Limburg-Broich

Limburg-Broich was a County of the Holy Roman Empire based around Broich in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The Counts ruled the Lordship of Broich and, from 1449, half of the County of Limburg (in condominium with Neuenahr-Alpen from 1479).

Limburg-Broich was created as a partition of Limburg-Styrum in 1439. The Lordship of Broich was a strategic location of whose overlordship the powers of Westphalia and the Lower Rhine had fought over constantly, and the dispute continued after the creation of the line. In 1432 the Dukes of Cleves had succeeded in gaining overlordship from Berg, which led to the combined forces of Berg and the Archbishopric of Cologne capturing the territory in 1443, effectively destroying the castle of Broich.

In 1449 the Counts of Limburg-Broich became embroiled in a succession dispute with Neuenahr-Alpen over the County of Limburg. The dispute quickly led to armed warfare, and in 1460 both parties were made subject to an arbitration of the Archbishop of Cologne. At first the County was divided in half, but in 1479 the entire county was ruled in condominium between both parties. The County came to an end with Count John. In 1505 he married his adopted heiress Amoena of Sayn to Count Wirich V of Daun-Frankenstein, and with his death in 1508 both Broich and his rule in Limburg were inherited by them.

Counts of Limburg-Broich (1439–1508)