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Counts of Vianden

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The region around Vianden in 1400.
The Castle of Vianden, built in the 11th and 12th centuries.
A herald of Nassau-Vianden.

The Counts of Vianden, ancestors of the House of Orange-Nassau, were associated with the castle of Vianden (Vianden Castle) in Luxembourg.

In the 12th to 15th centuries the counts of Vianden were the mightiest lords of the area between the rivers Rhine, Mosel and Maas. Their territory was in modern Vianden canton, Luxemburg and Bitburg-Prüm, Germany.

One recognition of their importance was that Henry I of Vianden (c. 1200–1252) in 1216 married Margaret, Marchioness of Namur (c. 1194–1270) of the Capetian House of Courtenay, and daughter of Peter II of Courtenay (1167–1217), emperor of Constantinople. It was the peak of its power, but in 1264 Vianden became a vassal to the counts of Luxembourg. Godefroid I participated in the Battle of Worringen in 1288 as a vassal to the Duchy of Brabant. The male line of the ruling house of Vianden became extinct in 1337.

Early counts of Vianden

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  • Bertolph count of Vianden (first reference from 1090, "Bertolf Comes de Vianne"), probably from the counts of Hamm, Bitburg-Prüm or Vogts of Prüm.

House of Vianden (with time of reign)

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Numberings and names can vary and the year details have several uncertainties and should be taken as approximative due to some conjecture in lack of complete documentation. In this list mostly the English name versions are used.

House of Sponheim with Vianden

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House of Nassau-Siegen

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Coats of arms of Vianden

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Literature

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  • Dominique du Fays (1987) La Maison de Vianden. University thesis, Liège
  • John Zimmer (1996) Die Burgen des Luxemburger Landes. Band I, Luxemburg
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  • Marek, Miroslav. "Stammbaum der Grafen von Vianden ab Gerhard von Sponheim". genealogy.euweb.cz.
  • German-language article on the Counts of Vianden from the Vianden Castle site