The duke's own ground: Limbourg castle over the Vesdre and the plateau of Herve with the Hertogenwald, the Sprimont exclave toward the Ourthe, the Land of Rode round Herzogenrath and Klosterrath abbey on the road to Aachen, and the county of Arlon in the south.
Who he is
- Name
- Henry III
- Title
- Duke of Limburg, count of Arlon
- Since
- 1165
- Born
- About 1140
- Family
- House of Limburg; see Limburg
- Confidence
- high
en.wikipedia, de.wikipedia, NDB
Overlord
The king
What it holds
- Limbourg castle and the Vesdre valley
- The high courts (Hochbanke) of Baelen with Eupen, Herve, Montzen and Walhorn (as they are later called)
- The Sprimont exclave
- The Hertogenwald forest
- The Land of Rode (Herzogenrath, Kerkrade, Simpelveld), acquired 1136, with Klosterrath (Rolduc)
- Arlon castle and county
How it was acquired
Inherited; Rode in 1136.
Allies and rivals
See Limburg.
How things stand that morning
Held by Henry III, who backs Philip of Swabia.
Wealth
Pasture, forest, the Liege-Aachen road.
Military
Limbourg, Rode and Arlon castles.
Threats
- Otto's Aachen next door
- Brabant
Places of note
- Limbourg castle: Ducal seat
- Klosterrath (Rolduc): Family abbey and burial church
- Arlon castle: Seat of the county of Arlon
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: The extent follows the later duchy's high courts (de.wikipedia), not a 1200 survey.
On the map: Later high courts used as a guide; Aubel and the Fouron villages are drawn with Dalhem.
Primary sources for Limburg
Chronicles, registers, sagas and inscriptions written in or near 1200 that cover this entry. Each has its own page with editions, translations and where to read it.
- Annals of Reiner of Saint James, Liège, Reiner of Liège (1197 to 1230, kept year by year). Contemporary annals kept inside Liège. Read online
- Royal Chronicle of Cologne (in stages from about 1175 to about 1250; the section on 1198 to 1220 written soon after the events). The fullest German narrative of the throne war from the Welf and Cologne side. Read online
Sources and studies
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.