sides, none of them decisive. Meanwhile, most of the other local powers chose sides. Siegfried II of Westerburg, the
Archbishop of Cologne
The Archbishop of Cologne is an archbishop governing the Archdiocese of Cologne of the Catholic Church in western North Rhine-Westphalia and is also a historical state in the Rhine holding the birthplace of Beethoven and northern Rhineland-Palati ...
, suspiciously eyed John's increasing power in the Lower Lorraine lands. In view of their common interests, he and Reginald of Guelders forged an alliance in August 1284, joined by Count
Henry VI of Luxembourg
Henry VI ( – 5 June 1288) was Count of Luxembourg and Arlon from the death of his father, Henry V the Blond, in 1281 until his own death at the battle of Worringen, seven years later, when he was succeeded by his son, Henry VII.
Lif ...
, and his brother
Waleran I of Ligny, as well as by Count
Adolf of Nassau. On the other side the Westphalian counts of
Mark
Mark may refer to:
Currency
* Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark, the currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina
* East German mark, the currency of the German Democratic Republic
* Estonian mark, the currency of Estonia between 1918 and 1927
* F ...
took the chance to affirm their independence from the Archbishop of Cologne and together with the Counts of
Loon,
Tecklenburg
Tecklenburg () is a town in the district of Steinfurt, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Its name comes from the ruined castle around which it was built. The town is situated on the Hermannsweg hiking trail.
The coat of arms shows an anchor ...
and
Waldeck allied with Brabant and Berg.
The battle
![Worringen 1288](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/Worringen_1288.svg)
In May 1288, Henry of Luxembourg had led a significant army into the Cologne region. Numerous
vassal
A vassal or liege subject is a person regarded as having a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch, in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. While the subordinate party is called a vassal, the dominant party is called a suzerain. W ...
s and allies joined his forces and Reginald of Guelders finally sold his rights to Limburg to him, just before peace talks were scheduled. This angered John of Brabant, who in turn started a campaign against Reginald. In
Brühl, he met with the Mark and Berg troops by the end of the month. Together they marched against Worringen, a castle on the Rhine held by the Archbishop of Cologne. John laid siege to the fortress, supported by the Cologne citizens, who were eager to free themselves from the archbishop's rule.
Siegfried, witnessing the estrangement of his subjects, likewise started marching. He and Henry of Luxembourg gathered their troops at
Neuss
Neuss (; spelled ''Neuß'' until 1968; li, Nüss ; la, Novaesium) is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located on the west bank of the Rhine opposite Düsseldorf. Neuss is the largest city within the Rhein-Kreis Neuss district. It ...
and moved to
Brauweiler Abbey
Brauweiler Abbey (german: Abtei Brauweiler) is a former Rule of St. Benedict, Benedictine monastery located at Brauweiler, now in Pulheim near Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, in Germany.
History
The monastery was founded and endowed in 1024 by ...
. On the early morning of 5 June 1288 they departed for Worringen at the head of their troops.
![Johann von Brabant Heidelberger Liederhandschrift](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/Johann_von_Brabant_Heidelberger_Liederhandschrift.jpg)
In the earliest phases of the battle, John of Brabant and Henry of Luxembourg met in a fierce fight, in which Henry and two of his brothers were killed. Soon after that, Siegfried entered the battle and in a bold advance was able to repel the Berg troops and the Cologne militia, however with too little support from his reserves.
In mid-afternoon, the Berg and Mark troops, along with the Cologne citizens, had gathered again and started a savage attack on the archbishop's forces. The battle ended in a victory for Brabant when Reginald of Guelders was captured by
Daniel van Bouchout and Lord Walram of Valkenburg had to retreat. Archbishop Siegfried was taken prisoner by John of Brabant and delivered to Adolf of Berg.
Aftermath
![DusseldorfWorringenSkull](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/DusseldorfWorringenSkull.JPG)
The number of deaths at the battle of Worringen is estimated at 1100 on the Guelders side and 40 on the Brabant side. The casualties among the house of Luxembourg was particularly high: most of the male relatives of the later German emperor
Henry VII perished there. Archbishop Siegfried was imprisoned for over a year at
Schloss Burg, before he paid a ransom and agreed to Count Adolf's demands. Worringen Castle and several other fortresses of the bishop were demolished. On 14 August 1288 Adolf granted city rights to
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf ( , , ; often in English sources; Low Franconian and Ripuarian: ''Düsseldörp'' ; archaic nl, Dusseldorp ) is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second-largest city in th ...
, which became the capital of Berg. Reginald of Guelders was released after he had renounced all claims to the Duchy of Limburg.
The Battle of Worringen meant a rise in the power of Brabant, Berg and Mark, while the City of Cologne gained its independence from the Archbishopric and finally the status of a
free imperial city
In the Holy Roman Empire, the collective term free and imperial cities (german: Freie und Reichsstädte), briefly worded free imperial city (', la, urbs imperialis libera), was used from the fifteenth century to denote a self-ruling city that ...
in 1475. The Duchy of Limburg was added to the Duchy of Brabant in 1289, an arrangement approved by King Rudolph and again by his former opponent Adolf of Nassau, after he was elected
King of the Romans
King of the Romans ( la, Rex Romanorum; german: König der Römer) was the title used by the king of Germany following his election by the princes from the reign of Henry II (1002–1024) onward.
The title originally referred to any German k ...
in 1292. In Luxembourg, Henry VI was succeeded by his nine-year-old son
Henry VII, who in 1292 settled the conflict with Brabant by marrying John's daughter
Margaret. The Archbishopric of Cologne never recovered from the loss of the city of Cologne.
Jan van Heelu wrote a chronicle of the battle.
[.]
References
Notes
Bibliography
* Boffa, S. 2004. Warfare in medieval Brabant: 1356-1406. Coll.: "Warfare in History", Boydell Press, Woodbridge, UK, 289 p.
*
*
*
Wargames
*
Frédéric Bey, ''Swords of Sovereignty: Bouvines 1214 and Worringen 1288'', Au fil de l'épée series, ''
Ludifolie Editions'' (2012)
{{Coord, 51, 02, 33, N, 6, 53, 16, E, region:DE-NW_type:event_source:dewiki, display=title
Worringen
Worringen is a ''Stadtteil'' (quarter) of the city of Cologne, Germany. Situated 15 km north of the city centre, on the left bank of the Rhine, it is part of the district of Chorweiler. In 1288, it was the site of the Battle of Worringen
...
1288 in Europe
Worringen
Worringen is a ''Stadtteil'' (quarter) of the city of Cologne, Germany. Situated 15 km north of the city centre, on the left bank of the Rhine, it is part of the district of Chorweiler. In 1288, it was the site of the Battle of Worringen
...
Worringen
Worringen is a ''Stadtteil'' (quarter) of the city of Cologne, Germany. Situated 15 km north of the city centre, on the left bank of the Rhine, it is part of the district of Chorweiler. In 1288, it was the site of the Battle of Worringen
...
History of the Rhineland
Worringen
Worringen is a ''Stadtteil'' (quarter) of the city of Cologne, Germany. Situated 15 km north of the city centre, on the left bank of the Rhine, it is part of the district of Chorweiler. In 1288, it was the site of the Battle of Worringen
...
County of Mark