Reginar

The Reginarids were magnates of Lower Lotharingia in the Carolingian and Ottonian centuries, named for the Leitname Reginar. Their likely ancestor Gilbert held the Maasgau in 841; Reginar I held Lorraine as duke until 916, and after long strife with the Conradines Reginar III was dispossessed in 958. Two brothers from exile founded the Hainaut and Louvain lines.

The Louvain line, counts of Brussels from 1003, rose steadily: Godfrey I became Duke of Lower Lorraine in 1106, and Henry I the first Duke of Brabant in 1183 or 1184. John I the Victorious won Worringen in 1288 and added Limburg to Brabant. Adeliza, a Louvain daughter, married Henry I of England; a half-brother of Duke Henry III founded Hesse in 1264.

The Brabant male line ended in 1355 with John III; his heiress Joanna married Wenceslaus of Luxembourg, carrying Brabant to the Luxembourgs and, in 1383, to Valois Burgundy. In 1337 the Reginarid duke held court at Brussels and Louvain.