Lower Lotharingia

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Duchy of Lower Lotharingia Neder-Lotharingen
959–1190
Status	Duchy of the Holy Roman Empire
Capital	Brussels
Common languages	Old Dutch, Old Frisian, Old French, Old Low German
Religion	Christianity
Government	Feudal Duchy
Duke
• 959–964	Godfrey I (first)
• 1142–1190	Godfrey VIII (last)
Historical era	Middle Ages
• Partition of Lotharingia	959
• Dissolution of territorial authority	1190
Preceded by Succeeded by Lotharingia Prince-Bishopric of Liège Duchy of Limburg County of Namur Landgraviate of Brabant

The Duchy of Lower Lotharingia (also called Lower Lorraine or Northern Lotharingia) was a medieval stem duchy within the Holy Roman Empire. It was established in 959, following the division of the larger realm of Lotharingia, which had been created from the Middle Frankish kingdom of King Lothair II in 855. Lower Lotharingia comprised most of modern-day Belgium, Luxembourg, parts of the Netherlands, and the northern part of the German Rhineland.^[1]

Lower Lotharingia emerged as one of the two divisions of the former Duchy of Lotharingia, which had been part of the Carolingian Middle Francia. In 959, Duke Bruno the Great, brother of Emperor Otto I, divided Lotharingia into Upper and Lower Lotharingia. Bruno granted Count Godfrey I of Hainaut the title of Duke of Lower Lorraine.

While the duchies of Upper and Lower Lorraine were briefly reunited in 1033 under Duke Gothelo I, they quickly separated again, and by 1044, Lower Lotharingia began to decline in significance. By the late 12th century, the duchy had lost most of its political power. Upon the death of Duke Godfrey III in 1190, the duchy effectively ceased to exist as a territorial unit, although the title of Duke of Lothier continued to be used by the Dukes of Brabant.

Lower Lotharingia played a key role in the medieval power struggles between the Holy Roman Emperors and the kings of France. The duchy’s territory later fragmented into smaller principalities and counties, which would go on to become parts of modern-day Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.^[2]

• Holy Roman Empire
• Brabant