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The Duchy of Brabant was formally erected in 1183/1184. The title "Duke of Brabant" was created by the German Emperor Frederick Barbarossa in favor of Henry I, son of Godfrey III of Leuven (who was Duke of Lower Lotharingia at that time). The Duchy of Brabant was a feudal elevation of the since 1085/1086 existing title of Landgrave of Brabant. This was an Imperial fief which was assigned to Count Henry III of Leuven shortly after the death of the preceding Count of Brabant, Count Palatine Herman II of Lotharingia († September 20, 1085). Although the corresponding county was quite small (limited to the territory of the lower town of Brussels and 25km to the west, between the rivers Senne and Dender) its name was applied to the entire country under control of the Dukes from the 13th century on. In 1190, after the death of Godfrey III, Henry I also became Duke of Lotharingia. Formerly Lower Lotharingia, this title was now practically without territorial authority, but was borne by the later Dukes of Brabant as an honorific title.

In 1288, the Dukes of Brabant became also Duke of Limburg. The title fell to the Dukes of Burgundy in 1430. Later on, it followed with the Burgundian inheritance until the French Revolution, although the northern part of the territory of Brabant was actually governed by the United Provinces during the 17th and 18th century (see Generality Lands).

Contents 1 House of Leuven 2 House of Burgundy 3 House of Habsburg 4 Revived title in contemporary tradition 5 See also 6 Source 7 Notes 8 External links

Counts of Leuven, Counts of Brussels and Landgraves of Brabant:

• Henry III (1085/1086–1095); already Count of Leuven and Brussels from 1078.
• Godfrey I (from 1095)

Counts of Leuven, Counts of Brussels, Landgraves of Brabant and Dukes of Lower-Lorraine:

• Godfrey I (1106–1139) appointed as Duke in 1106
• Godfrey II (1139–1142)
• Godfrey III (1142–1183)
• Henry I (1183-1190)

Dukes of Brabant and Dukes of Lothier:

• Henry I (1190–1235)
• Henry II (1235–1248)
• Henry III (1248–1261)
• Henry IV (1261–1267)

Dukes of Brabant, Dukes of Lothier and Dukes of Limburg:

• John I (1267–1294)
• John II (1294–1312)
• John III (1312–1355)
• Joanna (1355–1406)

Dukes of Brabant, Dukes of Lothier and Dukes of Limburg:

• Anthony (1406–1415)
• John IV (1415–1427)
• Philip I of St. Pol (1427–1430)
• Philip II the Good (1430–1467)
• Charles II the Bold (1467–1477)
• Mary I the Rich (1477–1482)

• Maximilian (regent, 1482–1494)
• Philip III the Handsome (1494–1506)
• Charles II (1506–1555)
• Philip IV (1555–1598)
• Francis I (Valois) (1582–1584)^[1]
• Archdukes Albert and Isabella (1598-1621)
• Philip V (1621-1665)
• Charles III (1665-1700)
• Philip VI (1700-1706)
• Charles IV (1706-1740)
• Mary II Theresa (1740-1780)
• Joseph (1780-1789)
• Leopold (1790-1792)
• Francis II (1792-1794)

In the modern Kingdom of Belgium, the revived courtesy title of "Duke of Brabant" is traditionally assigned to the Crown Prince, despite the province of Noord-Brabant, part of the historical duchy, being now part of the Netherlands.

• Leopold II of Belgium (1840–1865)
• Prince Léopold, Duke of Brabant, son of Leopold II (1865–1869)
• Leopold III of Belgium (1909–1934)
• Baudouin of Belgium (1934–1951)
• Philip (1993–present )

It is unknown whether the presumed Crown Princess, Elisabeth, will be styled Duchess of Brabant or not.

• Graven van Leuven en hertogen van Brabant (in Dutch)
• Dukes of Brabant family tree

• Charters of the Duchy of Brabant

1. ^ Knecht, Catherine de' Medici, Longman, 1998, p. 212.

• Counts of Louvain: genealogical note (Caution: some information provided by this link could be historiographically obsolete).