Henry III was the duke

Duke

A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...

 of Limburg

Duchy of Limburg

The Duchy of Limburg, situated in the Low Countries between the river Meuse and the city of Aachen, was a state of the Holy Roman Empire. Its territory is now divided between the Belgian provinces of Liège and Limburg , the Dutch province of Limburg , and a small part of North Rhine-Westphalia in...

 and count

Count

A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...

 of Arlon from 1165 to his death. He was the son and successor of Henry II

Henry II of Limburg

Henry II was the duke of Limburg from 1139 and count of Arlon from 1147 to his death. He was the son of Waleran, Duke of Lower Lorraine, and Jutta of Guelders, daughter of Gerard I of Guelders. He succeeded his father in Limburg with the title of duke, but Conrad III refused to grant him Lower...

 and Matilda of Saffenberg.

In 1172, he fought against the count of Luxembourg

Luxembourg

Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...

, Henry IV the Blind

Henry IV of Luxembourg

Henry IV , called the Blind , was count of Luxembourg from 1136 and count of Namur from 1139 until his abdication in 1189. He was the son of Godfrey I of Namur and Ermesinda, daughter of Conrad I of Luxembourg.He inherited the counties of La Roche and Durbuy from his cousins Henry II of Durbuy and...

, and the his ally, the count of Hainaut

County of Hainaut

The County of Hainaut was a historical region in the Low Countries with its capital at Mons . In English sources it is often given the archaic spelling Hainault....

, 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

Fulmar, Archbishop of Trier

Fulmar of Karden , also spelled Folmar or Vollmar, was the Archbishop of Trier from 1183 and the last to not also be a prince elector. He opposed the emperor in the late twelfth-century phase of the Investiture Controversy....

 as archbishop of Trier. This was opposed by the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa.

Henry had to fight his nephew, Henry I of Brabant

Henry I, Duke of Brabant

Henry I of Brabant , named "The Courageous" Duke of Brabant and Duke of Lower Lotharingia until his death.-Biography:...

 in connection with the advocacy of the abbey of Sint-Truiden

Sint-Truiden

Sint-Truiden is a city and municipality located in the province of Limburg, Flemish Region, Belgium, near the towns of Hasselt and Tongeren. The municipality includes the old communes of Aalst, Brustem, Duras, Engelmanshoven, Gelinden, Gorsem, Groot-Gelmen, Halmaal, Kerkom-bij-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

Duchy of Brabant

The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...

. The two dukes collaborated in the internal affairs of the region (Belgium

Belgium

Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

).

Henry later supported Otto of Brunswick

Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor

Otto IV of Brunswick was one of two rival kings of the Holy Roman Empire from 1198 on, sole king from 1208 on, and emperor from 1209 on. The only king of the Welf dynasty, he incurred the wrath of Pope Innocent III and was excommunicated in 1215.-Early life:Otto was the third son of Henry the...

 over Philip of Swabia

Philip of Swabia

Philip of Swabia was king of Germany and duke of Swabia, the rival of the emperor Otto IV.-Biography:Philip was the fifth and youngest son of Emperor Frederick I and Beatrice I, Countess of Burgundy, daughter of Renaud III, count of Burgundy, and brother of the emperor Henry VI...

 as German king and imperial claimant. He fought at the Battle of Bouvines

Battle of Bouvines

The Battle of Bouvines, 27 July 1214, was a conclusive medieval battle ending the twelve year old Angevin-Flanders War that was important to the early development of both the French state by confirming the French crown's sovereignty over the Angevin lands of Brittany and Normandy.Philip Augustus of...

 in 1214. It was a disaster for Otto.

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