Giselbert van Loon
Encyclopedia
Giselbert van Loon was the first count
of the County of Loon
, a fief of the County of Haspinga.
It is not documented when Giselbert started his rule. He was Count until his death, sometime before 18 May, 1046. Giselbert took the initiative to build a castle in Borgloon
, the original center of the county. The castle was a motte-and-bailey, with a hall and a chapel in the front court. This front court forms the core of the later town of Borgloon. The castle itself was destroyed and the hill on which it stood was excavated in the 19th century.
Giselbert was a son of Count Rodolf van Haspinga. Giselbert's brother Arnold succeeded his father as count of Haspinga. When Haspinga was donated to the Prince-bishopric of Liège, Loon, itself a fief of Haspinga, became a fief of Liege. It is likely that Giselbert and Arnold's brother Balderik, who was Prince-Bishop of Liège from 1008 to 1018, played a role in the donation of Haspinga to Liege.
At the end of his life, Giselbert was a guardian of the goods of the Saint-Jacobs-Abbey Liege, founded by his brother Balderik.
Giselbert was succeeded by his son Emmo and possibly Otto, who ruled the county together. Giselbert was married to Erlande of Geldenaken, and they had the following children:
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
of the County of Loon
County of Loon
The County of Loon was a state of the Holy Roman Empire, lying west of the Meuse river in present-day Flemish-speaking Belgium, and east of the old Duchy of Brabant. The most important cities of the county were Beringen, Bilzen, Borgloon, Bree, Hamont, Hasselt, Herk-de-Stad, Maaseik, Peer and...
, a fief of the County of Haspinga.
It is not documented when Giselbert started his rule. He was Count until his death, sometime before 18 May, 1046. Giselbert took the initiative to build a castle in Borgloon
Borgloon
Borgloon is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2006 Borgloon had a total population of 10,152. The total area is 51.12 km² which gives a population density of 199 inhabitants per km². Borgloon gave its name to the former county of Loon.-External...
, the original center of the county. The castle was a motte-and-bailey, with a hall and a chapel in the front court. This front court forms the core of the later town of Borgloon. The castle itself was destroyed and the hill on which it stood was excavated in the 19th century.
Giselbert was a son of Count Rodolf van Haspinga. Giselbert's brother Arnold succeeded his father as count of Haspinga. When Haspinga was donated to the Prince-bishopric of Liège, Loon, itself a fief of Haspinga, became a fief of Liege. It is likely that Giselbert and Arnold's brother Balderik, who was Prince-Bishop of Liège from 1008 to 1018, played a role in the donation of Haspinga to Liege.
At the end of his life, Giselbert was a guardian of the goods of the Saint-Jacobs-Abbey Liege, founded by his brother Balderik.
Giselbert was succeeded by his son Emmo and possibly Otto, who ruled the county together. Giselbert was married to Erlande of Geldenaken, and they had the following children:
- Emmo (died on January 17, 1078), Count of Loon
- Otto (died in 1101), Count of Duras
- Herman