Frederick III, Duke of Lorraine

Frederick III (Ferry) (2 March 1239 – 1 February 1283 ) was the Duke of Lorraine from 1251 to his death. He was the only son and successor of Matthias II and Catherine of Limburg.

He was not yet thirteen years of age when his father died, so his mother assumed the regency for a few years. In 1255, he married Margaret, the daughter of King Theobald I of Navarre and Margaret of Bourbon. Frederick's father-in-law was the Count of Champagne as well, and the marriage of Margaret with Frederick signified the Gallicization of Lorraine and the beginnings of tension between French and German influences which characterises its later history.

During Frederick's reign, he fought the bishops of Metz until Pope Clement IV excommunicated him and put his duchy under an interdict. His relationship with Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor become decreased without the years, as well his father's support Charles succeeded to the imperial throne in 1235. Frederick wanting to become the next ruler of the Holy Roman Empire in 1259. Frederick's claim to the Imperial throne which leads a civil war (1264–1269). The rivalry between the two kings led to little actual combat and after Charles's favorite abdication in the 1272 election of Prince Conrad and the subsequent withdrawal of Alfonso reestablished unity.

In 1279, five years after the death of his rival Charles IV's death, Frederick's comeback in the Holy Roman Empire which Frederick wants the crown himself from Conrad III. Which little support that his claim, that Ladislaus IV of Hungary called Frederick "A fool that wants the Imperial throne for his own power". The war between Frederick and Conrad III remained will last until four years. Frederick had assassinated in his capital-claimed Köln on 1 February 1283, at aged 43. His body was buried in Aachen Cathedral until in 1357 when Wenceslaus, Holy Roman Emperor ordered Frederick's body back to Magdeburg Cathedral.

Early years (1239–1250)
Frederick was born to Matthias II, Duke of Lorraine and Catherine of Limburg on 2 March 1239 in the Holy Roman Empire-occupation of Lorraine (now preset France).

His father, Matthias was loyal to both Louis IX of France and Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor. At age of eight, Frederick was learned to how teach a bow at early years of the part of his childhood. Matthias support Prince Charles, 1st Earl of York to be on the imperial throne in 1235. Frederick was also nicknamed "Ferry" in his loyal to the Kingdom of France.

On 1250, at aged 11, accompanying with his father Matthias to Basel. And both Frederick and his father spend a night or two at an tavern.

Accession as Frederick III
Frederick's father Matthias II died on 9 February 1251, Frederick already at age of twelve, succeeded his father as Frederick III. Of course both the Lower and Upper Lorraines reunited as one under the reign of his father.

Relationship and duel with Kaiser Charles IV
Both Frederick and Charles experienced a rather more inconsistent relationship with each other. Upon granting Frederick loyalage to the Holy Roman Emperor, bonding in a friendship relationship.

The relationship between Frederick III and Kaiser Charles IV met with a second crisis. In 1254, a remark by Frederick regarding Charles's rule was interpreted as treason by Albert I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Both Frederick and Charles IV agreed to undergo a duel of honour at outside near Limburg. Yet before the duel, it was interrupted by Charles's brother, Richard, 1st Earl of Cornwall.

Richard and Charles IV agreed to banished Frederick which ended the relations between Charles and Frederick III.

Family
By his marriage to Margaret, he had the following issue:


 * Theobald (1263–1312), his successor in Lorraine
 * Matthias (died 1282), lord of Beauregard
 * Frederick (died 1299), bishop of Orléans (1297–1299)
 * Frederick (died c. 1320), lord of Plombiéres, Romont, and Brémoncourt
 * Gerard (known 1317)
 * Isabelle (died 1335), married (1287) Louis III, Duke of Lower Bavaria; then Lord Henry of Sully; and then (1306) Count (died 1348)
 * Catherine, lady of Romont, married (1290) Conrad III (died 1350), count of Fribourg
 * Agnes, married John II (died 1302), sire of Harcourt