Individual

Go to List of Family Names Go to List of People < Previous Next >

____ Godfrey III
Birth:          1142 Louvain
Death:          10 Aug 1190 
Burial:         St. Peter's Church, Louvain

Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godfrey_III,_Count_of_Louvain
Godfrey III (1142 – died 21 August 1190) was count of Louvain (or Leuven), landgrave 
of Brabant, margrave of Antwerp, and duke of Lower Lorraine (as Godfrey VIII) from 
1142 to his death.
Origins[edit]

He was the son of Godfrey II and Lutgarde of Sulzbach.[1] He was still an infant at his 
succession (therefore called dux in cunis) of which a few Brabantian vassals sought to 
take advantage to become independent of the duke (Wars of Grimbergen, 1141–1159).

Career[edit]

On 30 March 1147, Godfrey was present at the coronation of Henry Berengar, son of 
Conrad III of Germany, in Aachen. When Conrad left on Crusade, war began anew in 
1148. Peace was elusive until the election of Conrad's successor, Frederick 
Barbarossa. By marriage to Margaret, daughter of Henry II of Limburg, Godfrey united 
two powerful and antagonistic houses in the region. Their son was Henry I, Duke of 
Brabant.

In 1159 Godfrey ended the war with the Berthout, lords of Grimbergen, by burning their 
impressive motte at Grimbergen. In 1171, Godfrey was at war with Hainaut, but was 
defeated. In 1172, he bought the County of Aarschot from its wayward count Godfried 
III, which in future generations would give rise to the dynasty of the Dukes of 
Aarschot that remain to this day. In 1179, he gave his son Henry in marriage to a 
niece of Philip of Alsace, Count of Flanders.

Between 1182 and 1184 Godfrey went on a Jerusalem campaign. In the interim, 
Barbarossa granted Henry the title "Duke of Brabant". Godfrey died in 1190, on 10 or 
21 August. He left an increased territory and built the fortress of Nedelaer (near 
Vilvoorde). The ducal title was transmitted to his son at the Diet of Schwäbisch Hall 
(September 1190).

Marriages & progeny[edit]

Godfrey married twice:
Firstly to Margaret of Limbourg, daughter of Henry II, Duke of Limburg, in 1158, by 
whom he had two children:[2] Henry I, Duke of Brabant (1165 – 5 Sep 1235). Henry 
was installed in 1180 as duke of Lower Lorraine until 1222. He was made count of 
Louvain in 1183, until 1198. He was installed as Duke of Brabant in 1191.
Albert de Louvain (1166 – 24 Nov 1192). Albert was elected Bishop of Louvain (Liege) 
in 1191, but assassinated in Reims in 1192.[3]

Secondly Godfrey married Imagina of Loon, daughter of Louis I, Count of Loon, by 
whom he had two children:[2] William of Louvain. Lord of Perwez en Ruysbroek. 
Married Marie of Orbais, daughter of Enguerrand of Orbais.
Godfrey of Louvain (d.1226), who went to England in 1196. He married Alice de 
Hastings, daughter and heiress of Robert de Hastings (d.circa 1190), feudal baron of 
Little Easton in Essex.[4]


Parents
____ Godfrey II (ABT 1108 - 13 Jun 1142)
VON SULTZBACH Luitgarde (ABT 1120 - 1162)

Siblings
____ Godfrey III (1142 - 10 Aug 1190)

Marriage To VON LIMBURG Margaret (1135 - 1173) m. 1158 Notes Parents ____ Henry (Henri) II (ABT 1111 - Aug 1167) VON SAFFENBERG Maud (Mathilda) (BEF 1113 - 2 Jan 1145) Children by VON LIMBURG Margaret 1135 - 1173
____ Henry I (1165 - 5 Sep 1235)
Marriage To VON LOOS Imaine (ABT 1152 - ) m. Notes Parents ____ Louis I (ABT 1122 - 11 Aug 1171) VON METZ Agnes (ABT 1114 - ABT 1178) Children by VON LOOS Imaine ABT 1152 -
DE LOUVAIN Godfrey (ABT 1173 - 26 Apr 1226)
Produced by Fzip 1.7 6/20/2017