Wenceslaus I, Duke of Luxembourg
Encyclopedia
Wenceslaus I (Prague
, 25 February 1337 – Luxembourg, 7 December 1383) was the first Duke of Luxembourg from 1355. He was the son of John the Blind, King of Bohemia, and Beatrice of Bourbon
.
King of Bohemia, Count of Luxembourg and elected Holy Roman King, entrusted the count
y, their father's inheritance, to his half-brother Wenceslaus. In 1355 when Charles was crowned Holy Roman Emperor
he raised Luxembourg to the status of a duchy. In 1352, Wenceslaus married Joanna
(1322 – 1406), daughter of John III, Duke of Brabant
and Limburg
, and Marie d'Évreux. In 1355, Joanna inherited Brabant
and Limburg
. In order to guarantee the indivisibility of Brabant, Wenceslaus signed the Joyous Entry
, but had to fight against his brother-in-law Louis II of Flanders
, who asserted his share of the duchy. He failed to prevent the seizure of Brussels
by the Flemings, but a certain Everard 't Serclaes
succeeded by an audacious coup in driving them out of the city. Thereafter, Wenceslaus had to face primarily internal disorders. In 1371, he overestimated his military capacities and waged war with William II, Duke of Jülich
, resulting in the humiliating defeat of Baesweiler
, losing a part of his army, and several noblemen. He was captured and suffered 11 months of captivity. He died in Luxembourg and was succeeded by Antoine de Valois as duke of Brabant and by Wenceslaus II
as duke of Luxembourg. There are speculations that he might have died of leprosy
(Joanna stayed in Brussels
). His last wish was his heart to be displaced from his dead body and sent to his wife.
Wenceslaus I of Luxembourg wrote troubadour
poetry which were found by Auguste Longnon in Jean Froissart
's Méliador in 1890s (Wenceslas was a maecenas of this chronicler). It comprises 79 poems (11 ballade
s, 16 virelai
s, 52 rondeaux
).
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, 25 February 1337 – Luxembourg, 7 December 1383) was the first Duke of Luxembourg from 1355. He was the son of John the Blind, King of Bohemia, and Beatrice of Bourbon
Beatrice of Bourbon (1320-1383)
Beatrice of Bourbon was a French noblewoman member of the House of Bourbon and by marriage Queen of Bohemia and Countess of Luxembourg.She was the youngest daughter of Louis I, Duke of Bourbon and Mary of Avesnes.-Marriage:...
.
Life
In 1353 Charles IVCharles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles IV , born Wenceslaus , was the second king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and the first king of Bohemia to also become Holy Roman Emperor....
King of Bohemia, Count of Luxembourg and elected Holy Roman King, entrusted the 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...
y, their father's inheritance, to his half-brother Wenceslaus. In 1355 when Charles was crowned Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
he raised Luxembourg to the status of a duchy. In 1352, Wenceslaus married Joanna
Joanna, Duchess of Brabant
Joanna, Duchess of Brabant , also known as Jeanne, was the heiress of Duke John III, who died in Brussels, December 5, 1355. Her mother was Marie d'Évreux.- Family :...
(1322 – 1406), daughter of John III, Duke of Brabant
John III, Duke of Brabant
Jan III van Brabant , also called John III, the Triumphant , was Duke of Brabant, Lothier, and Limburg...
and Limburg
Duke of Limburg
The counts of Limburg rose to prominence when one of their house was appointed Duke of Lower Lorraine.Though Lorraine was soon confiscated, the ducal title was kept within the family, transferred it to the county of Limburg, which was eventually ratified by the Holy Roman Emperor...
, and Marie d'Évreux. In 1355, Joanna inherited 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...
and 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...
. In order to guarantee the indivisibility of Brabant, Wenceslaus signed the Joyous Entry
Joyous Entry of 1356
The Joyous Entry of 1356 into Brussels is the charter of liberties granted to the Duchy of Brabant following the death in 1355 of Duke John III, by his daughter Joanna, the new Duchess, and her husband Wenceslaus, Duke of Luxembourg...
, but had to fight against his brother-in-law Louis II of Flanders
Louis II of Flanders
Louis II of Flanders , also Louis III of Artois and Louis I of Palatine Burgundy, known as Louis of Male, was the son of Louis I of Flanders and Margaret I of Burgundy, and Count of Flanders.On his father's death at the Battle of Crécy in 1346, he inherited the counties of Flanders, Nevers, and...
, who asserted his share of the duchy. He failed to prevent the seizure of Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
by the Flemings, but a certain Everard 't Serclaes
Everard 't Serclaes
Everard 't Serclaes , lord of Cruyckembourg , a citizen of Brussels, was made famous by his recovery of that city from the Flemish....
succeeded by an audacious coup in driving them out of the city. Thereafter, Wenceslaus had to face primarily internal disorders. In 1371, he overestimated his military capacities and waged war with William II, Duke of Jülich
William II, Duke of Jülich
William II, Duke of Jülich was the second Duke of Jülich and the sixth William in the House of Jülich. He was the second son of William I of Jülich and Joanna of Hainaut....
, resulting in the humiliating defeat of Baesweiler
Battle of Baesweiler
The Battle of Baesweiler was a conflict between the dukes of Brabant and Jülich.During this time, large groups of mercenaries roamed the lands of western Europe, bringing death wherever they came...
, losing a part of his army, and several noblemen. He was captured and suffered 11 months of captivity. He died in Luxembourg and was succeeded by Antoine de Valois as duke of Brabant and by Wenceslaus II
Wenceslaus, King of the Romans
Wenceslaus ) was, by election, German King from 1376 and, by inheritance, King of Bohemia from 1378. He was the third Bohemian and second German monarch of the Luxembourg dynasty...
as duke of Luxembourg. There are speculations that he might have died of leprosy
Leprosy
Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a chronic disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Named after physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, leprosy is primarily a granulomatous disease of the peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions...
(Joanna stayed in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
). His last wish was his heart to be displaced from his dead body and sent to his wife.
Wenceslaus I of Luxembourg wrote troubadour
Troubadour
A troubadour was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages . Since the word "troubadour" is etymologically masculine, a female troubadour is usually called a trobairitz....
poetry which were found by Auguste Longnon in Jean Froissart
Jean Froissart
Jean Froissart , often referred to in English as John Froissart, was one of the most important chroniclers of medieval France. For centuries, Froissart's Chronicles have been recognized as the chief expression of the chivalric revival of the 14th century Kingdom of England and France...
's Méliador in 1890s (Wenceslas was a maecenas of this chronicler). It comprises 79 poems (11 ballade
Ballade
The ballade is a form of French poetry. It was one of the three formes fixes and one of the verse forms in France most commonly set to music between the late 13th and the 15th centuries....
s, 16 virelai
Virelai
A virelai is a form of medieval French verse used often in poetry and music. It is one of the three formes fixes and was one of the most common verse forms set to music in Europe from the late thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries.A virelai is similar to a rondeau...
s, 52 rondeaux
Rondeau (poetry)
This article is about the poetry form. For other uses, see Rondeau.A rondeau is a form of French poetry with 15 lines written on two rhymes, as well as a corresponding musical form developed to set this characteristic verse structure...
).