Henry III, Duke of Limburg

Who was Henry III, Duke of Limburg?

Henry III was the Duke of Limburg and Count of Arlon from 1165 to his death. He was the son and successor of Henry II and Matilda of Saffenberg.

In 1172, he fought against the Count of Luxembourg, Henry IV the Blind, and then his ally, the Count of Hainaut, Baldwin V. The environs of Arlon were devastated and the duke, overcome, had to recompense the Count of Luxembourg for the wrongs he had done him. In 1183, he supported the election of Fulmar as Archbishop of Trier. This was opposed by the emperor, Frederick Barbarossa.

Henry had to fight his nephew, Henry I of Brabant in connection with the advocacy of the Abbey of Sint-Truiden. The Brabantine duke claimed the advocacy as part of his mother's dowry. An arrangement put an end to the war in 1191 and the Duke of Limburg became a vassal of the Duke of Brabant. The two dukes collaborated in the internal affairs of the region.

Henry later supported Otto of Brunswick over Philip of Swabia as German king and imperial claimant. He fought at the Battle of Bouvines in 1214. It was a disaster for Otto.