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TheCounts of Louvain were a branch of the LotharingianHouse of Reginar which from the late 10th century ruled over the estates ofLouvain (French) orLeuven (Dutch) inLower Lorraine.
The likely ancestor of the Reginars,Gilbert, Count of the Maasgau, a vassal of theWest Frankish kingCharles the Bald, married a daughter of theCarolingian emperorLothair I in 846.Reginar I "longneck", possibly his son, was the most powerful noble in the now kingless kingdom ofLotharingia (Lorraine), in the period from 910 to 915. His son and successorGilbert swore fealty to theEast Frankish kingHenry the Fowler in 925 and three years later married his daughterGerberga of Saxony. His younger brother's sonReginar III held lands in the region ofMons.
About 990,Lambert the Bearded (d. 1015), son of Count Reginar III, marriedGerberga, daughter of the Carolingian dukeCharles of Lower Lorraine, and by 1003 he was being described as a Count of Louvain. His county, with its original capital of Louvain built upon the Dyle river, between the oldPagus of Brabant andPagus of Hasbania, rapidly increased in size and power. In 1013, Lambert annexed part of thecounty of Bruningrode, located between Louvain andTienen, and this became a source of long-running conflict with the prince-bishops of Liège.
Lambert's family gained great influence in theHoly Roman Empire, acquiring more comital titles over time. His sonLambert II is also mentioned as a count ofBrussels, where he had theSt. Michael's Church erected to house the relics ofSaint Gudula. When he joined the rebellion of CountBaldwin V of Flanders againstEmperor Henry III, he was killed in a 1054 battle atTournai.
Lambert's grandson, CountHenry III of Louvain was vested with the title of aLandgrave of Brabant upon the death of theEzzonid count palatineHermann II of Lotharingia in 1085.
In the early 12th century, Henry III was succeeded by his brotherGodfrey I, who was entrusted with the imperial Dukedom of Lower Lotharingia, andMargraviate of Antwerp afterHenry of Limbourg fell out of favour. Although the title was later given back to the lords ofLimbourg-sur-Vesdre, Godefrey and his family refused to stop using the title, and kept possession of Antwerp. The ensuing conflict between the families led to the eventual abolishment of the Duchy, and the two families came to be known as the Dukes of Brabant and Limbourg respectively.
From 1183 onwards, the titles of Count of Louvain, Count of Brussels andLandgrave of Brabant were merged in the title ofDuke of Brabant and used asappanages.