Theobald I, Duke of Lorraine
Theobald I () (c.
1191 –
February 17 1220) was the
duke of Lorraine from
1213 to his death. He was the son and successor of
Frederick II and Agnes of Bar.
Theobald joined
Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor, on
4 July 1214 at the
Battle of Bouvines, where he was taken in prisoner in the rout. He was quickly liberated.
In
1216, he supported
Erard I, Count of Brienne, in his quarrel with
Theobald IV, Count of Champagne, who was supported by
Philip II of France,
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, and
Henry II of Bar. Frederick, the suzerain of Lorraine, considered it a
felony to support a candidate he opposed and occupied the city of
Rosheim, which he had given to Frederick II of Lorraine. Theobald responded in
1218, retaking Rosheim and ravaging
Alsace. Frederick did not hesitate to counterattack and invaded Lorraine and took and burned
Nancy, its capital. He then besieged and took the castle of
Amance, where Theobald was taking refuge. He was imprisoned and constrained to recognise the suzerainty of the count of Champagne, the legitimacy of Erard of Brienne's claim to Champagne, and relinquish several lordships to attain liberty again. He never recovered his lost land and prestige and died in 1220.
He had married, in
1206, Gertrude, only child and heir of Albert II, coutn of
Dasbourg and
Metz. They had no children. His successor was
Matthias hs brother and his widow remarried his old rival, Theobald of Champagne.
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Dukes of Lorraine family tree
