Count of Limburg

The counts of Limburg were the original rulers of the Duchy of Limburg and rose to prominence when one of their house was appointed Duke of Lower Lorraine.

Though Lorraine was soon confiscated, the ducal title was kept within the family, transferred it to the county of Limburg, which was eventually ratified by the Holy Roman Emperor. Thereafter, the dukes of Limburg were one of several lines of heirs of the territory and title of the old duke of Lower Lorraine. After the occupation in 1794 by the French, the old Austrian Duchy of Limburg was disbanded and the largest part was absorbed into the département of Ourthe (which became the province of Liège). Only a small northern part belonged to the département of Meuse-Inférieure and thus to the later province of Limburg.

The title "Duke of Limburg" was revived after the foundation of the "new style" Duchy of Limburg as a result of the Treaty of London in 1839. According to this treaty the duchy (without the cities of Maastricht and Venlo), was joined to the German Confederation. After the collapse of this confederation in 1866, Limburg as a duchy ceased to exist and became a province of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The Duchy of Limburg was lost in 1288 to the dukes of Brabant in the Battle of Worringen.

After the abdication of Charles II, the Seventeen Provinces went to the Spanish branch of the House of Habsburg.

After the death of Philip VI the Seventeen Provinces returned to the Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg.

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Wikipedia