Ermesinde, Countess of Luxembourg

Ermesinde of Luxembourg (also known as "Ermesinde of Namur") (1186 - February 12, 1247) was the Countess of Luxembourg, Laroche and Durbuy between 1197 and 1247. She was the only child of Henry IV, Count of Luxembourg and Namur, and his second wife Agnes of Guelders.

Prior to her birth, her aging father Henry IV had designated Baldwin V, Count of Hainaut as his likely successor. However, when Ermesinde was born in 1186 and Henry IV named her as his heir, a war of succession inevitably took place. At its end, it was decided that Baldwin would have Namur, Ermesinde would have Durbuy and La Roche, and that Luxembourg would revert to the Holy Roman Empire (Emperor Henry VI then gave the fief to his brother Otto of Burgundy).

Ermesinde was initially betrothed to Henry II of Champagne, but the engagement was cancelled in 1189. Instead her first husband was Theobald I of Bar (1158-1214). He successfully negotiated with Otto I, Count of Burgundy for the latter's renunciation of Luxembourg, thus making Theobald and Ermesinde the Count and Countess of Luxembourg. When Theobald died in 1214, Ermesinde married Waleran III of Limburg (1180-1226), who would rule as the Count of Luxembourg. In 1223 Ermesinde and Waleran pressed their claim to Namur against Margrave Philip II, but were ultimately unsuccessful.

After Walram's death, Ermesinde ruled Luxembourg alone for two decades. She proved to be an effective administrator, granting charters of freedom to several towns and increasing the prosperity of her country.

Children

The children of Ermesinde and her first husband Theobald I of Bar were:
* Renaud (died before 1214), Seigneur of Briey
* Elisabeth (d.1262), married Valéran of Limburg, Lord of Monschau
* Marguerite (d?), first married Hugh III, Count of Vaudémont(d.1243); later married Henry of Bois, regent of Vaudémont.

The children of Ermesinde and Waleran III of Limburg were:
* Henry V of Luxembourg (1216 - 1281), Count of Luxembourg
* Gérard I of Durbuy, Count of Durbuy (d. 1276)
* Catherine of Limburg (d.1255), wife of Matthias II, Duke of Lorraine

External Links

* [http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ermesinde_Ire_de_Luxembourg Ermesinde de Luxembourg's French Wikipedia page]
* [http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/LUXEMBOURG.htm#Ermesindedied1247A ERMENSENDE de Namur]
* [http://www.renderplus.com/hartgen/htm/de-namur.htm Namur Family Geneology]