View source for Ermesinde, Countess of Luxembourg

{{for|the earlier countess of Namur|Ermesinde of Luxembourg, Countess of Namur}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name         = Ermesinde
| image        = File:Ermesinda.jpg
| succession   = [[List of monarchs of Luxembourg|Countess of Luxembourg]]
| reign        = 1197 – 12 February 1247
| predecessor  = [[Otto I, Count of Burgundy|Otto I]]
| successor    = [[Henry V, Count of Luxembourg|Henry V]]
| spouse       = [[Theobald I, Count of Bar]]<br>(m. 1197 - 1214; his death)<br>[[Waleran III, Duke of Limburg]]<br>(m. 1214 - 1226; his death)
| issue        = {{ Plain list|
*[[Henry V, Count of Luxembourg]]
*[[Gerard I, Count of Durbuy]]}}
| issue-link   = #Children
| issue-pipe   = more...
| house        = [[House of Namur]]
| father       = [[Henry IV, Count of Luxembourg]]
| mother       = Agnes of Guelders
| birth_date   = July 1186
| birth_place  = 
| death_date   = 12 February {{death year and age|1247|1186}}
| death_place  = 
| place of burial = [[Clairefontaine Abbey|Abbey of Notre-Dame de Clairefontaine]], [[Arlon]]
}}

'''Ermesinde''' (July 1186 – 12 February 1247) ruled as the [[Counts, Dukes and Grand Dukes of Luxembourg|countess of Luxembourg]] from 1197 until her death. She was the only child of [[Henry IV, Count of Luxembourg|Count Henry IV]] and his second wife Agnes of Guelders.

==Succession==
Prior to her birth, Ermesinde's aging father, Count [[Henry IV of Luxembourg]], had recognized his nephew Count [[Baldwin V of Hainaut]] as his [[heir presumptive]]. However, the 74-year-old count reunited with his estranged wife, Agnes of Guelders, and fathered a daughter, Ermesinde, who displaced Baldwin as heir presumptive.<ref name=Tutton>[https://today.rtl.lu/culture/exhibitions-and-history/a/1474581.html Tutton, Thomas. "Rivalries, Battles and the Great Ermesinde", RTL Today, February 28, 2020]</ref> Upon Henry's death in 1196, a war of succession took place. At its end, it was decided that Henry's fiefs would be split: Baldwin would have [[County of Namur|Namur]], Ermesinde would have [[Durbuy]] and La Roche, and Luxembourg would revert to their common liege, [[Emperor Henry VI]], who then gave it to his brother [[Otto I, Count of Burgundy|Otto]].

==Dynastic connections==
{{chart top| Selected relations of Ermesinde}}
{{tree chart/start |style=font-size:100%; line-height: 120%; margin:1em;}}
{{tree chart| |CAR| |NAM | | | | | |HA
|CAR=Carolingian|boxstyle_CAR  =background-color: #eee;border: 0px solid #ccc;
|HA=[[House of Ardenne]]|boxstyle_HA  =background-color: #eee;border: 0px solid #ccc;
|NAM=House of Namur|boxstyle_NAM  =background-color: #eee;border: 0px solid #ccc;
}}
{{tree chart| | | | | | | | | | |,|-|-|-|v|-|-|-|.}}
{{tree chart| | | | | | | | | |GOT| |FRU | |SIG
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|SIG=[[Sigfried, Count of the Ardennes|Count Sigfried]]|boxstyle_SIG = border: 2px solid #000;border-radius: 0.5em; background-color: #FFDEAD
|FRU=[[Frederick I, Duke of Upper Lorraine|Frederic I]]<br/>Duke of Upper Lotharingia| boxstyle_FRU  =background-color: #FFE6E6; border: 2px solid #000; border-radius: 0.5em;
}}
{{tree chart| | | | | | | | | | |!| | |BAR | | |!
|BAR=Ancestor of the Counts of Bar, Counts of Arlon [ [[:fr:Comté d'Arlon|''fr'']] ]|boxstyle_BAR  =background-color: #eee;border: 0px solid #ccc;
}}
{{tree chart| |CHF| |ROB| |GTH| | | | | | |!
|CHF=[[Charles, Duke of Lower Lorraine]]|boxstyle_CHF =border-radius: 0.5em; border: 1px solid #000;
|GTH=[[Godfrey I, Count of Verdun|Godfrey the Captive]]<br/>Margrave of Antwerp|boxstyle_GTH = border-radius: 0.5em; border: 1px solid #000;
|ROB=[[Robert of Namur (died 981)]]|boxstyle_ROB =background-color: #ccf; border-radius: 0.5em; border: 2px solid #000;}}
{{tree chart| | |!| | | |!| | | |!| | | | | | | |!}}
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|ERF=Ermengarde|boxstyle_ERF =border-radius: 0.5em; border: 1px solid #000;
|ALN=[[Albert I, Count of Namur]]|boxstyle_ALN =background-color: #ccf; border-radius: 0.5em; border: 2px solid #000;
|GOZ=[[Gothelo I, Duke of Lorraine|Gozelon,<br /> Duke of Lower Lotharingia]]|boxstyle_GOZ = border-radius: 0.5em; border: 1px solid #000;
|FR1=[[Frederick of Luxembourg|Count Frederic]]|boxstyle_FR1 = border: 2px solid #000;border-radius: 0.5em; background-color: #FFDEAD 
}}
{{tree chart| | | | |`|-|.| | | |!| | | |,|-|-|-|(|}}
{{tree chart| | | | | |AL2|v|REG| | |!| | |GIL
|AL2=[[Albert II, Count of Namur]]
|REG=Regelinde|boxstyle_AL2 =background-color: #ccf; border-radius: 0.5em; border: 2px solid #000;|boxstyle_REG ==background-color: #111; border-radius: 0.5em; border: 1px solid #000;
|GIL=[[Giselbert of Luxembourg|Gilbert, Count of Luxembourg]]|boxstyle_HD1 =background-color: #ccf; border-radius: 0.5em;|boxstyle_GIL = border: 2px solid #000;border-radius: 0.5em; background-color: #FFDEAD
}}
{{tree chart| | |,|-|-|-|v|-|'| | | | | |!| | | |!}}
{{tree chart| border=0|boxstyle=background: #eee; border: 1px solid #ccc; border-radius: 0.5em; background-color: #FFDEAD| |HD1| |AL3|y|IDA|~|FR2| |CON
|AL3=[[Albert III, Count of Namur|Albert III,<br />Count of Namur]]|boxstyle_AL3 =background-color: #ccf; border-radius: 0.5em; border: 2px solid #000;
|REG=Regelinde |boxstyle_REG =background-color: #eee; border: 1px solid #000; border-radius: 0.5em;
|HD1=Henry I of Durbuy|boxstyle_HD1 = border: 1px solid #000; border-radius: 0.5em;
|IDA=Ida|boxstyle_IDA = border: 1px solid #000; border-radius: 0.5em;
|FR2=[[Frederick, Duke of Lower Lorraine|Frederic,<br /> Duke of]] [[Lower Lotharingia]]|boxstyle_FR2 =background-color: #FFFFE6; border-radius: 0.5em; border: 2px solid #000;
|CON=[[Conrad I, Count of Luxembourg|Conrad, Count of Luxembourg]]|boxstyle_CON =background-color: #FFDEAD; border-radius: 0.5em; border: 2px solid #000;
}}
{{tree chart| |END| | |,|-|^|-|.| | |LIM| | |!
|LIM=[[House of Limburg]]<br >Ancestor of Dukes of Limbourg, Counts of Arlon |boxstyle_LIM  =background-color: #eee;border: 0px solid #ccc;
|END=Male line ended|boxstyle_END =border: 0px solid #000;
}}
{{tree chart| border=0|boxstyle=background: #eee; border: 1px solid #ccc; border-radius: 0.5em; background-color: #ccf| | | | | |HLR| | |!| | | |,|-|-|-|(
|HLR=Henry I of La Roche|boxstyle_HLR = border: 1px solid #000; border-radius: 0.5em;
}}
{{tree chart| | | | | |END| |GOD|y|EM2 | |END
|GOD=[[Godfrey I, Count of Namur|Godefrid, Count of Namur]]|boxstyle_GOD =background-color: #ccf; border-radius: 0.5em; border: 2px solid #000;
|EM2=[[Ermesinde of Luxembourg, Countess of Namur|Ermensinde of Luxembourg]]|boxstyle_EM2 =background-color: #FFDEAD ; border-radius: 0.5em; border: 2px solid #000;
|END=Male line ended|boxstyle_END =border: 0px solid #000;
}}
{{tree chart| | | | | | |,|-|-|-|-|-|^|-|-|-|-|-|.|}}
{{tree chart| border=0|boxstyle=background: #99f; =background-color: #ccf; border-radius: 0.5em; border: 2px solid #000;| | | | | |HBL| | | | | | | | | |ALS| 
|HBL='''Henry the Blind'''
|ALS=[[Alice of Namur|Alice]]|boxstyle_ALS =background-color: #ccf; border-radius: 0.5em;}}
{{tree chart| | |:| | | |!| | | |:| | | | | | | |!}}
{{tree chart| border=0|boxstyle=background: #eee; border: 2px solid #000; border-radius: 0.5em; background-color: #FFDEAD | |TB|y|EM2|y|WAL|y|CUN | |BAL|BAL=[[Baldwin V, Count of Hainaut|Baldwin V<br />Lord of Hainaut, Flanders and Namur]]|boxstyle_BAL =background-color: #ccf; border-radius: 0.5em; border: 2px solid #000; |EM2=Ermensinde II |TB=[[Theobald I, Count of Bar]]|WAL=[[Waleran III, Duke of Limburg]],<br />Count of Arlon|CUN=Cunigunda of Lorraine|boxstyle_CUN  =background-color: #eee; border: 1px solid #000; border-radius: 0.5em;|boxstyle_WAL  =background-color: #FFFFE6; border: 2px solid #000; border-radius: 0.5em;|boxstyle_TB  =background-color: #FFE6E6; border: 2px solid #000; border-radius: 0.5em;}}
{{tree chart| border=0|boxstyle=background: #eee; =background-color: #ccf; border-radius: 0.5em; border: 2px solid #000;| | | | |!| | | |!| | | |!| | | | | |!}}
{{tree chart| border=0|boxstyle=background: #eee; border-radius: 0.5em; background-color: #eee;| | | |HB| |HV| |LIM| | | |HFN|HB=[[Counts of Bar]]| HV=[[House of Luxembourg]]<br/>Counts of Luxembourg and Arlon|LIM=Dukes of Limbourg |HFN=Lords of Hainaut, Flanders and Namur<br/>[[Latin Emperors|Latin emperors of Constantinople]]}}
{{tree chart/end}}
{{chart bottom}}

==Rule==
Ermesinde was initially betrothed to Count [[Henry II of Champagne]], but the engagement was cancelled in 1189. Instead her first husband was Count [[Theobald I of Bar]].<ref name="Péporté109-110">P. Péporté, ''Historiography, Collective Memory and Nation-Building in Luxembourg'', (Brill, 2011), 109-110.{{subscription required|via=Brill}}</ref> He successfully negotiated with Count [[Philip I of Namur]] and his brother Count [[Baldwin IX of Flanders]] for renunciation of Luxembourg, thus making Theobald and Ermesinde the count and countess of Luxembourg.<ref>John A. Gade, ''Luxemburg in the Middle Ages'', (Brill, 1951), 74-75.</ref>

When Theobald died in 1214, Ermesinde married Count [[Waleran III of Limburg]] (1180–1226), with whom she then ruled Luxembourg.<ref name="Péporté109-110" /> In 1223 Ermesinde and Waleran pressed their claim to Namur against [[Philip II of Namur|Philip II]], but were ultimately unsuccessful. After Waleran'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.<ref name=Tutton/>

==Grave==
[[File:Ermesinde sarcophage Clairefontaine Belgium 01.jpg|thumb|upright|Sarcophagus of Countess Ermesinde]]
According to legend, Ermesinde [[Marian apparition|saw the Virgin Mary]], and planned the construction on that spot of the [[Clairefontaine Abbey]].<ref name="Péporté109-110" /> In her will she asked that she be buried at this location. The abbey was built by her son, [[Henry V of Luxembourg|Henry V]].<ref>P. Péporté, ''Historiography, Collective Memory and Nation-Building in Luxembourg'', 115.</ref> After many years, the abbey was destroyed in the late 18th century by French troops. In 1747, shortly before the old abbey was destroyed by French troops, the nuns had hidden Ermesinde's remains in a chapel, where they were found by the [[Jesuits]] during 1875-1877 reconstructions. The remains are now in the crypt of the chapel of Clairefontaine.

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

The children of Ermesinde and [[Waleran III, Duke of Limburg|Waleran III, Count of Limburg]] were: 
* [[Henry V of Luxembourg]] (1216–1281), [[Count of Luxembourg]]<ref name="Péporté109-110" />
* [[Gérard I of Durbuy]], Count of Durbuy (died 1276)
* [[Catherine of Limburg]] (died 1255), wife of [[Matthias II, Duke of Lorraine]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{commons category-inline|Ermesinde, Countess of Luxembourg}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-hou|[[Counts of Namur#House of Namur|House of Namur]]|3=1186|4=12 February|5=1247}}
{{s-bef
|before=[[Otto I, Count of Burgundy|Otto]]
}}
{{s-ttl
|title=[[County of Luxembourg|Countess of Luxembourg]]
|years=1197–1247
}}
{{s-aft
|after=[[Henry V, Count of Luxemburg|Henry V]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Monarchs of Luxembourg}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Luxembourg, Ermesinde, Countess of}}
[[Category:1186 births]]
[[Category:1247 deaths]]
[[Category:12th-century monarchs of Luxembourg]]
[[Category:13th-century monarchs of Luxembourg]]
[[Category:12th-century countesses regnant]]
[[Category:13th-century countesses regnant]]
[[Category:12th-century French nobility]]
[[Category:12th-century French women]]
[[Category:13th-century French nobility]]
[[Category:13th-century French women]]
[[Category:12th-century counts in Europe]]
[[Category:13th-century counts in Europe]]
[[Category:House of Namur]]
[[Category:Counts of Luxembourg]]
[[Category:Duchesses of Limburg]]