Reign 1267–1294 Predecessor Henry Successor John II | Successor John II Name John Duke Reign 1288–1294 House House of Reginar | |
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Died May 3, 1294, Bar-le-Duc, France Spouse Margaret of Flanders, Duchess of Brabant (m. 1273), Margaret of France, Duchess of Brabant (m. 1270–1271) Children John II, Duke of Brabant, Margaret of Brabant, Marie of Brabant, Countess of Savoy Parents Adelaide of Burgundy, Duchess of Brabant, Henry III, Duke of Brabant Similar People John III - Duke of Brabant, Marie of Brabant - Queen of, Margaret of Brabant, Guy - Count of Flanders, Henry VII - Holy Roman E | ||
Predecessor Reginald I of Guelders | ||
Unofficial Anthem of Noord-Brabant (Netherlands) - Het lied van hertog Jan
John I of Brabant, also called John the Victorious (1252/1253 – 3 May 1294) was Duke of Brabant (1267–1294), Lothier and Limburg (1288–1294). During the 19th century, John I was venerated as a Belgian folk hero.
Contents
- Unofficial Anthem of Noord Brabant Netherlands Het lied van hertog Jan
- Life
- Family and children
- Legacy
- References
Life
Born in Leuven, he was the son of Henry III, Duke of Brabant and Aleidis of Burgundy, daughter of Hugh IV, Duke of Burgundy. He was also an older brother of Maria of Brabant, Queen consort of Philip III of France. In 1267 his older brother Henry IV, Duke of Brabant, being mentally deficient, was deposed in his favour.
His greatest military victory was the Battle of Worringen 1288, by which John I came to reign over the Duchy of Limburg. He was completely outnumbered in forces but led the successful invasion into the Rhineland to defeat the confederacy. In 1288 Limburg was formally attached to Brabant.
John I was said to be a model of feudal prince: brave, adventurous; excelling in every form of active exercise, fond of display, and generous in temper. He was considered one of the most gifted princes of his time. This made him very popular in Middle Ages poetry and literature. Even today there exists an ode to him, so well known that it was a potential candidate to be the North Brabant anthem. John I delighted in tournaments and was always eager to take part in jousts. He was also famous for his many illegitimate children.
On 3 May 1294 at some marriage festivities at Bar-le-Duc, John I was mortally wounded in the arm in an encounter by Pierre de Bausner. He was buried in the church of the Minderbroeders in Brussels, but since the Protestant iconoclasm (Beeldenstorm) in 1566, nothing remains of his tomb.
Family and children
He was married twice. On 5 September 1270, he wed Margaret of France, daughter of Louis IX of France and Margaret of Provence. She took the title of Duchess of Brabant. He had a son, but both wife and child died shortly after the boy's birth.
In 1273, He married Margaret of Flanders (d. 3 July 1285), daughter of Guy, Count of Flanders and had the following children:
- Godfrey (1273/74 – aft. 13 September 1283).
- John II of Brabant (1275–1312).
- Margaret (4 October 1276 – 14 December 1311, Genoa), married 9 June 1292 to Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor.
- Marie (d. after 2 December 1338), married to Count Amadeus V of Savoy.
John I had several illegitimate children:
- Gillis van der Balcht
- Jean Meuwe, Seigneur of Wavre and Dongelberg.
- Margareta of Tervuren, she was married on 2 March 1292 to Jean de Rode de Lantwyck
- Jan Pylyser (1272–1342)
- Jan van der Plasch
Legacy
The duke is remembered in the folkish song Harbalorifa that remains popular. The popular Dutch beer Hertog Jan was named after the duke. Also the beer Primus of the Haacht Brewery is named after John I (Jan Primus)