Frederick I, Duke of Lorraine

Who was Frederick I, Duke of Lorraine?

Frederick I was the duke of Lorraine from 1205 to his death. He was the second son of Matthias I and Judith, daughter of Frederick II, Duke of Swabia. He succeeded his brother, Simon II, who had already given him the county of Bitche in 1176 and had recognised him over the northern, germanophone half of Lorraine by the Treaty of Ribemont of 1179. Judith had wanted him to succeed to all their father's inheritance, but a three-year civil war only secured him Bitche and a half-portion.

Simon abdicated to a monastery in 1205, recognising Frederick's son Frederick as heir. Frederick inherited it all nevertheless, but died a year later and it went to his son by Wierzchoslawa Ludmilla, daughter of Mieszko III the Old, duke of Greater Poland and high duke of all Poland, and Elisabeth, daughter of Prince Álmos. Their children were:

Frederick, his successor in Lorraine

Thierry the Devil, lord of Autigny, married Gertrude de Montmorency, daughter of Mathieu I le Grand, Constable of France.

Henry the Lombard, who built the castle of Bayon

Philip, lord of Gerbéviller

Matthias, bishop of Toul

Agatha, abbess of Remiremont