Brabant

DUCHY OF BRABANT

Brabant, 1477


Territorial Dynastic History

• 870:  The Treaty of Meersen mentions the gau (district) of Brabant.  (Jeep, p. 72)
• ?:  "...The war of the succession of Brabant was the conlfict that most affected the territorial integrity of the duchy.  It brought with it the loss of the seigniory of Malines, and despite the efforts of Brabancons, this region would never return to Brabant.  The town of Antwerp and some other villages were held in fief from the duke by the count of Flanders...."  (Boffa, p. 49)
• ?:  Gerberga (d.1008), daughter of Charles of Lower Lorraine (who obtained the title of duke of Lower Lorraine in 977) married Lambert I (d. 1015), count of Louvain and of Brabant, the founding father of the dukes of Brabant.  (Jeep, p. 72)
• 1066: Godfrey (Godfried) I the Bearded (1095-1139), count of Louvain, received the ducal title of Lower Lorraine from King Henry V of Germany.  He was also enfeoffed with the margravate of Antwerp.  (Jeep, p. 72) 
• 1106: Emperor Henry V granted Counts of Louvain the Margraviate of Antwerp
• 1158: Elevated to Duchy of Brabant
• 1180: Dukes of Brabant elevated to Imperial Prince
• ?: Conquered County of Toxandrie doubling Louvain's territory
• 1190: Duke Henry I abandoned title of "Duke of Lower Lorraine" and assumed that of "Duke of Brabant";  "The German Emperor Frederick Barbarossa created the title Duke of Brabant for Henry I the Warrior.  (Jeep. p. 22)1204: Brabant acquired 1/2 of the Imperial Margraviate of Maastricht
• 1244: Brabant conquered the County of Dalheim
• 1261-1267:  Regency of Aleidis of Burgundy, widow of Henry III, for their son Henry IV who was underage and weak minded.
• 1267:  Henry IV resigned his right to the duchy in favor of his younger brother John (1267-1294).
• 1283: John I of Brabant bought Duchy of Limburg from Adolf of Berg
• 1288: After the Battle of Worringen, Brabant acquired the Duchy of Limburg, the Lordship of Herzogenrath and the Castles of Wassenberg and Kerpen
• 1294-1312: John II of Brabant issued the "Charter of Cortenberg" bestowing liberties to his subjects 
• 1314-1320:  Brabant was governed by a municipal regency during the minority of John III.
• 1289:  Duchy of Limburg was annexed by Brababt after the battle of Woeringen in 1288
• 1347: John III ceded Margraviate of Antwerp to his 2nd daughter, Margaret of Brabant, wife of Louis II of Flanders1356:  "...The seigniory of Turnhout had been mortgaged by John III to Mary of Brabant and Renaud III, duke of Guelders.  In order to keep Mary of Brabant and her husband from an alliance with hter sister Margaret of Brabant, on 25 July 1356 this mortgage was changed into a fief.  Eventually, on 1 March 1399, as Mary of Brabant died without issue the territory rejoined the duchy...."  (Boffa, p. 49)
•  1390: Johanna, Duchess of Brabant, revoked her will granting succession to Brabant to House of Luxemburg and named her niece, Margaret of Flanders, as her heir 
• 1404: Duchess "...Joan officially ceded the governance of the duchy to her niece, Margaret of Male.  A few days later, the latter granted the governance to her son, Anthony.  He became governor (ruward) of Brabant in the name of his great-aunt.  He was thus charged, among other things, to protect and defend the duchy and to muster the Brabancons in the event of a 'common war',..."  (Boffa, p. 89) 
• 1405:  ",,,On the death of Margaret of Male, Anthony of Burgundy became lord of Antwerp (27 April 1405).  Once he had become duke of Brabant (d.1406), the seigniory of Antwerp would be gradually reintergrated into the duchy...."  (Boffa, p. 49) 
• 1430: Dukes of Burgundy inherited Brabant

Rulers of Brabant

  

Counts of Louvain

Lambert
(d.1015)
Count of Louvain and Brabant

"...In 977 the West Frankish Carolingian Charles of Lower Lorraine obtained the title of duke of Lower Lorraine.  His daughter Gerberga (d. 1008) married Lambert I (d.1015), count of Louvain and Brabant...  Lambert was the founding father of the dukes of Brabant, who, referring to Lambert's marriage, rightfully claimed to descend from Charlemagne...."  (Jeep, p. 72)

Hendrik III
Landgrave of Brabant, 1085/86–1095

Count of Leuven and Brussels, 1078

Godfried I
(c1060-1139)
the Bearded
the Courageous
the Great
Duke of Lower Lorraine (Godfried V/VI), 1106-1129
Landgrave of Brabant, 1095
Count of Brussels & Leuven, 1095

"...In 1066 Godfrey (Godfried) I the Bearded (1095-1139), count of Louvain, received the ducal title of Lower Lorraine from King Henry V of Germany.  In that same year Godfrey I was enfeoffed with the margravate of Antwerp.  In general his reign is considered to mark the beginning of the history of the duchy of Brabant.  The ducal title of Lower Lorraine would remain in the possession of the Brabantine dynasty." (Jeep, p. 72)

Godfried II
(1110-1142)
Duke of Lower Lorraine (Godfried VII), 1139
Margrave of Antwerp, 1139
Landgrave of Brabant, 1139
Count of Leuven, 1139

Godfried III
(c1140-1190)
Duke of Lower Lorraind (Godfried VIII), 1142
Margrave of Antwerp, 1142
Landgrave of Brabant, 1142
Count of Leuven, 1142
(1142–1190)

 

Dukes of Brabant

Hendrik I
1190–1235
Duke of Brabant, 1183/84


Hendrik II
1235–1248


Hendrik III
(1230-1261)
Duke of Brabant & Lothier, 1248–1261

Hendrik IV
(1252-1273)
Duke of Brabant and Lothier, 1261–1267

"...[Henry IV]...was the oldest son of Henry III, but he was underage and weak minded.  A regency was established and exercised by the widowed duchess Aleidis of Burgundy until Henry IV resigned his right to the duchy in 1267 in Kortenberg in favor of his younger brother John I (1267-1294)...."  (Jeep, p. 72)

 

Dukes of Brabant & Limburg

Jan I
the Victorious
1267–1294


Jan II
the Peaceful
1294–1312


Jan III
the Triumphant
1312–1355


Johanna
1355–1406

Dukes of Brabant, Dukes of Lothier and Dukes of Limburg:

Anton of Brabant
1406–1415


Jan IV of Brabant
1415–1427


Filips I
Filips of Saint-Pol
1427–1430


Filips II
the Good
1430–1467


Karel I
the Bold
1467–1477


Maria
the Rich
 1477–1482

Maximilian
Regent, 1482–1494


Filips III
Felipe I of Castile
the Handsome
the Fair
  (1494–1506)

Karel II
Emperor Karl V
(1506–1555)

Filips IV
Felipe II of Spain
  (1555–1598)

usurpation by François, Duke of Anjou (Valois)
(1582–1584)^[1]

Albrecht of Austria
Albrecht VII of Austria
and

Isabella of Spain
(1598-1621)


Filips V
Felipe IV of Spain
(1621-1665)

Karel III
Carlos II of Spain
  (1665-1700)

Filips VI
Felipe V of Spain
(1700-1706)

Karel IV
Emperor Karl VI
(1706-1740)

Maria Theresia of Austria
(1740-1780)

 
Josef I
Emperor Joseph II
(1780-1789)

Leopold I
Emperor Leopold II
(1790-1792)

Frans I
Emperor Franz II
(1792-1794)

REFERENCES
Jeep, John M.  Medieval Germany:  An Encyclopedia.
Boffa, Sergio.  Warfare in Medieval Brabant, 1356-1406.  Woodbrige:  The Boydell Press, 2004.