TheHouse of Ardenne–Verdun (French: Maison d'Ardenne-Verdun) was a branch of theHouse of Ardenne, one of the first documented medievalEuropeannoble families, centered onVerdun. The family dominated in the Duchy ofLotharingia (Lorraine) in the 10th and 11th centuries. All members descended fromCunigunda of France, a granddaughter of theWest Frankish kingLouis the Stammerer. She married twice but all or most of her children were children of her first husband, Count PalatineWigeric of Lotharingia. The other main branches of the House of Ardennes were theHouse of Ardenne–Luxembourg, and theHouse of Ardenne–Bar.
Wigeric's sonGozlin (911–942/43) became the dynasty's ancestor when he succeeded his father as count in theArdennes and about 930 marriedOda (d. 963), a daughter of CountGerhard I of Metz and niece of theEast Frankish kingHenry the Fowler. His brothers were
Gozelin's brother Frederick already acted as a ruler over Upper Lorraine during the reign of theOttonian dukeBruno the Great, confirmed by EmperorOtto I after Bruno's death in 965. He was succeeded by his sonTheodoric in 978.
Gozlin's sons wereGodfrey, known as "the Captive", andAdalbero,Archbishop of Reims from 969. Godfrey succeeded his father in the Ardennes counties; he appeared as Count of Verdun about 960. He married Matilda, a daughter of theSaxon margraveHermann Billung and widow of CountBaldwin III of Flanders. In 1012 his sonGodfrey II was appointed Duke ofLower Lorraine by the East Frankish (German) kingHenry II, in order to protect the lands against claims raised by West Francia (France). With Godfrey's uncle Duke Theodoric, both Lower and Upper Lorraine then were held by the House of Ardennes.
The line of Upper Lorraine dukes became extinct upon the death of Theodoric's grandson DukeFrederick III in 1033; whereafter his cousinGothelo, son and heir of Duke Godfrey II of Lower Lorraine II could unite both duchies in his hands. After his death in 1044, however, KingHenry III enfeoffed Lower Lorraine to his younger sonGothelo II and the elder,Godfrey III the Bearded, could only succeed in Upper Lorraine. When Gothelo II died two years later, Godfrey III claimed his rights but found Henry III unwilling to re-unite both duchies. He openly rebelled, campaigned the Lower Lorraine lands and was finally declared deposed by the emperor. Thereafter, Upper Lorraine was lost and passed to CountAdalbert of Metz, a son of late Theodoric's daughter Gisela, and his descendants of the Ardennes-Metz dynasty, ancestors of the laterHouse of Lorraine.
Godfrey III could again strengthen his position, when in 1054 he marriedBeatrice, a sister of the later Upper Lorraine duke Frederick III, and ruled asMargrave of Tuscany from 1056. He reconciled with the emperor and in 1065 regained the Duchy of Lower Lorraine from the hands of KingHenry IV.
However, the line of Lower Lorraine dukes became extinct upon the assassination of his son DukeGodfrey IV the Hunchback in 1076. Though he had designated his nephewGodfrey of Bouillon, son of his sisterIda his successor, his estates were seized by EmperorHenry IV in favour of his sonConrad. Not until 1088, Godfrey of Bouillon was appointed Lower Lorraineregent.
TheCounty of Verdun was given to Godfrey byEmperor Otto I between 944 and 951,[1] and was held by several dynasty members over the following four generations.
TheDuchies of Upper and Lower Lorraine were the result of the division of the old kingdom, later duchy ofLotharingia in 959. Following the death of the childless DukeOtto in 1012,Godfrey ΙΙ the Childless was granted the Duchy ofLower Lorraine. Godfrey was succeeded in 1023 by his brotherGozelo Ι, who also became Duke ofUpper Lorraine in 1033. Both duchies were in the control of the dynasty until 1046, when the rebellions ofGodfrey ΙΙΙ the Bearded led to the loss of both titles. Godfrey was finally restored to Lower Lorraine in 1065, and passed this on to his son, Godfrey the Hunchback. TheCrusaderGodfrey of Bouillon was a nephew of Godfrey IV the Hunchback, and the last of the dynasty to hold the Duchy.
TheCastle of Bouillon is first mentioned in 988 in a letter toGodfrey Ι the Captive from his brotherAdalberon, Archbishop of Reims. It is believed that this castle, and the estate connected, was an original patrimony of the dynasty.[1] Bouillon was one of the central points of the dynasty's power, and was in their possession until it was sold by Godfrey of Bouillon to cover expenses for theFirst Crusade.
Murray, Alan V. (2000).The Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem. A Dynastic History 1099-1125. Prosopographica et Genealogica.ISBN 1-900934-03-5.