Henry I ( – 1119) was the count of Limburg and

Arlon Arlon (; ; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality of Wallonia, and the capital of the Luxembourg (Belgium), province of Luxembourg in the Ardennes, Belgium. With a population of just over 28,000, it ...

from 1082 to his death and

duke of Lower Lorraine The kings and dukes 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 k ...

between 1101 and 1106. His mother was Jutta, daughter of Frederick, Duke of Lower Lorraine, 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 (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality located in the Provinces of Belgium, province of Limburg (Belgium), Limburg, Flemish Region, Belgium. With more than 41,500 inhabitants, it is on ...

, 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 (; ; ; ; 1060 – 18 July 1100) was a preeminent leader of the First Crusade, and the first ruler of the Kingdom of Jerusalem from 1099 to 1100. Although initially reluctant to take the title of king, he agreed to rule as pri ...

and Henry, fell out with the

Emperor Henry IV Henry 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 of Henry III, Holy ...

. 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 Middle Ages. The objective was the recovery of the Holy Land from Muslim conquest ...

, 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 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 (–1227) * Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (1216–1281 ...

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 (; or ; ) is a city in Lower Saxony, in north-central Germany with 101,693 inhabitants. It is in the district of Hildesheim (district), Hildesheim, about southeast of Hanover on the banks of the Innerste River, a small tributary of t ...

. 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 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 (Bavaria), Nordgau (1024–1031) and duke of Swabia (1048–1057). He was the son of Henry of Schweinfurt, margrave of the Nordga ...

and Immilla of Turin. They had the aforementioned Waleran and three daughters. One daughter, Adelaide, married Conrad I, Duke of Merania. Henry may also have been the father of Simon, Constable of Jerusalem after the

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* * {{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