Wenceslaus I, Duke of Luxembourg
Wenceslas I (* February 25, 1337 in Prague, † December 8, 1383 in Luxembourg ) was the only son of the second marriage of the Bohemian king John of Luxembourg with Beatrice of Bourbon ( 1305-1383 ), a cousin of the French king Philip VI. The later Emperor Charles IV 's half-brother Wenceslaus.
Life
Wenzel's parents John and Beatrix were devoted itself in mutual love and appreciation. Therefore, Johann decided in 1340 to change his will in favor of Wenceslas. Wenzel is to receive the home country Luxembourg and the French fiefs.
After the death of John 26 August, 1346 Wenzel was unable to take his inheritance. Due to the financial support that his great- nephew Charles Baldwin of Trier made at the election of the king, the Archbishop of Trier, Luxembourg, the county managed as a pledge possession until his death on 21 January 1354.
On March 13, 1354 Wenzel became the first Duke of Luxembourg. The new Duchy of Luxembourg was formed from the county of Luxembourg, Durbuy the county, the county Laroche, the Margraviate of Arlon and some smaller dominions. The Duchy of Luxembourg remained outside the Bohemian crown, it was a fief of the German kingdom. Wenzel was prince of the empire and was given the honorary position of Reich Struch Esses.
Since 1352 Wenzel was with Johanna of Brabant ( 1322-1406 ), the heir to the duchy of Brabant and Limburg, married. By this marriage since the Battle of Worringen (26 August 1288) standing rivalry between the houses of Luxembourg and Brabant could be terminated. On December 26, 1356 Wenzel was Duke of Brabant and Limburg. This allowed the Luxembourg the power complex of the Wittelsbach neutralize the northwest of the Empire ( Holland, Zeeland, Hainaut ). Wenzel resided at Brussels court and proved itself as a promoter of the French court culture.
1368 Wenzel was appointed imperial vicar. In the exercise of this office he lost in the dispute over rights escort the Duke William II of Jülich and ran with his comrades on August 22, 1371 at the Battle of Baesweiler in captivity. Only when Charles IV paid 50,000 guilders for Wenzel's release in the spring of 1372, the Duke of Jülich dismissed his prisoners. In addition, Wenzel had to renounce the kingdom Vicariate. In the following years, the financial burden of the duchies because of the repayment obligation Wenceslas was enormous. Wenzel was not able to continue the successful financial policies of his first years. There was socially motivated unrest.
Since marriage between Wenzel and Johanna remained childless, Charles IV initiated in the year he died ( 1378 ) his half-brother to use his son and designated successor Wenceslas IV as the heir of the duchies of Luxembourg, Brabant and Limburg. The relationship between Duke Wenceslas and King Wenceslas IV was not good. Duke Wenceslas was adjusted pro-French and beneficiary, who resided in Avignon Antipope Clement VII King Wenceslas IV approached to England and was a supporter of the Roman Pope Urban VI.
Wenceslas IV could only inherit the Duchy of Luxembourg on December 8, 1383 after the death of Duke Wenceslas. Wenzel's widow Johanna of Brabant took over the management of their duchies of Brabant and Limburg. 1390 Johanna turned her duchies of the Protecting Power of the Duke of Burgundy Philip the Bold. Wenceslas IV was also called to the dispute between the Teutonic Order and Poland on 8 October 1409. His decision then led to the second largest battle in the Middle Ages, the battle of Tannenberg.