Simon I, Count of Tecklenburg | |
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Spouse(s) | Oda of Berg-Altena |
Noble family | House of Tecklenburg |
Father | Henry I, Count of Tecklenburg |
Mother | Eilike of Oldenburg |
Born | c. 1140 |
Died | 8 August 1202 |
Simon I, Count of Tecklenburg (c. 1140 – 8 August 1202) was Count of Tecklenburg from 1156 until his death.
Simon was the son of Count Henry I of Tecklenburg and his wife, Eilike (Heilwig) of Oldenburg (1126 – after 1189). In 1156, he succeeded his father as Count of Tecklenburg, including Ibbenbüren. In his time, he was a famous war hero.
In 1173, he resigned from the important post of bailiff of Münster. He was a loyal supporter of the Hohenstaufen and in 1174, he accompanied Emperor Barbarossa to Italy. As a captain in the army of Cologne, he fought in Saxony, Holstein, Italy and in Palestine during the Third Crusade. His military career was considered the high point of the history of the House of Tecklenburg. He opposed Duke Henry the Lion of Saxony and Bavaria, because of his bold power grab, and faithfully supported his liege lord, Archbishop Philip I of Cologne.
During the Battle of Halerfeld on 1 August 1179, he was captured and had to submit to Henry the Lion. In 1182, he became bailiff of Osnabrück. He founded Essen Abbey and became its bailiff and also became bailiff of Metelen and Malgarten. For a while, he had to pledge Tecklenburg to Cologne. In 1196, he became Arch-Cupbearer of Mainz. Around this time, he fought some devastating feuds against the Bishops of Münster and Osnabrück and the Count of Ravensburg. He had to cede Iburg to Osnabrück.