VERDUN Gozelo

Abt 0967 - 1044  (77 years)

• Name	VERDUN Gozelo
  Birth	Abt 0967	Lotharingia, Holy Roman Empire
  Gender	Male
  Death	19 Apr 1044	Lotharingia, Holy Roman Empire
  Notes	Gozelo(n) / Gothelon (lat: Gozelonem) de Verdun, later Gozelon I Duke of Lower and Upper Lotharingia, Count of Verdun and Margrave of Antwerp, was the son of Godefried / Godefroid, Graf von Bidgau, Comte de Verdun, Comte de Hainaut. His mother was Mechtild (Mathilde) von Billung. Countess of Saxony and Countess of Flanders, who was the daughter of Hermann Billung von Sachsen, the Duke of Saxony and the widow of Baudouin (Baldwin) III de Flandre. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] Nobility of Lotharingia Territories The medieval land of Lotharingia included the territory from the North Sea to Burgundy - which now comprises the Benelux countries (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg) - as well as the eastern portion of France that was part of the Duchy of Lorraine, and the Rhineland of western Germany. Europe after the Treaty of Prüm 855 Lotharingia arose as the northern half of Middle Francia, originally granted to Charlemagne's grandson Lothar (Lothair I) upon division of the Carolingian Empire by the Treaty of Verdun in 843. Before Lothar's death, he divided Middle Francia among his three sons by the Treaty of Prüm in 855: granting Italy and the imperial title to eldest son Louis; Provence and Burgundy to youngest son Charles; and the northern territories, which became known as Lotharingia, to middle son Lothair II. Lotharingia (lat: Regnum Lotharii or Lotharingia, fr: Lotharingie, de: Lothringen, nl: Lotharingen) formed part of the Holy Roman Empire but was the subject of frequent political and territorial conflict between West Francia, the kingdom of the Western Franks who would eventually establish France - and East Francia, the kingdom of he Eastern Franks who remained in the Holy Roman Empire and would eventually establish the Kingdom of Germany. Lower and Upper Lotharingia Lotharingia / Lotharingen / Lotharingie 10th century Lotharingia was partitioned in 959 into Lower Lotharingia (the lower Northern region that today comprises the Benelux countries) and Upper Lotharingia (the higher more Southern region that developed into the Duchy of Lorraine). While these became two separate duchies in 959, they remained closely related and in a number of cases were headed by members of the same Lotharingian noble family, and in some cases individuals who became the Duke of Lower Lotharingia also later succeeded as the Duke of Upper Lotharingia, or vice versa. Lotharingia was effectively a united duchy under Regelindis' father Gozelon I Duke of Lotharingia - who had become the Duke of Lower Lotharingia in 1023, and the Duke of Upper Lotharingia in 1033. [3] [6] [7] Languages and Names Latin was the principal written language in Lotharingia and in adjacent lands. The Franks who were migrating to the west, including in particular the nobility. increasingly adopted spoken ("vulgar" or popular) versions of Latin that would become Lorrain roman, Walloon and Old French (all of which introduced Germanic words into the Latin) - while the Eastern Franks generally continued to speak more purely Germanic tongues (although these also introduced words of Latin origin) - which in Lotharingia would develop into Dutch, Flemish and Luxembourgish. The resulting countries such as Belgium continue to reflect both French and Germanic influences - concentrated in Wallonia and Flanders, respectively - and Belgian place names generally have counterparts in both languages, e.g. Bruxelles et Louvain (fr), Brussel en Leuven (fl/nl). [8] Among French speakers, the Old French terms Loherigne and Loherainc were increasingly used for the territories and people - which later developed into the word and regional name of Lorraine in French. Father and Family Circumstances Godefried / Godefroid Graf von Bidgau, Comte de Verdun Godefried's father Godefried I Graf von Bidgau und Methingau, Comte de Verdun had an important military and administrative role in Lotharingia. He was generally aligned with the Eastern Franks - the Ottonian dynasty of Saxony - to whom he was related through his maternal grandmother, Oda von Sachsen. [1] [9] [10] [11] His father was involved with the fight against Reginar (Reinier) IV de Hainaut (van Henegouwen) and Lambert I Reginar de Louvain (van Leuven), who tried to regain the Lotharingian inheritances of their father with French support. Godfried continued to be involved in the frequent territorial conflicts between the East Frankish Empire and West Francia, Godefoid was also captured and imprisoned several times in connection with the ongoing conflicts, for which later chroniclers called him Godefroid le Captif (referenced in a genealogy of 1891 by C.G. Roland in connection with Godefroid's possible but unproven daughter Ermentrude, as cited in Medlands - Comtes de Verdun). [1] [9] [10] [11] Godefried I became the Graf von Bidgau und Methingau by 959, the Count of Verdun from 963, the Margraviate of Antwerp and Ename from 969 and the Count of Hainaut, Mons and Valenciennes from 974-998. [1] [11] His parents Godefried and Mathilde had at least eight children together - who played roles in Lotharingia and beyond: [1] Adalbero, who was appointed Bishop of Verdun Frederic, who succeeded his father as Comte de Verdun and later became Comte de Castres Herman, who became the Comte d'Eename and Graf in Eifelgau und in Westfalen Godefried / Godefroid, who became Godefried I Duke of Lower Lotharingia Gozelo(n) / Gothelon, who became Count in the March (Margravate) of Antwerp, succeeded his brother as Gozelon I Duke of Lower Lotharingia, and later also became Duke of Upper Lotharingia Adela, who married the Graf von Aspelt und Heimbach Irmgard, who married the Graf in der Wetterau und im Engersgau Ermentrude, who married the Seigneur de Florennes And potentially several others:[1] Reginlind, who married the Graf von Wels und Lambach Gerberge, who married the Graf von Metz und Graf im Bliesgau another son Roles in Lotharingia Gozelon I (Gothelon) (Duke of Lotharingia) - Margrave / Marquis of Antwerp The Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich II installed Gozelon as Count in the March (Margravate) of Antwerp in 1008: [2] "Henricus…rex" granted property "inter flumina…Nitæ…Thila…Wauerwald in comitatu Gotizonis comitis qui Antwerk dicitur situm" to "nostrum bestiarum Baldrico sanctæ Leodicensis ecclesiæ presul nec non Baldrico comiti" by charter dated 12 Sep 1008. - Duke of Lower Lotharingia ("Duke of the Ripuarians") In 1023, Gozelon succeeded his elder brother Godefried who had been the Duke of Lower Lotharingia but died without an heir: [3] "Ducis Godefridi eiusque fratris…marchionis Gozelonis" are named as present with Adalbold bishop of Utrecht at Driel, in an undated charter dated to before 1023, relating to the donation of Wamel. The Annales Blandinienses record the death in 1023 of "Godefridus dux". The necrology of Liège Saint-Lambert records the death "VI Kal Oct" of "Godefridi pacifici ducis." In 1024 Gozelon attended the election of the King of Germany, who would a few laters become Konrad (Conrad) II, Holy Roman Emperor. Gozelon was referred to as "Duke of the Ripuarians" - referring to the Ripuarian Franks who had settled the area from the Rhineland westward into what became the Austrasian territory of Lotharingia:[3] Wipo, in his description of the election of Konrad II King of Germany in 1024, names him "Gozilo Duke of the Ripuarians." Duke of Upper Lotharingia In 1033, Gozelon was appointed to succeed Frederic III, the Duke of Upper Lotharingia, by Konrad II King of Germany (who was his Gozelon's distant cousin). [3] [6] "Adelaydis comitissa uxor quondam…Ludouici comitis" donated property "per manum Gozelonis ducis atque Godefridi…et pro eius amore Dominique Frederici prefati ducis fratris" to Verdun Saint-Vanne by charter dated to [1038/40], subscribed by "dux Gozelo et eius filius Godefridus". In personam Union of Lower and Upper Lotharingia Although Lower and Upper Lotharingia remained technically partitioned, they were effectively united in personam under Gozelon, who had become the Duke of both the northern and southern territories (stretching from the North Sea to Burgundy). They were separated again following his death (see below).[3] [4] [5] [6] Family Gozelon may have married a daughter of Berengar II, Re d'Italia (King of Italy) by the name of Urraca or Junca of Ivrea, although it is considered uncertain. [3] Gozelon and his wife had six children: [3] Godefried (Godefroid), who succeeded his father as Duke of Upper Lotharingia, became the Marquis of Tuscany through marriage, and later in life succeeded Frederic of Luxembourg (who replaced his younger brother) to become Duke of Lower Lotharingia Mathilde, who married Heinrich Pfalzgraf of Lotharingia Gozelon (Gothelo), who was installed as Gozelon II Duke of Lower Lotharingia (to succeed his father) Frederic, who was elected as Pope Stephen IX Uda (Oda), who married Lambert II Comte de Louvain Regelindis, who married Albert II Comte de Namur Death and Successions Gozelon, who was then referred to as the "Duke of Lotharingia" - even though the territories of Lower and Upper Lotharingia had not themselves been recombined - died on 19 April 1044 and was buried at the historic Munsterbilzen Abbey founded in 670 and located in the current Belgian province of Limburg: [3] [6] - The Chronicon of Bernold records the death in 1044 of "Gozzilo dux Lotharingorum". :- The necrology of Lüneburg records the death "19 Apr" of "Gozlinus dux". Heinrich III King of Germany regranted "comitatum…in Thrente" to the bishop of Utrecht by charter dated 22 May 1046, which specifies that the grant was made "post obitum Gozlini ducis nostre". Following the death of Gozelon, the Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich II again effectively separated Lower and Upper Lotharingia by providing that eldest son Godefried would only succeed has father's later title as Duke of Upper Lotharingia, while his younger son Gozelon would succeed to his earlier title as Duke of Lower Lotharingia. [3] [6] Sources ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Comtes de Verdun (Family of Wigerich) by Cawley, Charles. Medieval Lands: A prosopography of medieval European noble and royal families. Published by Charles Cawley and the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy (FMG) 2006-2021, including source citations and relevant texts; hosted online by FMG, accessed 2025; see also WikiTree's source page for MedLands) ↑ 2.0 2.1 March of Antwerp by Cawley, Charles. Medieval Lands: A prosopography of medieval European noble and royal families. Published by Charles Cawley and the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy (FMG) 2006-2021, including source citations and relevant texts; hosted online by FMG, accessed 2025; see also WikiTree's source page for MedLands) ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 Dukes of Lower Lotharingia 1012-23, 1046-65 (Family of Wigerich) by Cawley, Charles. Medieval Lands: A prosopography of medieval European noble and royal families. Published by Charles Cawley and the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy (FMG) 2006-2021, including source citations and relevant texts; hosted online by FMG, accessed 2025; ; see also WikiTree's source page for MedLands) ↑ 4.0 4.1 Wikipedia (en) - Gothelo I, Duke of Lorraine ↑ 5.0 5.1 Wikipédia (fr) - Gothelon !er de Lotharingie ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Dukes of Upper Lotharingia 1033-1046 by Cawley, Charles. Medieval Lands: A prosopography of medieval European noble and royal families. Published by Charles Cawley and the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy (FMG) 2006-2021, including source citations and relevant texts; hosted online by FMG, accessed 2025; ; see also WikiTree's source page for MedLands) ↑ Wikipédia (fr) - Gothelon Ier de Lotharingie ↑ Wikipédia (fr) - Basse-Lotharingie ↑ 9.0 9.1 Reuter, Timothy (1978). Medieval Nobility: Studies on the Ruling Classes of France and Germany from the Sixth to the Twelfth Century. Elsevier Science. ↑ 10.0 10.1 McKitterick, Rosamond (1999). The Frankish Kingdoms under the Carolingians. Longman Group UK Limited ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Wikipedia (en) - Godfrey I, Count of Verdun
  Person ID	I58988	Freeman-Smith
  Last Modified	27 Jan 2026

  
  

  Father	ARDENNES Godefried,   b. Abt 0935, Lotharingia, Holy Roman Empire d. Abt 03 Sep 0998, Lotharingia, Holy Roman Empire (Age 63 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Mother	BILLUNG Mathilde,   b. Abt 0937, Lüneburg, Luneburg, Niedersachsen, Germany d. 26 May 1008, Ghent, Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium (Age 71 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Marriage	Abt 0960
  Family ID	F26006	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Father	FLANDRE Baoudoin,   b. Abt 0933, Flanders, Nord, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France d. 01 Nov 0962, Lot-et-Garonne, Aquitaine, France (Age 29 years)
  Relationship	Stepchild
  Mother	BILLUNG Mathilde,   b. Abt 0937, Lüneburg, Luneburg, Niedersachsen, Germany d. 26 May 1008, Ghent, Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium (Age 71 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Family ID	F26415	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 1
  Children	1. LOTHARINGIA Godfried,   b. 1006, Lotharingia, Holy Roman Empire d. 24 Dec 1069, Verdun, Upper Lotharingia, Holy Roman Empire (Age 63 years)  [Father: natural]
  Family ID	F347578	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	27 Jan 2026

  
  

  Family 2	IVREA Urraca,   b. Abt 0965, Lombardy, Italy d. Abt 1007 (Age 42 years)
  Children	1. LOTHARINGIA Uda,   b. 0995, Lotharingia, Holy Roman Empire d. Aft 1047, Lower Lotharingia, Holy Roman Empire (Age ~ 53 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   2. LOTHARINGIA Regelindis,   b. Abt 1010, Lower Lotharingia, Holy Roman Empire d. Aft 1067, Lower Lotharingia, Holy Roman Empire (Age > 58 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
  Family ID	F26240	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	27 Jan 2026