Godefroid Ier of Leuwen

Godefroid Ier of Leuwen , known as Bearded the , the Courageous or Large the , born towards 1060, dead the January 25th 1139, was count de Louvain, of Brussels and landgrave of the Brabant of 1095 with 1139, then duke of Low-Lotharingie of 1106 with 1125 (under the name of Godefroid V ) and marquis d' Anvers of 1106 with 1139. It was wire of Henri II, count de Louvain and of Brussels, and Adele and succeeded her brother Henri III, count de Louvain and of Brussels in 1095.

Its first conflict was against the bishop of Liege Otbert in connection with the county of Brugeron that both asserted. The arbitration of the emperor Henri IV allotted in 1099 the county to the bishop, who entrusted it to Albert III, count de Namur. He arbitrated then a litigation between Henri IV, count de Luxembourg and of Limbourg, and Arnould Ier, count de Looz, in connection with the nomination of the abbot of Saint-Trond. He is in favor of the emperor in Lotharingie and defends his interests vis-a-vis the count of Flanders which invades Cambraisis in 1102.

The emperor Henri IV dies in 1106. The new emperor, Henri V, which had revolted against his/her father, decided to be avenged for the partisans of his father. He imprisoned Henri de Limbourg and withdrew the to him duchy of Low-Lotharingie to give it to Godefroy. Escaped prisoner, Henri tried to take again his old duchy and took Aachen, but Godefroy overcame it.

In 1114, at the time of an estrangement between the emperor and the pope Pascal II, an insurrection burst into Germanic, to which to share the duke Godefroy took. It was only into 1118 that the emperor Henri V rejoined Godefroy with his cause. The following year died the count de Flandre Baudouin VII with the Axe. Not having wire, the Flanders was disputed between several heirs, of which Guillaume d' Ypres who had married a niece of the second woman of Godefroy. Godefroy supported it, but does not succeed in imposing it vis-a-vis Charles of Denmark.

This same Anne died Otbert, évèque of Liege, two candidates were elected to succeed to him, and were made the war, in which Godefroid intervened, which was also as regards loser. But shortly after one period began when, by its alliances, it dominated Lotharingie, Maria her daughter with the king d' Angleterre, which was the father-in-law of the emperor. But this last died in 1125, and two lords aspired to the imperial throne: Lothaire de Supplimbourg and Conrad de Souabe. Godefroy supported Conrad, and Lothaire was elected. This one withdrew the Lowone in Godefroy to give it to Waléran de Limbourg, but Godefroy managed to preserve the marquisat of Antwerp and the ducal title.

In Flanders, Charles the Good was assassinated in 1127, and the succession was asserted by several lords. Guillaume Cliton is chosen, but its authority quickly causes dissatisfaction and revolts, and Godefroy intervened again in the fight, without much success and ends up being combined with the winner, Thierry of Alsace. It still on the occasion to fight, against the bishop of Liege, then against the count de Namur.

Godefroid dies on January 25th 1139 and was buried with the abbey of Affligem. Certain authors say it dead in 1140, but this dating is false. His/her son Godefroid II of Leuwen succeeded to him.

Marriage and children

He married in first weddings in 1099 Ide (1078 † 1117), probably girl of Otton II, count de Chiny and of Adelaide de Namur. They had:

Godefroid II of Leuwen (1107 † 1142), count de Louvain and of Brussels, and duke of Low-Lotharingie
Adelaide († 1151, buried in the Abbey of Affligem), married:
# in 1121 with the king Henri Ier of England (1070 † 1135)
# then with Guillaume d' Aubigny († 1157), Count d' Arundel and of Lincoln.
Ide, married about 1128 with Arnould Ier, count de Clèves
Clarisse, died before 1140
Henri, monk with the abbey of Affligem.

Widower, it remarie towards 1120 with Clemence of Burgundy († 1133), widow of Robert II, count de Flandre, sister of the pope Calixte II and girl of Guillaume Ier, count de Bourgogne and of Etiennette. They had:

Gosuin or Jocelin, which accompanied his/her sister in England and settled there, after having married Agnès de Percy.

Source

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