History of the Principality of Liege

Birth of a city: the assassination of Holy Lambert

The town of Liege is born in blood. The bishop of Maastricht, Lambert has a country house in the small village of Liege, probably a Roman villa , refitted. The September 17th one year unknown (696, 700 or 705), it is assassinated by the men of certain Dodon, member of a rival family. Its body is transported to Maastricht.

Well quickly, the house of Lambert becomes miraculous, and is the goal of an important pilgrimage. In 714, its successor, Holy Hubert, brings back the relics of Lambert to Liege and a church devotes to him. A city is born around. In 722, Hubert decides to settle with Liege. But nothing indicates that he wanted to make the new center of the diocese of it. Always it is that will be the consequence.

Towards 742, Charlemagne is born in the surroundings from Liege (Herstal or Jupille?).

In 817, the Charter of Walcand, bishop of Liege, teaches us that the bishop had already goods with Tongres, Maastricht, Huy, Dining, Ciney and the abbey of Saint-Hubert.

In 820, the Normand S devastate for the first time the area.

In 843, with the Treated of Verdun, Liege becomes lotharingiennne.

Liege in the imperial Church

Between 923 and 925, the Lotharingie, on which Liege depended, was attached definitively to the Francie Orientale, via the aristocracy lotharingienne. This one represented a danger as well to the Church of Liege as she wished to control than for the emperor.

Otton and his brother Brunon, archbishop of Cologne thus made alliance with the episcopate inhabitant of Li2ege, in order to maintain Lotharingie in the Germanic bosom. With share Baldéric Ier, the bishops (Hugues, Farabert, Rathier, Éracle and Notger) were all bishops by the will of Otton or his/her brother.

In 936, Otton becomes king de Germanie. It is him which chooses the bishops. It is what is called the imperial church. This one is founded in Liege and lasts until in 1209.

The Christmas Day 953, Liege knows its first riot. The aristocracy lotharingienne, carried out by Régnier III of Hainaut and its Raoul brother, takes the city. They install Baldéric on the episcopal see. The bishop Rathier gives up his episcopal functions in 955.

In 954, the Hungarians devastate the area.

Into 959, Lotharingie is divided: low Lotharingie or Lothier and High Lotharingie or Lorraine. Liege thus depends on Lothier. It is one of the three episcopal sees, with Cambrai and Utrecht.

It is as in 959 as Éracle is elected bishop of Liege. He reorganizes the schools inhabitants of Li2ege.

In 962, the Germanie king, Otton, is made crown emperor by the pope Jean XII. The Saint Roman Empire of the Germanic nation was born.

In 971, Eracle, near to Othon I {{er}}, dies. It is buried in the chorus of the Collégiale Saint Martin's day, of which it wanted to make the new cathedral. Indeed, it estimated that the center of Liege and its cathedral were indefensible.

Notger and birth of a episcopal principality

Since the death of Lambert of Maastricht, Liege changed well. Modest village which it was, it became a flourishing city. Its schools are re-elected in all Europe

The territory of the bishop increased considerably in addition to Liege, Amay, City-in-Hesbaye and Lustin; the Church has goods and right with Tongres, Maastricht, Huy, Namur and Dining. The bishop has also important fields: Bridge-of-wolf, Marchienne-with-Bridge, Arches (Charleville), Theux; as well as many abbeys and their dependences: Saint-Hubert, Lobbes, Pits, Hastière, Malignant and Aldeneick. The bishop of Liege exerts his temporal authority there on what will be always approximately a third of sound diocese. After 1559, the diocese of Liege being much smaller, the share of temporal sovereignty that the Prince-bishop exerts there increases fatally.

Notger is born in Souabe towards 930. It is resulting from the nobility and carried out its studies with Saint-Gall, of which he would have been provost. In 972, it is called on the episcopal see of Liege. It punishes the agitators who had prevailed under the reign of Éracle.

Otton II succeeds his/her father in 973.

The bishop receives from the emperor certain rights in 974: that of Tonlieu, market and that of gruits (to make matter with barley beer). In 978, Notger makes set up the news Cathédrale Our-Lady-and-Saint-Lambert of Liege. It replaces the Basilique built by Hubert saint. Its construction extends until in 1015

The emperor confirms the rights and the possessions of the bishop of Liege in 980. He grants sovereignty to him on Tongres, part of Huy, Fosses and Malignant. The prince-bishop obtains also a privilege of general immunity, under the protection of Otton II. A true State inhabitant of Li2ege was born.

The July 7th 985, Otton III, at the request of his/her mother, concedes in Notger the County of Huy. It extended on both sides from the Meuse and included/understood the Hesbaye, the Condroz, and the Famenne. It is the first time that a whole county is given to a bishop. The bishop becomes count and prince d' Empire. Liege thus becomes a ecclesiastical principality directed by a Prince-bishop: the Principauté of Liege was born.

Notger will receive a second county in 987: Brugeron (Tirlemont).

In 987, the prince-bishop, in company of the impératice Théophano, mother of Otton III and regent, takes and destroys the castle of Chèvremont.

About the year 1000, Liege is an arts center of Western Europe, a Athens of North , place which Paris takes to him later two centuries. It has the most famous schools of the Christian world.

Notger dies the April 10th 1008. It leaves an indelible mark in the town of Liege: foundation of several collegial and abbeys, fortifications, the episcopal palate, the construction of the district of Isle. There is habit to say “Inhabitant of Li2ege, you owe Notger to Christ and the remainder with Notger”.

Of Baldéric II with Otbert

In 1008, Baldéric II becomes prince-bishop of Liege. It is an aristocrat originating in the diocese. Before being called in Liege, he was a chaplain of Otton III and Henri II. The same year, it increases the grounds of the ground condrusiennes principality located on the heights of Huy. Henri II made him also gift of the village of Jupille and his dependences with the bishop of Verdun

In 1012, the prince makes strengthen the village of Hoegaarden, on the Gette, not far from Leuwen, which starts the hostilities of the count Lambert of Leuwen. The forces inhabitants of Li2ege are crushed in Hoegaarden on October 10th 1013. Brugeron passes under suzerainty of Leuwen, as well as the Avouerie of Gembloux.

In 1014, the principality receives the Marquisat de Franchimont.

April 12th 1015, the troops of the duke of Low-Lotharingie, Godefoid III of Eenam (or Verdun) and its allies inhabitant of Li2ege crush those of Lambert of Leuwen and its ally Robert II of Lome, count of Namur at the time of the battle of Florennes.

The troops of the duke of Low-Lotharingie and those of the prince-bishop of Liege are crushed by the troops of Thierry III of Frise, at the time of the battle of Vlaardingen. Baldéric II dies the same day.

The territory of the Church of Liege increases in 1040 more, when the Prince-bishop Nithard receives the county of Hesbaye (the Hesbaye inhabitant of Li2ege, ranging between the Meuse and the Geer, in the West of Liege).

Of Frederic de Namur with Albert de Cuyck

In 1119, bursts a quarrel at the time of the election of Otbert. Two candidates are in string: Frederic de Namur, Archdeacon of the Brabant and large-provost of Saint-Lambert, in favor of the pope and Alexandre, in favor of Henri IV, the Emperor excommunicated.

The emperor Henri V allots évêché to Alexandre, helped by the duke of Low-Lotharingie, Godefroid Ier of Leuwen. The archbishop of Cologne, Frederic de Schwarzenbourg (1100 - 1131), in favor of Frederic of Namur, excommunicates Alexandre. April 23rd of the year 1119, one elects, in Cologne, Frederic of Namur. In this same year, Mouzon, an attempt at reconciliation fails between the Pape Calixte II and the emperor.

October 26th, 1119, at the time of the Council of Rheims, the pope devotes Frederic of Namur. Henri V and Alexandre are again excommunicated. The same day, this one, helped by Godefroid of Leuwen, seizes the castle of Huy. The new prince-bishop takes again the castle and pushes back the armies of the duke. Alexandre subjects himself.

May 27th 1121, Frederic of Namur dies, perhaps poisoned. Alexandre succeeds in being made elect. September 2nd, the archbishop of Cologne convenes the two camps in assembly. He forces also Alexandre to give up évêché of Liege.

September 23rd, 1122, one promulgates the Concordat of Worms, which puts an end to the Querelle Nominations: The pope and the emperor reconciled themselves. The emperor gives up the nomination of the bishops by the stick and the ring, therefore with the spiritual power. He leaves with the Église the choice of the bishop S and of the Abbé S. the pope, recognizes to him with the emperor the right to chair the elections and to give to the new prelate a nomination by the sceptre, i.e. the temporal power.

January 1st 1123, after two years of vacancy, the throne of Liege finds a prince-bishop: Albéron Ier, brother of Godefroid Ier of Leuwen, duke of Low-Lotharingie and Count of Leuwen. He is not Liégeois, considering the implication of the local clergy in the quarrel, but comes from Metz He abolishes the right of Mainmorte on all his field.

In 1124, Albéron founds the worship of Marie-madeleine. The same year appears the Avoué of Hesbaye, carry-standard of the episcopal army.

Albéron Ier will die on January 1st 1128.

In 1128, Alexandre Ier is elected. It is resulting from the nobility hesbignon. After its various failures (cf supra), he is finally elected canonically.

In 1128, the king Lothaire II deposits the duke Godefroid Ier of Leuwen. He names his successor: the count Waleran II of Limbourg.

August 7th 1129, the bishop, helped by Waleran II of Limbourg, gains with Wilderen the victory over Godefroid Ier of Leuwen, its old ally and guard.

The prince-bishop Alexandre Ier is accused of Simonie by the pope Innocent II in 1135, it will be deposited with the council of Pisa

March 22nd, 1135, Albéron II, originating in Metz goes up on the episcopal see of Liege.

In 1139, Albéron II takes part in the council of Lateran (cf IIe council of Lateran)

Between 1140 and 1142, Renaud Ier de Bar and Henri the Blind man, count of Luxembourg and Namur, take, burn and plunder the inhabitant of Li2ege city of Pits ( Pit-the-City).

In 1141, the prince-bishop recovers Bouillon, lost in 1134.

Albéron II dies in Orte, in Italy on March 22nd 1145.

The Principality in change: the rise of the communes and the trades

The laic principalities develop: the noble ones of the County of Hainaut and the Duché of the Brabant become powerful. Previously, the old Roman way carrying out of Cologne to Boulogne-sur-Mer constituted the main roads of the area; it is now supplanted by a new way which of Maastricht, joined Ghent and Bruges while passing by Tirlemont, Leuwen and Ghent, thus giving to the duke the Brabant an increasing importance.

The Principality of Liege controls most of this road, blocking the development of the Brabant towards the east.

The March 5th 1200, Hugue de Pierrepont, originating in Laon is named prince-bishop.

In 1204, the duke Henri I {{er}} of the Brabant receives the avouery of Eersen: Maastricht becomes thus a Co-seigneurerie (Brabant-Liege).

The same year, the principality receives the county of Moha, which will be really plain in Liege only in 1225.

Philippe de Souabe confirms the large charter of Albert de Cuyck the June 3rd 1208: the inviolability of the residence is guaranteed.

In 1209, the emperor Othon IV of Brunswick gives up any intervention in the episcopal elections.

In 1210, the pope Innocent III excommunicates the emperor, and threatens to deposit it. It will be replaced by Frederic II of Hohenstaufen. The duke of the Brabant is agitated, he claims the county of Moha, and wants to make pay the Inhabitants of Li2ege.

From May 3rd to 7th 1212, Henri Ier of the Brabant, benefitting from the absence of the nobility, ransacks Liege and the Hesbaye. It will start again the following year, extreme Tourinnes, Waremme, Waleffe, and Tongres.

In 1213, the October 13rd, Hugues de Pierrepont, helped by the militia of Liege, Huy, Dining, Pits and Thuin, gains the Bataille of Steps. The Inhabitants of Li2ege and their allies of the Comté of Looz overcome Brabançons. The prince-bishop makes burn Léau, Landen and Hannut, as well as the villages of the territory of Tirlemont.

The same year, the emperor Frederic II gives up intervening in the elections of the bishop S: it is the end of the system of the imperial Church.

The February 2nd 1214, the duke Henri Ier of the Brabant and the prince-bishop sign a peace treaty.

In 1227, Hugues de Pierrepont refuses the Archevêché Rheims. It repurchases with the archbishop of Rheims the rights that this one had into clean with Saint-Trond.

The August 29th 1229, the duke of the Brabant goes to Waremme where he recognizes the validity of the doits of the Church of Liege on the county of Moha. The April 12th, Hugues de Pierrepont dies in Huy. It will be buried in the cathedral. The May 24th 1229 Jean d' Eppes (or of Aps) succeeds to him. The same year is created the first confederation of the towns of Liege, Huy, Tongres, Fosses, Saint-Trond and Maastricht. The latter is strengthened this year. The December 13rd, the emperor Henri VI makes abolish this federation and makes recognize the authority of the new prince-bishop.

The April 9th 1230, Henri VII confirms the Charte of Albert de Cuyck and the diploma of Philippe de Souabe of 1208

The inhabitants of Hasselt receive same the rights as those of Liege in 1232.

In 1238, the chapter cathédral entrusts the Inquisition to the Dominicain S. same the years, of the Hérétique S are burned in Liege.

Jean d' Eppes dies during the seat of the Château of Poilvache, on April 1st 1238

The June 22nd, Guillaume of Savoy becomes prince-bishop, he is the son of the count of Savoy, Thomas Ier. The Chanoine Otton d' Erbstein disputes the election, helped by the emperor Frederic II. Disorders burst in all the country. The May 29th 1239, Guillaume of Savoy goes to Rome, where the Pape Gregoire IX confirms his election. June 30th of the same year, the rupture between the emperor and the pope is complete. Gregoire IX excommunicates and deposits Frederic II.

Guillaume dies the May 29th 1239, on the way of the return of Rome, probably poisoned. He will be buried in the Abbaye of High-Combe.

October 30th 1240, a new prince-bishop is elected, it acts of the bishop of Langres, Robert de Thourotte or of Langres. It did not receive the regalities of the emperor, this one being excommunicated.

In 1245, the prince attends the Concile of Lyon during which Frederic II is deposited by Innocent IV. Robert de Thourotte can thus reign without to have received the Regality .

In 1246, the Corpus Christi is founded in all the diocese of Liege, at the request of holy Julienne, prioress with the leper-house of the old people's home of Cornillon. The June 9th of the same year, the bubble of Innocent IV confirms the institutions of the diocese. The cathedral is managed by the prince-bishop, 59 Chanoines of the subsoil, 11 Chanoines of Saint-Materne, 12 Chanoines of the Small Table, 2 imperial Chapelains and 2 episcopal Chapelains.

The October 16th, Robert de Thourotte dies. It will be buried in the Abbaye of Clairvaux. Its succession divides the canons, 112 candidates aspire to the episcopal capacity. The September 27th 1247, Henri de Gueldre is finally elected. It is a violent and discharged man. The population calls it “Large Ribaud of the City”. It celebrates true orgies in the town of Liege. But it is a man of war, the pope Innocent IV exempts it to take the orders. One suffrageant fulfills the episcopal functions then.

November 1st, Henri de Gueldre recognizes the sovereignty of the laymen in the administration of temporal and that of the clergy in the ecclesiastical businesses.

In 1251 (in October or in November), the Corpus Christi is celebrated for the first time in the Basilique Saint Martin's day of Liege.

Innocent IV, in 1252, grant Indulgence S to the people contributing to the rebuilding of the cathedral, in building site since the fire of 1185.

External bonds

Liege, of one villa to the Simenon tower…
a very Good story of the principality of Liege
History of the principality of Liege
Declaration of the Human rights and the Citizen of Franchimont

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