Gothelo I, Duke of Lorraine

Gothelo I, Duke of Lorraine
Born	c. 967
Died	(1044-04-19)19 April 1044
Noble family	House of Ardennes–Verdun
Issue	Godfrey the Bearded Gothelo II Pope Stephen IX Regilinda Oda Matilda
Father	Godfrey I, Count of Verdun
Mother	Matilda of Saxony

Gothelo (or Gozelo) (c. 967 – 19 April 1044), called the Great, was the duke of Lower Lorraine from 1023 and of Upper Lorraine from 1033.^[1] He was also the margrave of Antwerp from 1005 (or 1008) and count of Verdun. Gothelo was the youngest son of Godfrey I, Count of Verdun, and Matilda,^[2] daughter of Herman, Duke of Saxony. On his father's death, he received the march of Antwerp and became a vassal of his brother, Godfrey II, who became duke of Lower Lorraine in 1012. Gothelo succeeded his brother in 1023 with the support of the Emperor Henry II, but was opposed until Conrad II forced the rebels to submit in 1025. When the House of Bar, which ruled in Upper Lorraine, became extinct in 1033, with the death of his cousin Frederick II,^[1] Conrad made Gothelo duke of both duchies, so that he could assist in the defence of the territory against Odo II, count of Blois, Meaux, Chartres and Troyes (the later Champagne). It was during this time 1033-1034, that Gothelo clashed with Baldwin IV, Count of Flanders, concerning the march of Ename.^[3]

In the Battle of Bar on 15 November 1037, Gothelo dealt a decisive blow to Odo, who was trying to create an independent state between France and Germany. Odo died in the battle.

Gothelo died on 19 April 1044 and was buried in the Abbey Church of Bilzen. His son Godfrey succeeded in Upper Lorraine, but the Emperor Henry III refused to give him the duchy of Lower Lorraine as well. When Godfrey showed disagreement with the imperial decision, Henry III threatened to pass the duchy to Godfrey's incompetent brother Gothelo. This caused a long rebellion in Lotharingia between the allies of Godfrey (the counts of Flanders and Leuven) and imperial forces (1044–1056).

Family

The name of Gothelo's wife is not known, the name Barbe de Lebarten (and in fact her entire ancestry), being a spurious concoction of later genealogists.^[4] He had the following children:

• Godfrey the Bearded, duke of Lower Lorraine^[2]
• Gothelo, duke of Lower Lorraine^[2]
• Frederick, later Pope Stephen IX^[2]
• Regilinda, married Albert II, Count of Namur^[2]
• Oda, married Lambert II, Count of Leuven^[2]
• Matilda,^[2] married Henry I, Count Palatine of Lotharingia

References

1. Morby 1989, p. 128.
2. Tanner 2004, p. 300.
3. Tanner 2004, p. 84.
4. Theodor Schliephake in Geschichte von Nassau, von den ältesten Zeiten bis auf die Gegenwart, auf der Grundlage urkundlicher Quellenforschung, vol 1 (Wiesbaden, 1866)

Sources

• Morby, John (1989). Dynasties of the World. Oxford University Press.
• Tanner, Heather (2004). Families, Friends and Allies: Boulogne and Politics in Northern France and England, c.879-1160. Brill.

Gothelo I, Duke of Lorraine House of Ardennes–Verdun Born: c. 967 Died: 19 April 1044
Preceded by Godfrey the Childless	Duke of Lower Lorraine 1023–1044	Succeeded by Frederick
Preceded by Frederick II	Duke of Upper Lorraine 1033–1044	Succeeded by Godfrey the Bearded
Preceded by Godfrey the Prisoner	Margrave of Antwerp 1005–1044	Succeeded by Gothelo the Lazy