List of kings and dukes of Lorraine

The kings and dukes of Lorraine have held different posts under different governments over different regions, since its creation as the kingdom of Lotharingia by the Treaty of Prüm, in 855. The first rulers of the newly established region were kings of the Franks. The Latin construction "Lotharingia" evolved over time into "Lorraine" in French, "Lotharingen" in Dutch and "Lothringen" in German. After the Carolingian kingdom was absorbed into its neighbouring realms in the late ninth century, dukes were appointed over the territory. In the mid-tenth century, the duchy was divided into Lower Lorraine and Upper Lorraine, the first evolving into the historical Low Countries, the second became known as the Duchy of Lorraine and existed well into the modern era.

Kings of Lotharingia

• Lothair II (855–869)

Charles the Bald claimed Lotharingia on Lothair's death and was crowned king in Metz, but his brother Louis the German opposed his claim and in 870 the Treaty of Mersen divided Lotharingia between the two brothers and subsequently their sons. In 880, the Treaty of Ribemont gave the whole of Lotharingia to Louis the Younger, son of Louis the German.

Between 869-895 the title King or Duke of Lotharingia did not exist. The territory was ruled by the king of West Francia (869-870), kings of West Francia and East Francia (870-876), kings of West Francia and Saxony (876-880), king of Saxony (880-882), and finally King of East Francia (882-895).

Between 869 and 895 the region was ruled as follows:

• Charles the Bald (869–870), king of West Francia and Italy, and Carolingian emperor
• Louis the German, king of East Francia and Charles the Bald, king of West Francia (870- 876)
• Louis the Younger, king of Saxony and Charles the Bald (876-877), king of West Francia
• Louis the Younger, king of Saxony and Louis III of France (877-880), king of West Francia
• Louis the Younger (880–882), king of Saxony and Bavaria
• Charles the Fat (882–887), king of East Francia, Italy, and West Francia and Carolingian emperor
• Arnulf of Carinthia (887–895), king of East Francia and Italy, and Carolingian emperor

In 895 the title of king of Lotharingia was reestablished under:

• Zwentibold (895–900), King of Lorraine

After Zwentibold was defeated and killed in battle by Count Reginar, the rule reverted to a duchy under the king of East Francia and in 911 under West Francia.

• Louis the Child (900–911), king of East Francia and Gebhard, Duke of Lorraine(903-910)
• Charles the Simple (911–923), king of West Francia and Reginar, Duke of Lorraine (910-915) and subsequently his son Gilbert, Duke of Lorraine (915-939).

In 925, Lotharingia was again subsumed into East Francia under Henry the Fowler, King of Saxony and King of East Francia.

List of dukes of Lorraine from 925 to 959 under kings of East Francia is as follows:

• Gilbert (915–939)
• Henry (939–940)
• Otto (942–944)
• Conrad (944–953)
• Bruno, Archbishop of Cologne (953–965)

In 959, Lorraine was divided into two districts, Lower and Upper Lorraine, each governed by a margrave, under Bruno. Upon Bruno's death in 965, these two margraves were recognised as dukes of Lower and Upper Lorraine, respectively. The two duchies remained separate, following separate pathways, except for the period between 1033 and 1044.

Dukes of Lower Lorraine

Matfriding dynasty

• Godfrey I (959–964)
• Richer I (964-972)

After the death of Richer, the duchy was directly administrated by the holy emperor until the arrival of Charles I

Carolingian dynasty

• Charles I (977–991)
• Otto I (991–1012)

House of Ardennes–Verdun

• Godfrey II (1012–1023) (also known as Godfrey I)
• Gothelo I (1023–1044) (also duke of Upper Lorraine)
• Gothelo II (1044–1046)

House of (Ardenne–) Luxembourg

• Frederick I (1046–1065)

House of Ardennes–Verdun

• Godfrey III the Bearded (1065–1069) (also known as Godfrey II, previously duke of Upper Lorraine)
• Godfrey IV (1069–1076) (also known as Godfrey III)

Salian dynasty

• Conrad (1076–1087), but he's only two years old when he's given the title, Albert III of Namur will be vice-duke during this time.

House of Boulogne (Ardennes–Bouillon)

• Godfrey V "of Bouillon" (1087–1100) (also known as Godfrey IV), one of the leaders of the First Crusade and the first ruler of the Kingdom of Jerusalem

House of Limburg

• Henry I (1101–1106)

House of Leuven

• Godfrey VI (1106–1129) (also known as Godfrey I of Leuven)

House of Limburg

• Waleran (1129–1139)

House of Leuven

• Godfrey VII (1139–1142) (also known as Godfrey II of Leuven)
• Godfrey VIII (1142–1190) (also known as Godfrey III of Leuven)

Dukes of Upper Lorraine

House of Ardenne–Bar

• Frederick I (959–978)
• Theodoric I (978–1026/1027)
• Frederick II (1026/1027)
• Frederick III (1026/1027–1033)

House of Ardenne–Verdun

• Gothelo (r. 1033–1044) (also duke of Lower Lorraine).
• Godfrey, the Bearded (r. 1044–1046) (later duke of Lower Lorraine)

House of Metz (Ardenne–Metz)

House of Anjou

House of Lorraine

Junior branch of the previous rulers of Ardennes–Metz, known as the House of Lorraine.

House of Leszczyński

The House of Habsburg-Lorraine continued carrying the title as titular Dukes of Lorraine.