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Birth:          ABT 1060 of Lorraine Inferie, France
Death:          25 Jan 1139 Jerusalem, Palestine
Burial:         Afflighem, Flanders

Notes
Margrave of Antwerp
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godfrey_I,_Count_of_Louvain
Godfrey I (German: Gottfried, Dutch: Godfried), born c. 1060, died 25 January 1139, 
called the Bearded, the Courageous, or the Great, was the landgrave of Brabant, and 
count of Brussels and Leuven (Louvain) from 1095 to his death and duke of Lower 
Lorraine (as Godfrey VI – n.b. Godfrey of Bouillon, d. 1100, was Godfrey V, but 
numbering is uncertain) from 1106 to 1129. He was also margrave of Antwerp from 
1106 to his death.
Biography[edit]

Godfrey was the son of Henry II (c. 1020–1078) and Adela of Orthen (or Betuwe), a 
daughter of Count Everard of Orthen. He succeeded his brother Henry III who died 
wounded in a tournament in 1095, and only had young daughters. His widow Gertrude 
married Theodoric II, Duke of (upper) Lorraine.

He first came into conflict with Otbert, Bishop of Liège, over the county of 
Brunengeruz that both claimed. In 1099, Emperor Henry IV allotted the county to the 
bishop, who entrusted it to Albert III, Count of Namur. Godfrey arbitrated a dispute 
between Henry III of Luxembourg and Arnold I, Count of Loon, over the appointment 
of the abbot of Sint-Truiden.

Godfrey was in favour with the emperor and defended his interests in Lorraine. In 
1102, he stopped Robert II of Flanders "the Crusader", who was invading the 
Cambraisis. After the death of the emperor in 1106, his son and successor, Henry V, 
who had been in rebellion, decided to avenge himself on his father's partisans. Duke 
Henry of Lower Lorraine was imprisoned and his duchy confiscated and given to 
Godfrey. After Henry escaped from prison, he tried to retake his duchy and captured 
Aachen, but ultimately failed.

In 1114, during a rift between the emperor and Pope Paschal II, Godfrey led a revolt 
in Germany. In 1118, the emperor and the duke were reconciled. In 1119, Baldwin VII 
of Flanders died heirless and Flanders was contested between several claimants, one 
of whom, William of Ypres, had married a niece of Godfrey's second wife. Godfrey 
supported William, but could not enforce his claim against that of Charles the Good. 
Also dead in that year was Otbert. Two separate men were elected to replace him and 
Godfrey again sided with the loser.

By marrying his daughter Adeliza to Henry I of England, who was also the father-in-law 
of the emperor, he greatly increased his prestige. However, Henry V died in 1125 and 
Godfrey supported Conrad of Hohenstaufen, the duke of Franconia, against Lothair of 
Supplinburg. Lothair was elected. Lothair withdrew the duchy of Lower Lorraine and 
granted it to Waleran of Limburg (c. 1085 – 1139), the son of Henry, whom Henry V 
had deprived in 1106. Nonetheless, Godfrey maintained the margraviate of Antwerp 
and retained the ducal title (which would in 1183 become Duke of Brabant).

After the assassination of Charles the Good in 1127, the Flemish succession was 
again in dispute. William Clito prevailed, but was soon fraught with revolts. Godfrey 
intervened on behalf of Theodoric of Alsace, who prevailed against Clito. Godfrey 
continued to war against Liège and Namur.

Godfrey spent his last years in the abbey of Affligem. He died of old age on 25 
January 1139 and was buried in the left aisle of the abbey church. He is sometimes 
said to have passed in 1140, but this is an error.

Family and children[edit]

He married Ida of Chiny (1078–1117), daughter of Otto II, Count of Chiny, (c. 1065 – 
after 1131) and Adelaide of Namur. They had several children:
Adeliza of Louvain (b. 1103 – d. abbey of Affligem, 23 April 1151) married Henry I, King 
of England and later William d'Aubigny, 1st Earl of Arundel (1109 – before 1151).
Godfrey II of Louvain (b. 1107 – d. 13 June 1142), Duke of Lower Lotharingia (Lower 
Lorraine), Landgrave of Brabant, Count of Brussels and Louvain. He married Lutgardis 
of Sulzbach (d.a. 1163), daughter of Berenger I of Sulzbach.
Clarissa (d. 1140).
Henry (d. in the abbey of Affligem, 1141), monk.
Ida (d. 1162) married to Arnold I, Count of Cleves (d. 1147).
Joscelin of Louvain, married Agnes De Percy and had issue.

Later, he married Clementia of Burgundy (c. 1078 – c. 1133), daughter of William I, 
Count of Burgundy, and widow of Robert II, Count of Flanders. They had no children.

Parents
____ Henry (Henri) II (1021 - ABT 1079)
OF THE BETUWE (ORLAMUNDA) Adelaide (Adele) (Alix) (ABT 1045 - AFT 1086)

Siblings
____ Godfrey I "A La Barbe" ("the Bearded") (ABT 1060 - 25 Jan 1139)
DE LOUVAIN Ida (Alix) (ABT 1063 - 1139)
____ Henry III (ABT 1065 - 1095)

Marriage To OF NAMUR AND CHINY Ida (ABT 1083 - AFT 1125)
    m. ABT 1098 

Notes

Parents
____ Otto II (ABT 1060 - AFT 1131)
OF NAMUR Adelaide (ABT 1068 - 1124)

Children by OF NAMUR AND CHINY Ida ABT 1083 - AFT 1125
OF LOUVAIN Adeliza (ABT 1100 - 23 Apr 1151)
____ Godfrey II (ABT 1108 - 13 Jun 1142)
DE LOUVAIN BARBATUS Joscelin (ABT 1117 - BEF 1180)

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