Wenceslaus I of Luxembourg

Wenceslaus I (also Wenceslas, Venceslas, Wenzel, or Václav, often called Wenceslaus of Bohemia in chronicles) (Prague, 25 February 1337 – Luxembourg, 7 December 1383) was the first Duke of Luxembourg from 1355. He was the son of John the Blind, King of Bohemia, and Beatrix of Bourbon (this link is not the correct Beatrice). In 1353 Charles IV King of Bohemia, Count of Luxembourg and elected Holy Roman King, entrusted the county, their father's inheritance, to his step-brother Wenceslaus. In 1355 when Charles was crowned Holy Roman Emperor he raised Luxembourg to the status of a duchy. In 1352, Wenceslaus married Joanna (1322 – 1406), daughter of John III, Duke of Brabant and Limburg, and Marie d'Évreux. In 1355, Joanna inherited Brabant and Limburg. In order to guarantee the indivisibility of Brabant, Wenceslaus signed the Joyous Entry, but had to fight against his brother-in-law Louis II of Flanders, who asserted his share of the duchy. He failed to prevent the seizure of Brussels by the Flemings, but a certain Everard 't Serclaes succeeded by an audacious coup in driving them out of the city. Thereafter, Wenceslaus had to face primarily internal disorders. In 1371, he underestimated his military powers and waged war with Gulik, resulting in the humiliating defeat of Baesweiler, losing a part of his army, and several noblemen. He was captured and suffered 11 months of captivity. He died in Luxembourg and was succeeded by Antoine de Valois as duke of Brabant and by Wenceslaus II as duke of Luxembourg. There are speculations that he might have died of leprosy (Joanna stayed in Brussels). His last wish was his heart to be displaced from his dead body and sent to his wife. Wenceslaus I of Luxembourg wrote troubadour poetry which were found by Auguste Longnon in Jean Froissart's Méliador in 1890s (Wenceslas was a maecenas of this chronicler). It comprises 79 poems (11 ballades, 16 virelais, 52 rondeaux)