Matthias I, Duke of Lorraine

Matthew I. (* 1110, † May 13, 1176 ) was Duke of Lorraine from 1139 to his death. He was the son of Duke Simons I. (House Châtenois ) and Adelheid of Louvain.

Biography

He followed his father into the time when the dynasty of the Staufer took power in Germany. Matthew married Bertha of Swabia, niece of King Konrad III. and sister of the future emperor Frederick Barbarossa, and thus strengthened the links between Lorraine and the Holy Roman Empire.

Matthew I. accompanied Barbarossa on many of his travels, especially in 1155 to Rome for coronation as emperor by Pope Adrian IV, IV, and took one hand and the Pope Alexander III in the struggles between the emperor and the antipope Victor. and the kings of France and Sicily on the other part.

In his duchy, he was able to expand the ducal domain Unlawful attacks on the diocese of Toul, which also earned him an excommunication. At the same time he made large gifts to the church and founded several monasteries, including the Abbey Clairlieu in which he and his wife were buried.

Progeny

He married probably around 1138, definitely before March 25, 1139, Bertha of Swabia, between † October 18, 1194 and March 25, 1195, daughter of Frederick II of Swabia, Duke of Swabia, and Judith of Bavaria. With her he had at least seven children:

• Sophia, * 1163, † 1217; ∞ Heinrich Ostertag Windstein
• Alix, † 1200; ∞ Hugo III. , Duke of Burgundy
• Simon II, Duke of Lorraine
• Judith, * 1140, † 1173; ∞ 1170 Stephen II ( Étienne II ), Count of Auxonne
• Ferry ( Friedrich) I. Bitsch, Duke of Lorraine
• Matthew, † 1208, Count of Toul
• Dietrich IV, 1181 †, Bishop of Metz 1174-1179
• Daughter, young †