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Counts of Hesbaye

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The Counts of Hesbaye have their roots with the Merovingian and Lotharingian families, providing the basis for much of the nobility of Western Francia from the eighth through eleventh centuries. Hesbaye (Hesbaie), derived from pagus Hasbaniensis, lays in what is today eastern Belgium, south of a line from the river Demer in the west to the town of Maaseik in the east, west and north of the river Meuse as far as the river Dyle in the west. This article discusses the Counts of Hesbaye and provides a guide to the counties that evolved in the 11th and 12th centuries.

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The division of Lotharingian territories was agreed to in the Treaty of Meersen of 8 August 870 between Louis the German, King of East Francia, and his half-brother Charles the Bald, King of the West Franks. The treaty allocated …comitatum…in Hasbanio comitatus IV… to Charles. The reference to four unnamed counties within Hesbaye suggests that it might have been a geographical entity and not a county itself. Vanderkindere believed that these four counties are those obtained by quartering Hesbaye, a hypothesis based on an interpretation of geography rather than any contemporary documentation. These counties were, according to him:

  • Avernas, in the north-east of Hesbaye, first named in a charter dated 956, and which possibly later developed into the County of Looz (or Loon)
  • Brunengeruz (in the south-west of Hesbaye, also known as Brugeron or Hougaerde), named in a charter under which Emperor Otto III confirmed properties of the church of Liège including comitatum de Brunengeruuz.
  • Louvain, in the northwest.
  • Haspinga (comitatum Arnoldi comitis nomine Haspinga in pago Haspingowi) granted by Emperor Henry III to the Cathedral of Saint-Lambert in Liège by charter dated 24 Jan 1040.
  • No reference to these four counties, or any ruling counts, apart from in the county of Hesbaye itself, has been found prior to the 870 agreement. Counties that have some historical, geographical and genealogical relationship to Hesbaye include Louvain, Grez, Betuwe, Looz, Duras and Aarschot. The counts have numerous relations with the major family dynasties of the medieval Franks.

    Hesbaye itself is first mentioned in 715. The third continuator of the Gesta Abbatum Trudonensium names Robertus comes vel dux Hasbanie, who can be identified with the ancestor of Robert of Hesbaye, the direct ancestors of the Robertians and the House of Capet. The ancestors of Ermengarde of Hesbaye, the wife of Louis I the Pious, were also recorded as the Counts of Hesbaye.

    There are indications that, by the late 9th or early 10th centuries, the House of Reginar had acquired interests in the county of Hesbaye. Guillaume de Jumièges describes how Rainier au long cou duc de Hasbaigne et du Hainaut et Radbold prince de Frise fought the Viking Rollo but were forced back to their castles. The Chronicle of Alberic de Trois Fontaines also refers to Rainerus Hainonensium comes et Hasbanii dux fighting the Vikings, dated to 876. It is not certain that these can be considered reliable authorities, particular because of the reference to dux, for which no other indications have been found that this was an officially sanctioned title in the Reginar family at that time. However, other sources indicate that Reginar, Duke of Lorraine, held property in the county including the Abbey of Saint Servatius at Maastricht.

    Counts of Hesbaye

    The earliest known Count of Hesbaye is Lambert, who married Chrotlind, daughter of Theoderic III, King of Neustria and Austrasia. The early counts were therefore direct descendants of Clovis I, King of the Franks, as well as the ancestors of the royal families of Robertians and the House of Capet.

    Robertians. The first known Counts of Hesbaye are:

  • Lambert (through 741)
  • Robert I (741-764), also Duke of Neustria, son of the previous
  • Sigramnus (from 764), brother-in-law of the previous
  • Cancor (through 771), son of Robert I
  • Thuringbert (dates of rule uncertain), brother of the previous
  • Robert II (through 807), son of the previous and grandfather of Robert the Strong
  • Ingerman (807-818), grandson of Sigramnus.
  • Non-Dynastic Counts. Robert II’s reign as Count of Hesbaye marked the end of the dynasty stretching back to the Merovingian kings. Two other counts have been recorded prior to the arrival of the House of Reginar.

  • Ekkehard (818-844), killed at the siege of Toulouse against Pepin II, King of Aquitaine. Parentage unknown.
  • Emmo (dates of rule uncertain), parentage unknown, but probably related to Reginar, Duke of Lorraine.
  • Counties of Reginar. In 853, Charles the Bald implemented the Capitulary of Servais providing for senior clergy and nobility to help patrol the realm. Within the plan, the fourth district (Misscaticum 4) included "the counties of Reginar" as an area of interest. This district was based in Thérouanne and likely included what was to become Hesbaye. The biography of Gilbert, Count of the Maasgau, father of the founder of the House of Reginar, identifies a Count Meginhere and his son Reginar as possible ancestors, based primarily on onomastics. Reginar was convicted of treason against Louis the Pious and executed in 818 along with Bernard, King of Italy, so it is not likely that this Reginar was the count. It is more likely that Meginhere had another child whose son Reginar inherited the counties mentioned in Charles' pronouncement. This is likely to be the ancestral line that led to Emmo. The most likely candidate for this count is Raganar, killed in 876 in service of Charles the Bald as standard-bearer in the Battle of Andernach.

    House of Reginar. House of Reginar was prevalent in the county beginning in 876, when Reginar I is first identified as duc de Hasbaigne. Because of the gap between Reginar I and his grandson Rudolf, it is assumed that Reginar II was the count, although this is unverified. The same is true of Otto, who is presumed to be the count based on his father Rudolf, Count of Betuwe and his son Arnulf.

  • Reginar I Longneck, (877-915), Duke of Lorraine, and also with the title of the Duke of Hesbaye
  • Reginar II (915-932), also Count of Hainaut, son of the previous
  • Rudolf (932-953). also Count of Maasgau, son of the previous.
  • Later Counts. After the exile of Reginar III, a series of non-dynastic counts ruled Hesbaye until its absorption into the Prince-Bishropic of Liege in 1040. This list is not conclusive. Given that Reginar IV replaced both Werner as Count of Valenciennes and his brother Renaud as Count of Mons after they were both killed (by Reginar IV and his brother Lambert), it seems likely that he would have become the Count of Hesbaye as well. There is, however, no evidence of this.

  • Werner (953-973), also Count of Valenciennes, parentage unknown
  • Folcwin (973-974), parentage unknown
  • Otto (974-1016), also Count of Looz
  • Arnulf (1016-1040), son of the previous.
  • Emperor Henry III gave Hesbaye to the Prince-Bishropic of Liege in 1040. See also the Counts of Liège.

    Nobility of Hesbaye

    Prior to the establishment of Hesbaye as a count under Lambert, there were numerous notable figures that were ancestors of Lambert who helped establish the county and nearby bishoprics and abbeys. These were all descended from Charibert I, King of Paris, and therefore Clovis I, King of the Franks. They were the ancestors of the Robertians.

    Nobles

  • Charibert de Haspengau, son of Charibert I, King of Paris
  • Robert I, Référendaire of France and Bishop of Tours, son of the previous
  • Erlebert, Seigneur of Quernes, brother of the previous
  • Lambert of Hesbaye, son of Robert I
  • Robert II, Lord Chancellor of France and Count palatine, son of the previous and grandfather of Lambert, Count of Hesbaye
  • Grimbert, Count palatine, son of the previous
  • Folchaid, married Theodo of Bavaria, sister of the previous and mother to four dukes of Bavaria.
  • Religious Figures

  • Saint Lambertus, Abbot of Fontenelle and Bishop of Lyon, son of Erlebert
  • Saint Angadrisma, daughter of Robert I
  • Theodard, Bishop of Maastricht-Liège, son of Lambert of Hesbaye
  • Saint Trudo, the Apostle of Hesbaye, son of the Blessed Adela
  • Saint Lambert, Bishop of Maastricht-Liège, son of Robert II
  • Rupert of Salzburg, Bishop of Worms, grandson of Robert II
  • Saint Chrodegang, Bishop of Metz, grandson of Lambert, Count of Hesbaye.
  • Counts of Louvain

    The Counts of Louvain were members of the House of Reginar, and became the Landgraves of Brabant. As discussed above, the first Count of Louvain, Lambert, assisted his brother Reginar IV in the killing of Werener and his brother Renaud. Brabant also absorbed the Count of Aarschot, as discussed below. See the Main Article, Counts of Louvain.

    Counts of Grez

    The Counts of Grez (Gray) are recorded with the comital title only at the end of the 11th century. The county of Grez was situated between the county of Leuven and the territory of Liège proper and probably recognised the suzerainty of the prince-bishop. The Counts of Grez’ land likely lay within Liège territory and included Vaux, part of the episcopal county of Huy. It is likely that the county was incorporated into Brabant in the early 12th century.

  • Henri of Gray (d. after 1099), parentage unknown. Fought in the First Crusade with his brother Warner.
  • Warner of Gray (Garner of Grez) (d. 22 July 1100), brother of the previous. Travelled on the First Crusade with Robert the Crusader, Count of Flanders.
  • Warner is referred to as a relative of Godfrey of Boullion although it is unclear what that relationship was. Given the relationships above, it is most likely that Warner and Godfrey were both related to Reginar III, Count of Hainaut. Warner had one son Henri de Grez by his wife Adelende (d. after 1095). It is not known whether or not this Henri succeeded his father as count.

    Counts of Betuwe

    The Counts of Betuwe were the predecessors to the Counts of Looz, and include:

  • Ricfried (845-950), grandfather of Ansfried, Bishop of Utrecht
  • Nibelung (d. 953)
  • Rudolf (d. 956), father or grandfather of Giselbert, the first Count of Looz
  • Godizo (d. 1011-1015), also Count of Liège, son of Richar, Duke of Lower Lorraine
  • Otto (d. 1016), also Count of Looz and of Hesbaye.
  • The next generations of counts were known as Counts of Looz.

    Counts of Looz

    The Counts of Looz descended from the Counts of Betuwe and are intermingled with the Counts of Duras. See the Main Article Counts of Looz and a related article Counts of Chiny.

    Counts of Duras

    The county of Duras developed in the 11th century in the area of the former county of Hesbaye, which disappeared from the records. The known Counts of Duras are:

  • Herlendis, Countess of Duras (d. after 2 November 1023). The name of her husband the count is unknown.
  • Godefroi (d. after 1023), son of the previous
  • Giselbert I (d. after 1023), brother of the previous
  • Otto I (d. 1101), son of Giselbert, Count of Looz, and son-in-law of Giselbert I
  • Giselbert II, son of the previous
  • Otto II, son of the previous
  • Godefroi, also Count of Montaigu and Clermont, son-in-law of the previous
  • Gilles, also Count of Montaigu and Clermont, son of the previous. Married to Lauretta, daughter of Louis I, Count of Looz.
  • Conan, also Count of Montaigu and Clermont (Cono II), brother of the previous
  • Gérard II, also Count of Looz, brother-in-law of Gilles
  • Henry, also Count of Looz, cousin of Gilles.
  • Henry's brother Louis II was identified as regent of Duras, presumably prior to Henry's coming of age. After Henry, no other Counts of Duras are recorded. See also Counts of Montaigu.

    Counts of Aarschot

    The known Counts of Aarschot are:

  • Arnout I (d. after 1060)
  • Arnout II (d. after 1115), son of the previous
  • Arnout III (1080-1136), son of the previous
  • Arnout IV (1100-1152), son of the previous
  • Godfried III (1130-1176), son of the previous.
  • Godfried III, the last Count of Aarschot, sold the county to Godfrey III, Duke of Brabant, in 1172 to allegedly finance his participation in the Third Crusade, although it is doubtful that he ever took the cross. Godfrey of Brabant, younger son of Godfrey's great-grandson Henry III, Duke of Brabant, is next recorded as a Lord of Aarschot in the late 13th century, beginning a dynasty first of lords and then of dukes that survives to this day. The sister of Godfrey of Brabant was Marie, Queen consort of France, by virtue of her marriage to Phillip III the Bold, King of France.

    References

    Counts of Hesbaye Wikipedia