Dukes of Brabant

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The Duchy of Brabant was formally erected in 1183/1184. The title "Duke of Brabant" was created by the German Emperor Frederick Barbarossa in favor of Henry I, son of Godfrey III of Leuven (who was Duke of Lower Lotharingia at that time). The Duchy of Brabant was a feudal elevation of the since 1085/1086 existing title of Landgrave of Brabant. This was an Imperial fief which was assigned to Count Henry III of Leuven shortly after the death of the preceding Count of Brabant, Count Palatine Herman II of Lotharingia († September 20, 1085). Although the corresponding county was quite small (limited to the territory of the lower town of Brussels and 25km to the west, between the rivers Senne and Dender) its name was applied to the entire country under control of the Dukes from the 13th century on. In 1190, after the death of Godfrey III, Henry I also became Duke of Lotharingia. Formerly Lower Lotharingia, this title was now practically without territorial authority, but was borne by the later Dukes of Brabant as an honorific title.

In 1288, the Dukes of Brabant became also Duke of Limburg. The title fell to the Dukes of Burgundy in 1430. Later on, it followed with the Burgundian inheritance until the French Revolution, although the northern part of the territory of Brabant was actually governed by the United Provinces during the 17th and 18th century (see Generality Lands).

Contents 1 House of Leuven 2 House of Burgundy 3 House of Habsburg 4 Revived title in contemporary tradition 5 See also 6 Source 7 External link

[edit] House of Leuven

Landgrave of Brabant:

• Henry III of Leuven (1085/1086–1095); already Count of Leuven and Brussels from 1078.
• Godfrey I of Leuven (from 1095)

Landgrave of Brabant and Dukes of Lower Lotharingia:

• Godfrey I of Leuven (1106–1139); appointed as Duke in 1106.
• Godfrey II of Leuven (1139–1142)
• Godfrey III of Leuven (1142–1190)

Dukes of Brabant and Lotharingia:

• Henry I (1183/1184–1235); first Duke of Brabant from 1183/1184; succeeded his father Godfrey III as Duke of Lothier in 1190.
• Henry II (1235–1248)
• Henry III (1248–1261)
• Henry IV (1261–1267)

Dukes of Brabant, Lotharingia and Limburg:

• John I (1267–1294)
• John II (1294–1312)
• John III (1312–1355)
• Joanna, Duchess of Brabant (1355–1406)

[edit] House of Burgundy

• Anthony of Burgundy (1406–1415)
• John IV (1415–1427)
• Philip of St. Pol (1427–1430)
• Philip the Good (1430–1467)
• Charles the Bold (1467–1477)
• Mary of Burgundy (1477–1482)

[edit] House of Habsburg

• Maximilian I (regent, 1482–1494)
• Philip the Handsome (1494–1506)
• Charles V (1506–1555)
• Philip II of Spain (1555–1598)
• François, Duke of Anjou (1581–1584)
• Archdukes Albert and Isabella (1598-1621)
• Philip IV of Spain (1621-1665)
• Charles II of Spain (1665-1700)
• Philip V of Spain (1700-1706)
• Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor (1706-1740)
• Maria Theresa of Austria (1740-1780)
• Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor (1780-1789)
• Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor (1790-1792)
• Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor (1792-1794)

[edit] Revived title in contemporary tradition

In the modern Kingdom of Belgium, the revived courtesy title of "Duke of Brabant" is traditionally assigned to the Crown Prince, despite the province of Noord-Brabant, part of the historical duchy, being now part of the Netherlands.

• Léopold II of Belgium (1840–1865)
• Léopold, son of Léopold II (1865–1869)
• Léopold III of Belgium (1909–1934)
• Baudouin of Belgium (1934–1950)
• Philippe (1993– )

[edit] See also

• Graven van Leuven en hertogen van Brabant (in Dutch)
• Dukes of Brabant family tree

[edit] Source

• Charters of the Duchy of Brabant

[edit] External link

• Counts of Louvain: genealogical note (Caution: some information provided by this link could be historiographically obsolete).