Henry III of Leuven
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Henry III of Leuven (died Tournai in 1095) was count of Leuven from 1078 to 1095.
He was allied by marriage to most of the nearby lords: he was brother in law of Baldwin II of Hainaut, and son-in-law of Robert I of Flanders. The bishop of Liège, Henri I of Verdun, was peace-loving. Henry was able to concentrate on the internal affairs of his lands, without external threats. He supported religious foundations in the western parts, and legislated to reduce lawlessness.
After the death on 20 September 1085 of Hermann II, count palatine of Lotharingia, he became landgrave of Brabant, which was an imperial fief between the Dender and the Zenne.
In July 1095, he took part in a tournament in Tournai. Fighting in a joust against Gosuin de Forest, he was mortally wounded.
[edit] Family
He was the son of Henry II of Leuven, count of Leuven and Brussels, and Adèle.
He married Gertrude of Flanders (1080-1117), daughter of Robert I of Flanders and Gertrude of Saxe.
A genealogy of the time attributes to him four daughters (not named). Since he was succeeded by his brother Godfrey I of Leuven, it is inferred that he did not leave a son as heir. It has been suggested that the daughters included
- Adelaide, wife of duke Simon I of Lorraine
- Gertrude, wife to Lambert, count of Montaigu and Clermont.
Gertrude of Flanders, widowed, married in 1096 Thierry II of Lorraine (died 1115) and was mother of Thierry of Alsace.
