NAMUR Albert

Abt 0990 - Abt 1064  (74 years)

• Name	NAMUR Albert
  Birth	Abt 0990	Namur, Lower Lotharingia, Holy Roman Empire
  Gender	Male
  Death	Abt 1064	Namur, Lower Lotharingia, Holy Roman Empire
  Notes	Albert de Namur (later Albert II Comte de Namur) was born by about 990 and was the son of Albert I Comte de Namur and Ermengarde de Lotharingia, daughter of Charles, Duke of Lower Lotharingia and Adelais de Troyes / Vermandois. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] Nobility of Lotharingia Territories Europe after the Treaty of Prüm 855 The medieval land of Lotharingia included the territory from the North Sea to Burgundy that now comprises the Benelux countries: Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg - as well as the eastern portion of France that arose from the Duchy of Lorraine, and the Rhineland of Germany. Lotharingia arose as the northern half of Middle Francia, originally granted to Charlemagne's grandson Lothair upon division of the Carolingian Empire by the Treaty of Verdun in 843. Before Lothar's death, he divided Middle Francia among his three sons by the Treaty of Prüm in 855: granting Italy and the imperial title to eldest son Louis; Provence and Lower Burgundy to youngest son Charles; and the northern territories, which became known as Lotharingia, to his middle son Lothair II. Lotharingia / Lothringen / Lotharingie 10th century Lotharingia (lat: Regnum Lotharii or Lotharingia, fr: Lotharingie (later Lorraine), de: Lothringen, nl: Lotharingen) formed part of the Holy Roman Empire but was the subject of frequent political and territorial conflict between West Francia, the kingdom of the Western Franks who would eventually establish France - and East Francia, the kingdom of he Eastern Franks who remained in the Holy Roman Empire and would eventually establish the Kingdom of Germany. In 959 Lotharingia was partitioned into Lower Lotharingia (the lower Northern region that today comprises the Benelux countries) and Upper Lotharingia (the higher more Southern region that developed into the Duchy of Lorraine). While these became two separate duchies, they remained closely related and were often headed by members of the same Lotharingian noble family - and in some cases individuals who became the Duke of Lower Lotharingia also later succeeded as the Duke of Upper Lotharingia, or vice versa. Languages and Names Latin was the principal written language in Lotharingia and in adjacent lands. The Franks who were migrating to the west, including in particular the nobility. increasingly adopted spoken ("vulgar" or popular) versions of Latin that would become Lorrain roman, Walloon and Old French (all of which introduced Germanic words into the Latin) - while the Eastern Franks generally continued to speak more purely Germanic tongues (although these also introduced words of Latin origin) - which in Lotharingia would develop into Dutch, Flemish and Luxembourgish. The resulting countries such as Belgium continue to reflect both French and Germanic influences - concentrated in Wallonia and Flanders, respectively - and Belgian place names generally have counterparts in both languages, e.g. Bruxelles et Louvain (fr), Brussel en Leuven (fl/nl). [6] Among French speakers, the Old French terms Loherigne and Loherainc were increasingly used for the territories and people - which later developed into the word and regional name of Lorraine in French. Grandfather's Claim as "King of the Franks" Albert's grandfather Charles (Karolus), the Duke of Lower Lotharingia was the son of Louis IV "d'Outremer" King of the Franks and his wife Gerberga of Saxony. Charles had been banished from the Frankish court after accusing the Queen of adultery with Adalbero Bishop of Laon, who was the nephew of the powerful Archbishop of Reims. Charles obtained refuge at the court of the Holy Roman Emperor Otto II who made him the Duke of Lower Lotharingia in 977. [2] Banished from the Frankish court after accusing Queen Emma of adultery with Adalbero Bishop of Laon, he sought refuge at the court of Emperor Otto II who created him Duke of Lower Lotharingia in May 977 at Diedenhofen. The Gesta Episcoporum Cameracensium record that "Karolum ducem, regis Lotharii fratrem" had been granted Lotharingia by Emperor Otto. Charles later captured Laon and was proclaimed King of the Franks in 987. He claimed the French throne after the death of his brother and nephew Louis V of France - who was crowned at the age of 13 and died seven years later without an heir. During Emperor Otto's campaign against his brother King Lothaire, Duke Charles captured Laon in 978 and was proclaimed King of the Franks by Dietrich Bishop of Metz. He claimed the French throne after the death of his brother in 986, and that of his nephew in 987. He captured Laon in [May] 988, and Reims in [Aug/Sep] 989, thanks to his nephew Arnoul Archbishop of Reims. Charles' claim to the French throne was opposed by forces aligned with Hugh (Hugues) Capet - who effectively argued that Charles had forfeited his claims by becoming a vassal of the Holy Roman Emperor. With the help of the Archbishop of Reims - whose nephew Charles had accused and who also sought to establish his unique authority to crown the French kings - Hugh Capet was proclaimed the King of France in 987. [2] Charles and allies waged war against the Capetian "usurpers" - including taking Reims and Laon - but were betrayed by Bishop Adalbero in 991 and Charles captured, following which he was imprisoned by Hugh Capet at Orléans. The timing and circumstances of Charles' death are uncertain but it effectively ended Carolingian rule of France - which was replaced by the Capetian dynasty. Charles son Otto was proclaimed Duke of Lower Lotharingia in 991. [2] Parents and Siblings Albert's parents Albert I de Namur and Ermengarde de Lotharingia married in about 990. They had five children together and may have had a sixth (Liutgarde below): [1] [3] [4] Robert, who succeeded his father as Robert II, Comte de Namur Albert, who succeeded his elder brother as Albert II, Comte de Namur Hadwide, who married Gerard, Duke of Upper Lotharingia (Liutgarde, who may have been their daughter and was the wife of Giselbert, Comte de Looz) Goda Ermengarde Accession as Comte de Namur Albert's father Albert I Comte de Namur died shortly before 1011 and was succeeded by his first son (Albert's elder brother) as Robert II Comte de Namur. [1] [4] [5] Following Robert's death, before 1031, Albert succeeded his brother as Albert II Comte de Namur. [1] [4] [5] Marriage to the Daughter of the Duke of Lotharingia Albert II de Namur married Regelindis de Lotharingia who was the daughter of Gozelon I Duke of Lotharingia and his wife whose name remains unknown. Regelindis' father had become the Duke of Lower Lotharingia in 1023, and the Duke of Upper Lotharingia in 1033 - effectively reuniting the Duchy as a personal union. [1] [4] [7] [8] [9] The Chronicon Hanoniense names "Gosseclone ducis Lotharingie…[filia] Raelendem" as wife of "Alberto comiti" Family Albert II de Namur and Regelindis de Lotharingia had two sons: [1] [4] [5] [10] Albert de Namur, who would later succeed his father as Albert III Comte de Namur' Henri de Namur, who would later become the Comte de Durbuy The Genealogica comitum Buloniensium records that "Albertum comitem de Namuco" was father of "Albertum et fratrem eius Heinricum comitem de Durboio" Role in the Territorial Conflicts of Lotharingia - Upper Lotharingia and the Kingdom of Burgundy Following the death of King Rudolph III of Burgundy in 1032 without legitimate heirs, the Kingdom of Burgundy was inherited by Emperor Conrad II and thereby incorporated into the Holy Roman Empire. In 1037, when Emperor Conrad II became engaged with putting down a rebellion in Lombardy, Rudolph's nephew Odo II, the Count of Blois used the opportunity to pursue claims to Burgundy. At the ensuing Battle of Bar-le-Duc, the combined forces of Gothelon Ier de Lotharingie (Gozelon I of Lotharingia) and those of Albert II, Count of Namur were able to secure the claims to Burgundy on behalf of the Holy Roman Empire - and Odo himself was killed in battle, ending attempts to re-establish an independent Kingdom of Burgundy. - Upper and Lower Lotharingia In 1039, Emperor Conrad III died and was succeeded by his son Henry (Heinrich) III, Holy Roman Emperor. Emperor Heinrich was keenly interested in enhancing the powers of the emperor over the various nobles practically controlling key parts of the empire. The death in 1044 of Gozelon I Duke of Lotharingia - who controlled both Lower and Upper Lotharingia as a united duchy - provided the emperor with an early opportunity to both enhance his powers and divide those of an important central duchy. Emperor Heinrich treated the ducal fief as a royal prerogative, and essentially prevented Gozelon's eldest son Godefroi (Godfried) de Lotharingia - who had already effectively succeeded his father - from continuing to rule Lotharingia as a united duchy. Emperor Heinrich / Henri III authorized the elder Godefroi to succeed only as the Duke of Upper Lotharingia - even though Godfrey was already co-ruler with his father in Lower Lotharingia. He thus refused Godefroi's installation as Duke of Lower Lotharingia and instead had his younger brother (Gozelon II), who was regarded as potentially incompetent, become the duke of the important northern territories. The elder Godefroid not only rebelled against the emperor's plan but proceeded to devastate lands in Lower Lotharingia as well as the City of Verdun. Godefroid was joined in protest by Baudouin V de Flandre (Baldwin V Count of Flanders). [8] [9] Albert de Namur was close to the dispute since his wife Regelindis was the daughter of Gozelon I - making Albert the brother-in-law of both Godefroi II, who was made the Duke of Upper Lotharingia - as well as Gozelon II, who was made the Duke of Lower Lotharingia. [8] [9] Albert did not join the conflict in support of his wife's brothers - effectively remaining with the Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich III - as he had in connection with the Emperor's father Conrad regarding claims to Burgundy. [4] [11] Emperor Heinrich responded to the revolt by seizing control of Upper Lotharingia in Sep 1044 and also depriving Godefroi of Verdun, which he gave to the Bishop of Verdun. Godefroi was finally captured in July 1045 and imprisoned in Schloß Giebichstein, near Halle. Godefroi was released in 1046 and resumed his position as Duke of Upper Lotharingia - but later that year Emperor Heinrich deposed younger brother Gozelon II in Lower Lotharingia, appointing Frédéric de Luxembourg, duc de Basse-Lotharingie to replace him. Godefroi rebelled again, joined by Baudoin V of Flanders and this time also by Dirk IV Count of Holland, who led an attack against Cambria, Utrecht and Liège. [8] [9] Emperor Heinrich again confiscated the Duchy of Upper Lotharingia, and this time awarded it to Adalbert comte de Metz / Adalbert Graf von Metz. In response, Duke Godefroi attacked Upper Lotharingia - and Adalbert was killed in battle. Upper Lotharingia then passed to Adalbert's younger brother Gerard. [12] Albert de Namur remained closely connected with Upper as well as Lower Lotharingia. Although the claim of his wife's brother Godefroi had been terminated following his revolt - and the duchy transferred to Adalbert comte de Metz - Albert's sister Hadwide de Namur married Adalbert's younger brother and successor Gerard, Duke of Upper Lotharingia. [1] [12] Albert de Namur's brother-in-law Godefroi de Lotharingia was later ex-communicated by the Pope and surrendered in 1049 - following which he moved to Italy and acquired another position of power as the Count of Tusculum in Tuscany. In 1056, Emperor Heinrich III died and was succeeded by his young son as Heinrich (Henry) IV Holy Roman Emperor. After the death of Frédéric de Luxembourg, duc de Basse-Lotharingie in 1065, the new emperor recalled Godefroi from Italy and installed him as the Duke of Lower Lotharingia. [8] [9] Death and Successions Albert II Comte de Namur died in 1063/64 and he was succeeded in Namur by his eldest son, who became Albert III Comte de Namur. Younger son Henri became the Comte de Durbuy. [1] [4] [5] [10] [13] The Genealogica comitum Buloniensium records that "Albertum comitem de Namuco" was father of "Albertum et fratrem eius Heinricum comitem de Durboio"' Durbuy is located between Namur and Luxembourg - and is now part of the Province of Luxembourg, which is within Belgium. It is not certain whether Durbuy was acquired by Henri as an inheritance from one of his parents but the French Wikepedia article for the municipality indicates it formed part of the dowry from Henri's maternal grandfather Gozelon to his daughter Regelindis. [13] [14] Sources ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Comtes de Namur 907-1190 by Cawley, Charles et al. (eds.) in Medieval Lands: A prosopography of medieval European noble and royal families. Published by Charles Cawley and the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy (FMG) 2006-2021, including source citations and relevant texts; hosted online by FMG at Medieval Lands - Namur (v5.0 Updated 27 Feb 2025); see also WikiTree's source page for MedLands ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Dukes of Lower Lotharingia 977-1005 (Carolingian) by Cawley, Charles et al. (eds.) in Medieval Lands: A prosopography of medieval European noble and royal families. Published by Charles Cawley and the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy (FMG) 2006-2021, including source citations and relevant texts; hosted online by FMG at Medieval Lands - Lotharingia (v5.0 Updated 27 Feb 2025); see also WikiTree's source page for MedLands ↑ 3.0 3.1 Borgnet, Jules (1866), Archiviste. Biographie Nationale de Belgique. Bruxelles: Académie royale de Belgique, available online via Académie royale de Belgique at: Biographie Nationale de Belgique, Tome I cf. Tome I, p. 195-196: Albert I, comte de Namur ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Borgnet, Jules (1866), Archiviste. Biographie Nationale de Belgique. Bruxelles: Académie royale de Belgique, available online via Académie royale de Belgique at: Biographie Nationale de Belgique, Tome I cf. Tome I, pp. 196-197: Albert II, comte de Namur ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Borgnet, Jules (1846), Archiviste et membre de l'Académie royale de Belgique. Histoire du Comté de Namur, (Jamas: Bruxelles 1866); available online vie Google Books at: Histoire du Comté de Namur, cf. pp. 20-21 (Albert I de Namur), p. 22 (Robert II de Namur), pp. 23-25 (Albert II de Namur) ↑ Wikipédia (fr) - Basse-Lotharingie ↑ Gislebertus de Mons (1225) (Gilbert de Mons (1150-1225)), Chronicon hanoniense, transcriptions include that of Georgius Heinricus Pertz and Wilhelm Arndt (Hannoverae : Impensis bibliopolii Hahniani 1869); available online via Monumenta Germaniae Historica (MGH) at: Gisleberti Chronicon hanoniense, ex recensione Wilhelmi Arndt; cf. MGH SS 21: pp. 492 (marriage) ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Dukes of Lower Lotharingia 1012-23, 1046-65 (Family of Wigerich) by Cawley, Charles et al. (eds.) in Medieval Lands: A prosopography of medieval European noble and royal families. Published by Charles Cawley and the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy (FMG) 2006-2021, including source citations and relevant texts; hosted online by FMG at Medieval Lands - Lotharingia (v5.0 Updated 27 Feb 2025); see also WikiTree's source page for MedLands ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Dukes of Upper Lotharingia 1033-1046 by Cawley, Charles et al. (eds.) in Medieval Lands: A prosopography of medieval European noble and royal families. Published by Charles Cawley and the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy (FMG) 2006-2021, including source citations and relevant texts; hosted online by FMG at Medieval Lands - Lotharingia (v5.0 Updated 27 Feb 2025); see also WikiTree's source page for MedLands ↑ 10.0 10.1 Borgnet, Jules (1866), Archiviste. Biographie Nationale de Belgique. Bruxelles: Académie royale de Belgique, available online via Académie royale de Belgique at: Biographie Nationale Belgique, Tome I cf. Tome I, pp. 197-199: Albert III, comte de Namur ↑ Wikipédia (fr) - Albert II de Namur ↑ 12.0 12.1 Dukes of Upper Lotharingia 1047-1070 (Matfriede) by Cawley, Charles et al. (eds.) in Medieval Lands: A prosopography of medieval European noble and royal families. Published by Charles Cawley and the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy (FMG) 2006-2021, including source citations and relevant texts; hosted online by FMG at Medieval Lands - Lotharingia (v5.0 Updated 27 Feb 2025); see also WikiTree's source page for MedLands ↑ 13.0 13.1 Comtes de Durbuy by Cawley, Charles et al. (eds.) in Medieval Lands: A prosopography of medieval European noble and royal families. Published by Charles Cawley and the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy (FMG) 2006-2021, including source citations and relevant texts; hosted online by FMG at Medieval Lands - Lower Lotharingia (v5.0 Updated 27 Feb 2025); see also WikiTree's source page for MedLands ↑ Wikipédia (fr) - Durbuy
  Person ID	I58986	Freeman-Smith
  Last Modified	27 Jan 2026

  
  

  Father	NAMUR Albert,   b. 0968, Namur, Lower Lotharingia, Holy Roman Empire d. Bef 1011, Namur, Lower Lotharingia, Holy Roman Empire (Age ~ 42 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Mother	LOTHARINGIA Ermengarde,   b. Abt 0970, Lower Lotharingia, Holy Roman Empire d. Aft 1013, Namur, Lower Lotharingia, Holy Roman Empire (Age > 44 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Marriage	0990
  Family ID	F26241	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	LOTHARINGIA Regelindis,   b. Abt 1010, Lower Lotharingia, Holy Roman Empire d. Aft 1067, Lower Lotharingia, Holy Roman Empire (Age > 58 years)
  Marriage	Bef 1035	Lotharingia, Holy Roman Empire
  Children	1. NAMUR Albert,   b. Bef 10 Aug 1035, Namur, Lower Lotharingia, Holy Roman Empire d. 22 Jun 1102, Namur, Lower Lotharingia, Holy Roman Empire (Age > 66 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
  Family ID	F26239	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	27 Jan 2026