In the Area of Turbulence: Luxembourg and Rights for Its Rule in the 14th — middle of the 15th Centuries

Abstract

The political development of Luxembourg changed deeply after the shift of the interests of its rulers in 14th — middle 15th centuries. The coronation of Henry VII of Luxembourg as the emperor of Holy Roman Empire as well as the personal union with Bohemia since the reign of John I of Luxembourg focused their attention on the Central Europe. The lack of the finances for ambitious imperial policy led to the practice of engaging to other lords (often relatives) the right to govern the lands of Luxembourg and to collect and use their revenues. Short interruption of this practice during the reign of duke of Luxembourg Wenceslaus I led to the flourishing of the duchy and the peak of its territorial growth. But his successors again focused on the imperial politics that stimulated the spread of the engaging the rights to use the title of duke of Luxembourg and to rule in the duchy to so-called lords-engagers. On the one hand this system stimulated the destabilization in the duchy and its decline that created difficulties in the defense of Luxembourg from different external threads. It also facilitated the growth of Valois House of Burgundy’s influence in the duchy which was as the result incorporated into Burgundian possessions in middle 15th century. Lords-engagers in their turn could entrust the administration of Luxembourg to their governors. On the other hand the system of engaging and re-engaging of the rights to govern the duchy and use the title of duke when several persons could try to profit these rights or hand them over simultaneously was very complicated and formed a base for numerous conflicts during the period.