Editing Henry I, Duke of Brabant (section)

==Career==
In 1183, Henry took the title of duke of Brabant. Upon the death of his father in 1190, King [[Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor|Henry VI]] confirmed the elevation of Brabant, while he ''[[de facto]]'' abolished the Duchy of [[Lower Lorraine]] by creating the empty title of a [[Duke of Lothier]]. Duke Henry sought to expand his power and soon picked several quarrels with the Count [[Baldwin V of Hainaut]]. He also was in opposition to the German king (emperor from 1191) when his brother [[Albert of Louvain]] was elected [[bishop of Liège]] and murdered shortly afterwards.

Further conflicts with Duke [[Henry III of Limburg]] and Count [[Otto I of Guelders]] followed, before in mid-1197 Henry of Brabant joined the [[Crusade of 1197|Crusade of Henry VI]] as one of the leaders. In October of the same year he took part in the recapture of [[Beirut]] and, then moved to [[Jaffa]] with the crusaders: however, before reaching the city he got news of the death of the King of Jerusalem, [[Henry II, Count of Champagne]], and he returned to [[Acre (city)|Acre]]. Here he acted as regent until the arrival of the new king, [[Amalric II of Jerusalem|Amalric II]].

Back in Germany after the emperor's death in September 1197, Duke Henry supported the [[Imperial election, June 1198|election]] of the [[House of Welf|Welf]] candidate [[Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor|Otto IV]], the fiancé of his daughter [[Maria of Brabant, Holy Roman Empress|Maria]], who rivalled with the [[Hohenstaufen]] scion [[Philip of Swabia]]. He fought against Philip's seconders Count [[Dirk VII of Holland]] and Count Otto of Guelders, however, he switched sides in 1204,{{sfn|Wihoda|2016|p=91}} when he and King [[Philip II of France]] backed Philip against Otto. In 1208, after the assassination of Philip, Henry was proposed as successor by King Philip II. In the war which followed, he finally reached a reconciliation with Emperor Otto IV. Together they fought against King Philip in the 1214 [[Battle of Bouvines]],{{sfn|Wilkinson|2012|p=19}} but the two were defeated.

In 1213, Duke Henry also suffered a heavy defeat against the [[Bishopric of Liège]] in the [[Battle of Steppes]].{{sfn|Schnerb|2010|pp=309–311}} From 1217 to 1218 he joined the [[Fifth Crusade]] to [[Egypt]].{{sfn|Wilson|2021|p=114}}

Under Henry I, there was town policy and town planning. His attention went out to those regions that lent themselves to the extension of his sovereignty and in some locations he used the creation of a new town as an instrument in the political organisation of the area. Among the towns to which the duke gave city rights and trade privileges were [['s-Hertogenbosch]] and [[Eindhoven]].

In 1234, he participated in the [[Stedinger Crusade]]. In 1235, [[Emperor Frederick II]] appointed Henry to travel to [[Kingdom of England|England]] to bring him his fiancée [[Isabella of England|Isabella]], daughter of [[King John of England]]. Henry fell ill on his way back and died at [[Cologne]]. He was buried in [[St. Peter's Church, Leuven|Saint Peter's Church]] at Leuven where his Late Romanesque effigy can still be seen.