List of kings and dukes of Lorraine

The kings and dukes of Lorraine have held different posts under different governments over different regions, since its creation as the kingdom of Lotharingia by the Treaty of Prüm, in 855. The first rulers of the newly established region were kings of the Franks. The Latin construction "Lotharingia" evolved over time into "Lorraine" in French, "Lotharingen" in Dutch and "Lothringen" in German. After the Carolingian kingdom was absorbed into its neighbouring realms in the late ninth century, dukes were appointed over the territory. In the mid-tenth century, the duchy was divided into Lower Lorraine and Upper Lorraine, the first evolving into the historical Low Countries, the second became known as the Duchy of Lorraine and existed well into the modern era.

See also: Dukes of Lorraine family tree and List of consorts of Lorraine

Kings of Lotharingia

Charles the Bald claimed Lotharingia on Lothair's death and was crowned king in Metz, but his brother Louis the German opposed his claim and in 870 the Treaty of Mersen divided Lotharingia between the two brothers and subsequently their sons. In 880, the Treaty of Ribemont gave the whole of Lotharingia to Louis the Younger, son of Louis the German.

In 925, Lotharingia was subsumed into East Francia.

Dukes of Lorraine

In 959, Lorraine was divided into two districts, Lower and Upper Lorraine, each governed by a margrave, under Bruno. Upon Bruno's death in 965, both margraves were recognised as dukes of Lower and Upper Lorraine, respectively. The two duchies remained separate, following separate pathways, except for the brief period between 1033 and 1044.

Dukes of Lower Lorraine
Note that the numbering of the dukes varies between sources.

Matfriding dynasty

Carolingian dynasty

House of Ardennes–Verdun

House of Luxembourg

House of Ardennes–Verdun
  • Godfrey III the Bearded (1065–1069) (also known as Godfrey II, previously duke of Upper Lorraine)
  • Godfrey IV (1069–1076) (also known as Godfrey III)

Salian dynasty

House of Boulogne (Ardennes–Bouillon)

House of Limburg

House of Leuven

House of Limburg

House of Leuven

Passes to the Duke of Brabant, who until 1795 kept the title "Duke of Lothier".

Dukes of Upper Lorraine

House of Ardenne–Bar

House of Ardenne–Verdun
  • Gothelo (r. 1033–1044) (also duke of Lower Lorraine).
  • Godfrey, the Bearded (r. 1044–1046) (later duke of Lower Lorraine)

House of Metz (Ardenne–Metz)
Portrait Name Start term End term Note
Adalbert 1047 1048  
 Gerhard 1048 6 March 1070  
 Theodoric II 6 March 1070 23 January 1115  
 Simon I 23 January 1115 13 April 1138  
 Matthias I 13 April 1138 13 May 1176  
 Simon II 13 May 1176 1205  
 Frederick I 1205 7 April 1206  
 Frederick II 7 April 1206 10 October 1213  
 Theobald I 10 October 1213 17 February 1220  
 Matthias II 17 February 1220 24 June 1251  
 Frederick III 24 June 1251 31 December 1302  
 Theobald II 31 December 1302 13 May 1312  
 Frederick IV 13 May 1312 23 August 1328  
 Raoul 23 August 1328 26 August 1346 killed at the Battle of Crécy
 John I 26 August 1346 27 September 1390  
 Charles II 27 September 1390 25 January 1431  
 Isabella 25 January 1431 28 February 1453 with her husband, René I

House of Anjou
NamePortraitBirthMarriagesDeath
René
25 January 1431 –
28 February 1453
16 January 1409
Château d'Angers
son of Louis II of Anjou and Yolande of Aragon		 (1) Isabella
1420
ten children
(2) Jeanne de Laval
10 September 1454
no issue		 10 July 1480
Aix-en-Provence
aged 71
John II
28 February 1453 –
16 December 1470
2 August 1424
Nancy
son of René and Isabella		 Marie de Bourbon
1444
five children		 16 December 1470
Barcelona
aged 46
Nicholas I
16 December 1470 –
24 July 1473
1448
Nancy
son of John II and Marie de Bourbon		 never married 24 July 1473
Nancy
aged 22

House of Lorraine
Main article: House of Lorraine

Junior branch of the previous rulers of Ardennes–Metz, known as the House of Lorraine

Portrait Name Start term End term Note
 René II 24 July 1473 10 December 1508 grandson of René I and Isabella; also Duke of Bar
 Antoine 10 December 1508 14 June 1544  
 Francis I14 June 154412 June 1545  
 Charles III 12 June 1545 14 May 1608  
 Henry II 14 May 1608 31 July 1624  
 Nicole 31 July 1624 25 November 1625 she was the daughter of Henry II; the estates of Lorraine eventually decided that she was not eligible to reign, and gave the crown to her uncle, Francis II; her husband and first cousin, Charles IV, would reign thereafter
 Francis II 25 November 1625 1 December 1625 he immediately abdicated in favour of his son, Charles IV; died 1632
 Charles IV 1 December 1625 19 January 1634 abdicated in favour of his brother
 Nicholas II 19 January 1634 1 April 1634 fled into exile and abdicated in favour of his older brother; the duchy remained under effective French control for the next 27 years
 Charles IV 1 April 1634 18 September 1675 nominally restored as a result of his brother's abdication; Lorraine was occupied by France, and the Duke in exile, from 1634 to 1661 and again from 1670 until his death
 Charles V Leopold 18 September 1675 18 April 1690 He was in exile and Lorraine was occupied by France throughout his nominal reign
 Leopold 18 April 1690 27 March 1729 He was in exile and Lorraine was occupied by France until 30 October 1697, when it was returned to Léopold Joseph; it was again occupied by France from 1702 to 1714, although the duke remained in place
 Francis III Stephen 27 March 17299 July 1737 traded Lorraine in exchange for the Grand Duchy of Tuscany; elected Holy Roman Emperor in 1745; died 1765, husband of Empress Maria Theresa

House of Leszczyński
Portrait Name Start term End term Note
 Stanisław I 9 July 1737 23 February 1766 Former king of Poland. After him, the Duchy is inherited by his son-in-law, king Louis XV of France and incorporated in his dominions

The House of Habsburg-Lorraine continued carrying the title as titular Dukes of Lorraine.

See also

Further reading

Putnam, Ruth. Alsace and Lorraine: From Cæsar to Kaiser, 58 B.C.-1871 A.D. New York: 1915.

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