John the Victorious

• Name — John I • Succession — Duke of Brabant and Lothier • Reign — 1267–1294 • Predecessor — Henry • Successor — John II • Succession1 — Duke of Limburg • Reign1 — 1288–1294 • Predecessor1 — Reginald I of Guelders • Successor1 — John II • Issue — * John II, Duke of Brabant • Margaret, German Queen • Marie, Countess of Savoy • House — House of Reginar • Father — Henry III, Duke of Brabant • Mother — Adelaide of Burgundy • Born — 1252 • Died — 3 May 1294 • Burial Place — Franciscan Church, Brussels

• Illustration — John I's effigy on a silver coin. Struck in Brussels or Leuven during his reign. Born in Leuven, he was the son of Henry III, Duke of Brabant and Aleidis of Burgundy, daughter of Hugh IV, Duke of Burgundy. He was also an older brother of Maria of Brabant, Queen consort of Philip III of France. In 1267 his older brother Henry IV, Duke of Brabant, being mentally deficient, was deposed in his favour. John's greatest military victory was the Battle of Worringen 1288, by which John I came to reign over the Duchy of Limburg. He was completely outnumbered in forces but led the successful invasion into the Rhineland to defeat the confederacy. In 1288 Limburg was formally attached to Brabant. He was popular in the Middle Ages for poetry and literature. Even today there exists an ode to him, so well known that it was a potential candidate to be the North Brabant anthem. He was also famous for his many illegitimate children. On 3 May 1294 at some marriage festivities at Bar-le-Duc, John I was mortally wounded in the arm in an encounter by Pierre de Bausner. He was buried in the church of the Order of Friars Minor (Minderbroederskerk) in Brussels, but since the Protestant iconoclasm (Beeldenstorm) in 1566, nothing remains of his tomb.

• Illustration — Marriage of John and Margaret of Flanders from the Chronicle Brabantse Yeesten by Jan Van Boendaele. John was married twice. On 5 September 1270, he married Margaret, daughter of Louis IX of France and Margaret of Provence. They had a son, but both mother and child died shortly after his birth. In 1273, John married Margaret (d. 3 July 1285), daughter of Guy, Count of Flanders and had the following children: • Godfrey (1273/74 – aft. 13 September 1283). • John II of Brabant (1275–1312), married 8 July 1290 to Margaret of England. • Margaret (4 October 127614 December 1311, Genoa), married 9 July 1292 to Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor. • Marie (d. after 2 December 1338), married to Count Amadeus V of Savoy. John I had several illegitimate children: • Gillis van der Balcht • Jean Meuwe, Seigneur of Wavre and Dongelberg. • Margareta of Tervuren, she was married on 2 March 1292 to Jean de Rode de Lantwyck • Jan Pylyser (1272–1342) • Jan van der Plasch

The authorities additionally record the headings John I, Duke of Brabant, Duke John I of Brabant, John I of Brabant and Jan I, Duke of Brabant. He was the child of Henry III, Duke of Brabant and Adelaide of Burgundy. He married Margaret of France, Duchess of Brabant and Margaret of Flanders, Duchess of Brabant.