a medieval dynasty from 1247 to 1437, once at the height of power, whose members include Holy Roman Emperors and kings and queens of France, Bohemia and Hungary
The Legacy of the House of Luxembourg
1247 to 1437
The House of Luxembourg ruled their land for 190 years, ending with Elisabeth of Luxembourg selling the land.
3 emperors
kings and queens of 5 countries
Key Events
1288
Battle of Worringen
The Battle of Worringen is the decisive battle of the War of Limburg Succession. Count Henry of Luxembourg stood on the side of his cousin Count Adolf of Berg and he and all his brothers died in the battle.
1306
Kingdom of Bohemia
After the death of King Wenceslaus III of Bohemia and the end of the male line of the Přemyslid Dynasty, John the Blind, husband of the Bohemian princess Elisabeth, became King of Bohemia, gaining the kingdom of Bohemia for the Luxembourg family.
1346
Battle of Crécy
The Battle of Crécy is a turning point in the Hundred Years’ War. John the Blind allied with the French King Philip VI and fought on the battlefield even though he was blind. He was killed fighting with England.
1414
Council of Constance
Sigismund, being the Holy Roman Emperor, was one of the driving forces behind the Council of Constance, lasting from 1414 to 1418, that ended the Great Schism but also causes the Hussite Wars.
Family tree
Notable Figures
John the Blind
The only son of Holy Roman Emperor Henry VII, John the Blind married the Bohemian princess and heiress Elizabeth, deposing Henry the Carinthian and becoming King of Bohemia, winning a large territory for the Luxembourg family. He lost his eyesight due to ophthalmia and died in the Battle of Crécy in the Hundred Years’ War.
Anne of Bohemia
Queen of England
Daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, Anne married the England King Richard II, son of Edward the Black Prince, and also the first king in England history to be deposed. Her marriage was a result of the Western Schism, instigated by Pope Urban VI for a strong alliance.
Charles IV
Holy Roman Emperor
Charles IV, the son of John the Blind, is the most powerful member of the family. He ruled Bohemia when his father was blind and became the king of Germany. After his father’s death, he became the King of Bohemia and Hungary and then the Holy Roman Emperor. He built Charles University, the oldest university in Czech in 1348.
Sigismund
Holy Roman Emperor
After the death of his father, Charles IV, fights for power in the Luxembourg house weakened its power and control of the empire. Even though Sigismund gained the throne, the emperor was less powerful then his father. He became the King of Hungary after marrying Queen Mary of Hungary.
