Henry I ( – c. 1119) was the

count of Limburg Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

and

Arlon Arlon (; lb, Arel ; nl, Aarlen ; german: Arel ; wa, Årlon; la, Orolaunum) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in and capital of the province of Luxembourg in the Ardennes, Belgium. With a population of just over 28,000, it is t ...

from 1082 to his death and

duke of Lower Lorraine The rulers of Lorraine have held different posts under different governments over different regions, since its creation as the kingdom of Lotharingia by the Treaty of Prüm, in 855. The first rulers of the newly established region were kings of t ...

between 1101 and 1106. His mother was Jutta, daughter of

Frederick, Duke of Lower Lorraine Frederick of Luxembourg ( – 18 May 1065) was the ''advocatus'' of Abbey of Stavelot-Malmedy from 1033, Duke of Lower Lorraine from 1046, ''advocatus'' of the Abbey of St Truiden from around 1060 or earlier. He was also lord of a large domain ...

, and his father is uncertain, but possibly named Count Udon. He opposed Egilbert, Archbishop of Trier, and took back some property which the former Countess Adela had given to the church. Egilbert summoned him to return them, but he refused and was excommunicated. Egilbert took up arms and seriously defeated him. As superior advocate of the abbey of

Sint-Truiden Sint-Truiden (; french: link=no, Saint-Trond ; li, Sintruin ) is a city and municipality located in the province of Limburg, Flemish Region, Belgium, and has over 41,500 inhabitants, which makes it one of the largest cities in Limburg. The mun ...

, a title he had inherited from his grandfather Duke Frederick, he intervened in the internal affairs of the abbey. The abbot Herman, named by Poppo, Bishop of Metz, and supported by

Godfrey of Bouillon Godfrey of Bouillon (, , , ; 18 September 1060 – 18 July 1100) was a French nobleman and pre-eminent leader of the First Crusade. First ruler of the Kingdom of Jerusalem from 1099 to 1100, he avoided the title of king, preferring that of princ ...

and Henry, fell out with the

Emperor Henry IV Henry IV (german: Heinrich IV; 11 November 1050 – 7 August 1106) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1084 to 1105, King of Germany from 1054 to 1105, King of Italy and Burgundy from 1056 to 1105, and Duke of Bavaria from 1052 to 1054. He was the son ...

. Arnold, Count of Loon forced Henry and Godfrey to withdraw from the monastery. After many local nobles left on the

First Crusade The First Crusade (1096–1099) was the first of a series of religious wars, or Crusades, initiated, supported and at times directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The objective was the recovery of the Holy Land from Islamic ru ...

, among them Godfrey, Henry's power in the region of Lower Lotharingia (or Lorraine) was greatly increased and he abused it, especially against the monasteries. The emperor intervened and took

Limburg Limburg or Limbourg may refer to: Regions * Limburg (Belgium), a province since 1839 in the Flanders region of Belgium * Limburg (Netherlands), a province since 1839 in the south of the Netherlands * Diocese of Limburg, Roman Catholic Diocese in ...

in July 1101. Henry was now forced to make submission and he was granted the duchy of Lower Lorraine, which Godfrey had abandoned on Crusade. As duke, he fell into competition with Godfrey I of Louvain. He demonstrated little in the way of loyalty to the emperor either. He joined

Henry V Henry V may refer to: People * Henry V, Duke of Bavaria (died 1026) * Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (1081/86–1125) * Henry V, Duke of Carinthia (died 1161) * Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine (c. 1173–1227) * Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (1 ...

against his father the emperor, but then turned back to the emperor's side. This was unfortunate for the duke, for the emperor died in 1106 and the partisans of Henry V attacked those of his father. The fields were devastated, Limburg was taken, and Henry was imprisoned in

Hildesheim Hildesheim (; nds, Hilmessen, Hilmssen; la, Hildesia) is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany with 101,693 inhabitants. It is in the district of Hildesheim, about southeast of Hanover on the banks of the Innerste River, a small tributary of the L ...

. The duchy was transferred to Godfrey of Louvain. Henry later escaped and tried to retake Limburg and Lower Lorraine. He failed and made peace with the new emperor and duke. He continued nevertheless to employ the ducal title as "Duke of Limburg," the first of a long line. He also readily joined revolts against Henry V, fighting at the side of

Lothair, Duke of Saxony Lothair III, sometimes numbered Lothair II and also known as Lothair of Supplinburg (1075 – 4 December 1137), was Holy Roman Emperor from 1133 until his death. He was appointed Duke of Saxony in 1106 and elected King of Germany in 1125 before b ...

at the victories of

Andernach Andernach () is a town in the district of Mayen-Koblenz, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, of about 30,000 inhabitants. It is situated towards the end of the ''Neuwied basin'' on the left bank of the Rhine between the former tiny fishing village ...

in 1114 and Welphesholt on 11 February 1115. He was succeeded by his son Waleran Paganus. He married Adelaide of Pottenstein (1061–1106), a daughter of Botho of Pottenstein (or ''Potenstein'') and Judith, the daughter of

Otto III, Duke of Swabia Otto III (died 28 September 1057), called the White and known as Otto of Schweinfurt, was the margrave of the Nordgau (1024–1031) and duke of Swabia (1048–1057). He was the son of Henry of Schweinfurt, margrave of the Nordgau, and Gerberga o ...

and

Immilla of Turin Immilla (also Emilia, Immula, Ermengard or Irmgard) (born c.1020, died January 1078) was a Duchess of Swabia, duchess consort of Swabia by marriage to Otto III, Duke of Swabia, and a List of margravines of Meissen, margravine of Meissen by marriag ...

. They had the aforementioned Waleran and three daughters. One daughter, Adelaide, married

Conrad I, Duke of Merania Conrad I (died 18 February 1159) was the Duke of Merania from 1152 until his death. Thitherto he had been the advocate of St Andreas at Freising since 1150 and Count of Dachau (as Conrad II) from 1152. Origin Conrad was the elder of two sons of , ...

. Henry may also have been the father of Simon, Constable of Jerusalem after the

References

Sources

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Henry, Duke of Lower Lorraine People excommunicated by the Catholic Church Dukes of Lower Lorraine Dukes of Limburg Margraves of Antwerp 1050s births 1110s deaths Year of birth uncertain Year of death uncertain