The Counts of Chiny were part of the nobility of
Lotharingia
Lotharingia was a historical region and an early medieval polity that existed during the late Carolingian and early Ottonian era, from the middle of the 9th to the middle of the 10th century. It was established in 855 by the Treaty of Prüm, a ...
that ruled from the 9th to the 14th century in what is now part of
Belgium
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
.
It has been proposed that the County of
Chiny
Chiny (; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities of Belgium, municipality of Wallonia located in the Luxembourg (Belgium), province of Luxembourg, Belgium.
On 1 January 2018 the municipality, which covers , had 5,175 inhabitants, ...
was created in the early 10th century out of the ancient county of
Ivois
Carignan () is a Communes of France, commune in the Ardennes (department), Ardennes Departments of France, department in northern France. It is the seat of a cantons of France, canton. It was known as Yvoy or Yvois until 1662.
History
Carignan w ...
. The county now forms part of the province of Luxembourg in present-day Belgium. The County of Chiny included the present-day towns of
Chiny
Chiny (; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities of Belgium, municipality of Wallonia located in the Luxembourg (Belgium), province of Luxembourg, Belgium.
On 1 January 2018 the municipality, which covers , had 5,175 inhabitants, ...
,
Virton,
Étalle,
Florenville
Florenville (; Gaumais: ''Floravile'') is a city and municipality in the province of Luxembourg, Wallonia, Belgium. It is located in the southwest part of the country bordering France, on the banks of the Semois river. Spread across an area of ...
,
Neufchâteau,
Montmédy
Montmédy (, ) is a commune in the Meuse department in Grand Est in north-eastern France.
Citadel of Montmédy
In 1221 the first castle of Montmédy was built on top of a hill by the Count of Chiny. Montmédy soon became the capital of his ...
and
Carignan
Carignan (; also known as Mazuelo, Bovale Grande, Cariñena, Carinyena, Samsó, Carignane, and Carignano) is a red grape variety of Spanish origin that is more commonly found in French wine but is widely planted throughout the western Medite ...
, as well as the castles of Warcq on the Meuse, which was built in 971 by Otto, ancestor of the later Counts of Chiny.
It has also been proposed that there is a close relationship between the Counts of Chiny and the early
counts of Looz, the
counts of Verdun and the
bishops of Verdun.
[Jeantin, J. François Louis. (185859)]
Histoire du comté de Chiny et des pays haut-wallons
Paris: J. Tardieu.
The family of the counts of Chiny merged with the family of the counts of Looz. The final count of Chiny, Arnold IV de Rumingy, sold the county to the duke of Luxembourg, ending a dynasty of five hundred years.
Ivois
Ivois was a military settlement of the Romans under the name Epoissium, Eposium, Epusum or Ivosium. Gaugericus, Bishop of Cambrai, was born in Eposium around 550. The division of the Lotharingian territories was agreed to on 8 Aug 870 between
Louis the German
Louis the German (German language, German: ''Ludwig der Deutsche''; c. 806/810 – 28 August 876), also known as Louis II of Germany (German language, German: ''Ludwig II. von Deutschland''), was the first king of East Francia, and ruled from 8 ...
and his half-brother
Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald (; 13 June 823 – 6 October 877), also known as CharlesII, was a 9th-century king of West Francia (843–877), King of Italy (875–877) and emperor of the Carolingian Empire (875–877). After a series of civil wars during t ...
. This agreement allocated ''Wavrense comitatus II''
wo counties in Wavrenseto Charles. Although the name does not appear in the document, it is assumed that one of these was Ivois. Ivois is first referred to by name in a charter dated 21 Nov 955 which records an agreement between ''Eremboldus miles''
night
Night, or nighttime, is the period of darkness when the Sun is below the horizon. Sunlight illuminates one side of the Earth, leaving the other in darkness. The opposite of nighttime is daytime. Earth's rotation causes the appearance of ...
and
Robert, the Archbishop of Trier, relating to property including ''Aduna in comitatu Ivotio''
he county of Ivois''inter Boura et Lannilley''.
Ivois, with its strategic location between the French and German kingdoms, was an ideal neutral location for meetings between the Frankish kings and the Holy Roman Emperors. Such a meeting took place between King
Robert II of France
Robert II ( 972 – 20 July 1031), called the Pious () or the Wise (), was List of French monarchs, King of the Franks from 996 to 1031, the second from the Capetian dynasty. Crowned Junior King in 987, he assisted his father on military matters ...
and
Emperor Henry II on 11 August 1023, where they swore mutual friendship and resolved to reform the clergy, calling for an assembly at Pavia of both German and Italian bishops.
Later in the eleventh century, upon after the death of his mother,
Gisela of Swabia
Gisela of Swabia ( 990 – 15 February 1043), was queen of Germany from 1024 to 1039 and empress of the Holy Roman Empire from 1027 to 1039 by her third marriage with Emperor Conrad II. She was the mother of Emperor Henry III. She was regent of ...
, in 1043,
Emperor Henry III
Henry III (, 28 October 1016 – 5 October 1056), called the Black () or the Pious, was Holy Roman Emperor from 1046 until his death in 1056. A member of the Salian dynasty, he was the eldest son of Conrad II and Gisela of Swabia.
Henry was rais ...
held a meeting in Ivois with King
Henry I of France
Henry I (4 May 1008 – 4 August 1060) was King of the Franks from 1031 to 1060. The royal demesne of France reached its smallest size during his reign, and for this reason he is often seen as emblematic of the weakness of the early Capetians. ...
. It has been speculated that it may have been in connection with the emperor’s upcoming wedding with
Agnes of Poitou
Agnes of Poitou ( – 14 December 1077) was the queen of Germany from 1043 and empress of the Holy Roman Empire from 1046 until 1056 as the wife of Emperor Henry III. From 1056 to 1061, she ruled the Holy Roman Empire as regent during the ...
. They met again in May 1056, and the matter of Lorraine was so contentious that the king challenged the emperor to single combat. The emperor left without a response in the dead of night, returning to Germany where the disaffected members of his domain were returning to obedience.
Counts of Ivois
The known counts of Ivois are the following:
*
Bérenger I (died 882 or before), son of
Gebhard, Count of Niederlahngau.
*
Hildebert Hildebert is a masculine given name of Germanic origin. It may refer to:
* Hildebert (bishop of Cambrai) ()
* Hildebert, Count of Ivois ( 882)
* (died 937)
* (died 1006)
*, abbot ()
*, abbot ()
* Hildebert of Lavardin (died 1133), bishop of Le Man ...
(fl. 882), son of Bérenger I.
*
Rudolfe I (died before 948), son of
Ricfried, Count of Betuwe, and Herensinda.
*
Rudolfe II (died 963), son of Rudolfe I. Also
Count of Verdun (as Raoul).
*
Étienne
Étienne, a French analog of Stephen or Steven, is a masculine given name. An archaic variant of the name, prevalent up to the mid-17th century, is Estienne.
Étienne, Etienne, Ettiene or Ettienne may refer to:
People Artists and entertainers
* ...
(died before 946 or 948). Also
Count of Porcien.
Ricfried is also the great-grandfather of
Giselbert, the first count of Looz. Presumably, the agreement above with Robert of Trier is with Étienne .
Counts of Chiny
The Counts of Chiny begin with the first dynasty started by Otto:
*
Otto I
Otto I (23 November 912 – 7 May 973), known as Otto the Great ( ) or Otto of Saxony ( ), was East Francia, East Frankish (Kingdom of Germany, German) king from 936 and Holy Roman Emperor from 962 until his death in 973. He was the eldest son o ...
(956–987), son of
Adalbert I, Count of Vermandois, and
Gerberge of Lorraine.
*
Louis I Louis I may refer to:
Cardinals
* Louis I, Cardinal of Guise (1527–1578)
Counts
* Ludwig I, Count of Württemberg (c. 1098–1158)
* Louis I of Blois (1172–1205)
* Louis I of Flanders (1304–1346)
* Louis I of Châtillon (died 13 ...
(987–1025), son of Otto. Married to Adélaïde de Saint Varme. Also, Count of Verdun. Murdered by
Gothelo, brother of
Herman, Count of Verdun
Herman (or Hezelo) of Ename (died 28 May 1029), was a count in what is now Belgium, who was responsible to the emperor for holding the frontier fort at Ename (sometimes spelled "Eename") in the Pagus of Brabant, which faced the County of Flanders ...
.
*
Louis II (1025 – before 1066), son of Louis I. Married to Sophie, daughter of
Frederick, Count of Verdun.
*
Arnold I (before 1066 – 1106), son of Louis II. Married to Adélaïs, daughter of Hilduin IV,
Count of Montdidier, and Alix of Roucy.
*
Otto II
Otto II (955 – 7 December 983), called the Red (), was Holy Roman Emperor from 973 until his death in 983. A member of the Ottonian dynasty, Otto II was the youngest and sole surviving son of Otto the Great and Adelaide of Italy.
Otto II was ...
(1106–1131), son of Arnold I. Married to Adelaide, daughter of
Albert III, Count of Namur, and Ida of Saxony.
*
Albert I (1131–1162), son of Otto II. Married to Agnes, daughter of
Reginald I, Count of Bar
Reginald I (also called "the One-eyed", Reinald I, Renaud I; – 10 March 1149) was Count of Bar (1105–1149). Barrois, during the Middle Ages, was the territory of the counts and dukes of Bar, in the eastern part of present-day France, bo ...
, and Gisèle of Vaudémont.
*
Louis III Louis III may refer to:
* Louis the Younger, sometimes III of Germany (835–882)
* Louis III of France (865–882)
* Louis the Blind, Louis III, Holy Roman Emperor, (c. 880–928)
* Louis the Child, sometimes III of Germany (893–911)
* Louis III ...
(1162–1189), son of Albert I. Married to Sophie of Garlande. Died on the Third Crusade.
*
Louis IV the Young (1189–1226), son of Louis III. Married to Matilda, daughter of James, Lord of Conde, and Adele, Lady of Guise.
*
Joan (1226–1271), daughter of Louis IV. Married
Arnold IV, Count of Loon
Arnold IV of Loon (Looz) (died between November 1272 and October 1273; most likely on February 22, 1273), was Count of Loon from 1227 to 1273 and Counts of Chiny, Count of Chiny (as Arnold II) from 1228 to 1268. He was the son of Gérard III, Cou ...
, son of Gerard III, Count of Rieneck, and Kunigunde von Zimmern.
With the marriage of Joan and Arnold, the counties of Looz and Chiny became merged in a single office (with the exception of Louis V), beginning the second dynasty of counts.
*
Arnold II (1228–1273). Also, Count of Looz (as Arnold IV).
*
John
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second E ...
I (1273–1278) (also, Count of Looz), eldest son of Arnold II and Joan. Married first to Matilda, daughter of
William IV
William IV (William Henry; 21 August 1765 – 20 June 1837) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death in 1837. The third son of George III, William succeeded hi ...
, Count of Jülich, and second to Isabelle, daughter of Jacques, Lord of Conde.
*
Louis V Louis V may refer to:
* Louis V of France (967–987)
* Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor and V of Germany (1282–1347)
* Louis V, Duke of Bavaria (1315–1361)
* Louis V, Elector Palatine (ruled 1508–1544)
* Louis V, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt (r ...
(1278–1299), second son of Arnold II and Joan. Married Joan, a daughter of
Henry II, Count of Bar
Henry II of Bar in French ''Henri II de Bar'', in German ''Heinrich II von Bar'' (1190–13 November 1239) was a Count of Bar who reigned from 1214 to 1239. He was son of Count Theobald I of Bar and his first wife, Ermesinde of Bar-sur-Seine. H ...
, and
Philippa of Dreux.
*
Arnold III (1299–1328) (also, Count of Looz as Arnold V), son of John I. Married Margaret, daughter of Philip I,
Count of Vianden, and Marie of Louvain,
*
Louis VI (1328–1336) (also, Count of Looz as Louis IV), son of Arnold III. Married Margaret, daughter of
Theobald II, Duke of Lorraine
Theobald II ( or ''Thiébaut''; 1263 – 13 May 1312) was the Duke of Lorraine from 1303 until his death in 1312. He was the son and successor of Frederick III, Duke of Lorraine, Frederick III and Margaret of Navarre, Duchess of Lorraine, Margare ...
, and Isabella of Rumigny.
*
Thierry de Heinsberg (1336–1361), grandson of Arnold III. Married Cunegonde de la Marck, daughter of Engelbert I, Count de la Marck, and Cunegonde Bliescastel.
*
Godfrey de Heinsberg (1361–1362), great-grandson of Arnold III. Married Philippa of Jülich, daughter of
William V William V may refer to:
* William V, Duke of Aquitaine (969–1030)
* William V of Montpellier (1075–1121)
* William V, Marquess of Montferrat (1191)
* William V, Count of Nevers (before 11751181)
* William V, Duke of Jülich (1299–1361)
* Will ...
, Duke of Jülich and
Joanna of Hainaut
Joanna of Hainault (c. 1312–1374) was a Duchess of Jülich by marriage to William V, Duke of Jülich. She was the third daughter of William I, Count of Hainaut, William I, "The Good" Count of Hainaut, and Joan of Valois (1294–1352), Joan of V ...
.
*
Arnold IV de Rumigny (1362–1364) (also Count of Looz as Arnold VI), grandson of Arnold III. He married Elizabeth of Flanders, illegitimate daughter of
Louis I Louis I may refer to:
Cardinals
* Louis I, Cardinal of Guise (1527–1578)
Counts
* Ludwig I, Count of Württemberg (c. 1098–1158)
* Louis I of Blois (1172–1205)
* Louis I of Flanders (1304–1346)
* Louis I of Châtillon (died 13 ...
, Count of Nevers.
Arnold IV sold Chiny and Looz to
Wenceslaus I, Duke of Luxembourg
Wenceslaus I (also ''Wenceslas'', ''Venceslas'', ''Wenzel'', or ''Václav'', often called Wenceslaus of Bohemia in chronicles) (25 February 1337 – 7 December 1383) was the first Duke of Luxembourg from 1354. He was the son of John of Bohemi ...
, on 16 June 1364, thus ending the line of Counts of Chiny and Looz.
There are many interesting family relationships among the counts of Ivois and Chiny that include two counts of Verdun and a host of others, including:
* Adelbero III of Chiny,
Bishop of Verdun (1131–1156), son of Arnold I.
* Ida of Chiny, daughter of Otto II, married
Godfrey I the Bearded, Count of Louvain (whose ancestor murdered her great-grandfather), and was the mother of
Adeliza, Queen Consort of England, wife of
Henry Beauclearc.
* Albero II,
Bishop of Liège
A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of dioceses. The role ...
(1135–1145), son of Otto II.
* Arnulf of Chiny-Verdun,
Bishop of Verdun (1172-1181), son of Albert I.
* Albert II of Hierges,
Bishop of Verdun (1186–1208), grandson of Albert I.
* John I of Aspremont,
Bishop of Verdun (1217–1224), great-grandson of Albert I.
* Arnaul II,
Bishop of Châlons
A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of dioceses. The role ...
(1272–1273), son of Arnold II and Jeanne.
An alternate history of the origins of the Counts of Chiny is provided by Jean Bertels (known as Bertelius), abbot of Saint Gregory of Munster, who wrote of Chiny in his ''Historia Luxemburgensis'', first published in Cologne in 1605. Here he claims that the territory now known as Chiny was owned by Ricuin, Duke of Mosellane
resumably, Ricwin, Count of Verdun">Ricwin,_Count_of_Verdun.html" ;"title="resumably, Ricwin, Count of Verdun">resumably, Ricwin, Count of Verdun and it served as dowry for his younger daughter Mathilde in her marriage to Arnulf Grandson, a subject of Ricuin. Arnoul was granted the title Count of Chiny by Archbishop Bruno the Great after a high church was built. Thus Arnoul became the first Count of Chiny, father of Otto I. According to Laret-Kayser, this narrative is a complete fabrication, probably initiated in the thirteenth century by
Count Louis V to enhance is standing at the
Tournament of Chauvency by showing an ancestral line to the Counts of Verdun. Nevertheless, this version continues to be repeated.
See also
*
Liste des comtes de Chiny (list of counts in French)
References
*
Bury, J. B. (Editor), ''
The Cambridge Medieval History, Volume III. Germany and the Western Empire'', Cambridge University Press, 1922.
*
*{{citation, last=Laret-Kayser , first= Arlette , title=Entre Bar et Luxembourg : Le Comté de Chiny des Origines à 1300 , place=Brussels , publisher=éditions du Crédit Communal , series= Collection Histoire, série in-8°, n° 72) , year=1986
*
Settipani, Christian, ''La Préhistoire des Capétiens (Nouvelle histoire généalogique de l'auguste maison de France, vol. 1)'', Villeneuve d'Ascq, éd. Patrick van Kerrebrouck, 1993, 545 p.
*
Vanderkindere, Léon, ''La Formation territoriale des principautés belges au Moyen Âge'', Bruxelles, H. Lamertin, 1902
*
fr:Comté de Chiny