Editing Luxembourg (section)

=== Emergence and expansion (963–1312) ===
{{Main|County of Luxembourg}}

[[File:Charles IV-John Ocko votive picture-fragment.jpg|thumb|upright|left|[[Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles IV]], the 14th-century Holy Roman Emperor and King of [[Kingdom of Bohemia|Bohemia]] from the [[House of Luxembourg]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://luxembourg.public.lu/en/society-and-culture/history/fondation-du-luxembourg.html |title=Luxembourg's Origins |date=9 January 2024 |access-date=24 January 2024 |archive-date=24 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240124090014/https://luxembourg.public.lu/en/society-and-culture/history/fondation-du-luxembourg.html |url-status=live }}</ref>]]

When the [[Carolingian Empire]] was divided many times starting with the [[Treaty of Verdun]] in 843, today's Luxembourgish territory became successively part of the [[Kingdom of Middle Francia]] (843–855), the [[Kingdom of Lotharingia]] (855–959) and finally of the [[Duchy of Lorraine]] (959–1059), which itself had become a state of the [[Holy Roman Empire]].<ref>Michel Pauly, Geschichte Luxemburgs 2013 p. 26</ref>

The recorded history of Luxembourg begins with the acquisition of ''Lucilinburhuc''<ref>Kreins (2003), p. 20</ref> (today [[Luxembourg Castle]]) situated on the [[Bock (Luxembourg)|Bock]] rock by [[Siegfried of Luxembourg|Siegfried, Count of the Ardennes]], in 963 through an exchange act with [[St. Maximin's Abbey, Trier]].<ref>{{cite book |title=About... The History of Luxembourg |publisher=Information and Press Service of the Government |date=2022 |isbn=978-2-87999-298-3 |url=https://luxembourg.public.lu/en/publications/ap-histoire.html |access-date=24 January 2024 |archive-date=24 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240124084539/https://luxembourg.public.lu/en/publications/ap-histoire.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Around this [[Fortifications|fort]], a town gradually developed, which became the center of a state of great strategic value within the Duchy of Lorraine.<ref name="UNESCO, World Heritage Convention"/> Over the years, the fortress was extended by Siegfried's descendants and by 1083, one of them, [[Conrad I, Count of Luxembourg|Conrad I]], was the first to call himself a "[[Count of Luxembourg]]", and with it effectively creating the independent [[County of Luxembourg]] (which was still a state within the Holy Roman Empire).<ref>Michel Pauly, Geschichte Luxemburgs 2013 p. 28</ref>

By the middle of the 13th century, the counts of Luxembourg had managed to gain considerable wealth and power and had expanded their territory from the river [[Meuse]] to the [[Moselle]]. By the time of the reign of [[Henry V, Count of Luxembourg|Henry V the Blonde]], [[Bitburg]], [[La Roche-en-Ardenne]], [[Durbuy]], [[Arlon]], [[Thionville]], [[Marville, Meuse|Marville]], [[Longwy]], and in 1264 the competing [[County of Vianden]] (and with it [[St Vith]] and [[Schleiden]]) had either been incorporated directly or become [[vassal states]] to the County of Luxembourg.<ref>Michel Pauly, Geschichte Luxemburgs 2013 p.33-34</ref> The only major setback during their rise in power came in 1288, when [[Henry VI, Count of Luxembourg|Henry VI]] and his three brothers died at the [[Battle of Worringen]] while trying unsuccessfully to add the [[Duchy of Limburg]] to their realm. But despite the defeat, the Battle of Worringen helped the Counts of Luxembourg to achieve military glory, which they had previously lacked, as they had mostly enlarged their territory by means of inheritances, marriages and fiefdoms.<ref>Michel Pauly, Geschichte Luxemburgs 2013 p.35</ref>

The ascension of the Counts of Luxembourg culminated when [[Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor|Henry VII]] became [[King of the Romans]], [[King of Italy]] and finally, in 1312, [[Holy Roman Emperor]].<ref>Michel Pauly, Geschichte Luxemburgs 2013 p.37</ref>