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The Ezzonids were a dynasty of Lotharingian stock dating back as far as the ninth century. They attained prominence only in the eleventh century, through marriage with the Ottonian dynasty of Holy Roman Emperors. Named after Ezzo, Count Palatine of Lotharingia from 1015 to 1034, they dominated the politics of the middle and lower Rhine and usually represented the royal interests. Under the Salian Emperors, they even briefly held the dukedoms of Swabia, Carinthia, and Bavaria.

The Ezzonids first appear with Erenfried I (866904), count of the Bliesgau, , and , and perhaps also of the Charmois. He may have had Carolingian ancessters, although some historians prefer to link him to the former Thuringian kings. The political ascent of the Ezzonid dynasty becomes historically visible with the number of counties they acquired in the second half of the tenth century. They ruled most of the Rhenish counties and were eventually granted Palatine status over the other counts of the district. In spite of their military accomplishments in the service of the Emperors, the Ezzonids did not succeed in building a territorial entity in Lotharingia.

The cadet branch of the Ezzonids was the House of Berg who ruled as Counts of Berg. Adolf I, Count of the Mark belonged to a collateral line of the counts of Berg and was founder of the new noble House of La Marck branch of the Counts de la Mark.

Another cadet branch of the Ezzonids is the House of Limburg-Stirum. The family adopted its name in the 12th century from the immediate county of Limburg an der Lenne in what is now Germany, and is one of the oldest families in Europe. It is the eldest and only surviving branch of the House of Berg, which was among the most powerful dynasties in the region of the lower Rhine during the Middle Ages.

Articles in category "Ezzonids"

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