Henry II, Duke of Brabant

Henry II of Brabant (Dutch: Hendrik, French: Henri; 1207 – 1 February 1248) was Duke of Brabant and Lothier after the death of his father Henry I in 1235. His mother was Matilda of Boulogne.^[1]

Henry II supported his sister Mathilde's son, William II of Holland, in his bid for election as king of Germany.^[1] He founded Valduc Abbey in 1232.^[2]

His first marriage was to Marie of Hohenstaufen (3 April 1207–1235, Leuven),^[3] daughter of Philip of Swabia and Irene Angelina.^[1] They had six children:

1. Matilda of Brabant (1224 – 29 September 1288),^[3] married:
   1. Robert I of Artois, 14 June 1237, in Compiègne^[4]
   2. before 31 May 1254 to Guy II of Châtillon, Count of Saint Pol.
2. Beatrix (1225 – 11 November 1288), married:
   1. at Creuzburg 10 March 1241, Heinrich Raspe, Landgrave of Thuringia;^[5]
   2. in Leuven November 1247 to William III of Dampierre, Count of Flanders (1224 – 6 June 1251).
3. Maria of Brabant (c.1226 – 18 January 1256, Donauwörth),^[3] married Louis II, Duke of Upper Bavaria. She was beheaded by her husband on suspicion of infidelity.
4. Margaret (d. 14 March 1277), Abbess of Valduc Abbey (Hertogendal).
5. Henry III, Duke of Brabant (1230 - 1261)^[3]
6. Philip, died young^[3]

His second marriage was to Sophie of Thuringia (20 March 1224 – 29 May 1275),^[6] daughter of Ludwig IV of Thuringia and Saint Elisabeth of Hungary,^[7] by whom he had two children:

1. Elizabeth (1243 – 9 October 1261), married Albert I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
2. Henry (1244–1308), created Landgrave of Hesse in 1264.^[8]

Henry died in Leuven, aged about 40.