Diederik III of Limburg Hohenlimburg, born around 1328, was the eldest son of Everhard II van Limburg Hohenlimburg and Juta of Sayn. Twenty years later he followed the 9th of August 1364 his grandfather Diederik II count of Limburg Hohenlimburg. [1] In 1366 Diederik III became the Amtmann of Angermünde, the district between Duisburg and Düsseldorf. As the successor to lord Diederik III of Broich, who five years later would become his father-in-law. He also was Voght of the Rellinghausen Abbey. On 3 July 1371 Diederik married Ludgardis (Lukarda) daughter of Diederik of Broich and Katharina of Steinfurt. [2] Lukarda was heiress of the Lordship Broich. At his wedding, he received a dowry of 1,600 old gold shields.
Near the ruins of Neu Isenburg on the river Ruhr, once built on allodial ground by his ancestor Diederik I count of Limburg Hohenlimburg, Vitinghoven was located at the wood of Kortenbusch. Diederik III has guardianship rights and on January 2, 1370 he buys the fortified house from the brothers Johan and Hendrik of Vitinchoven. He appoints Johan of Vitinchoven as house lord, with the assignment to further strengthen the house. The building material was presumably taken from the nearby ruin Neu Isenburg
On February 5, 1377 [3] the fief letter with the duke of Berg is drawn up and ratified by Diederik on 6 May. On September 28, 1380 [4] reftreft Diederik III an arrangement with his Viscounts at Broich Castle, Diederik of Elverfeld called Sobbe, Bernt of Broich, Evert of Gerscheit and Godert Schele. On September 10, 1382. [5] after mediation of duke Willem of Gullick, Diederik reached an agreement with his brother-in-law of Wevelinghoven, with whom he had a disagreement. It was made clear that Diederik owns the Lordship and castle of Broich with all property to the right of the Rhine and Frederik the patronage of the church in Hemmerden, part income of the toll at Rheinberg and the Broich estates to the left of the River Rhine.
Kusteress of the nearby nunnery of Essen was Diederick's aunt Lysa of Broich who died in 1370. Her niece Irmgard of Broich was abbess (1360-1370). After Diederick's death in May 1401, his sons Willem and Diederik made an arrangement with their mother Lukarda on September 7, 1403 [6] whereby she continued to live at castle Broich together with a maid and servant. She received an yearly allowance from 54 old Schilden. Some years later she joined the Rellinghausen Abbey and stayed there until her death in 1412. Her daughter Margaretha, a nun of the Abbey of Essen, was Proposes of the Rellinghausen monastery. She was elected abbess of the Abbey of Essen. As a result, a disagreement arose with Elisabeth of Beeck, who claimed the office of Abbess for herself. In history known the 2nd Abbesses Turmoil in the Essen nunnery.
On August 21, 1385 [7] Diederik agrees to a covenant on the preservation of Westphalian land peace that earlier on July 29, 1385. [8] was closed between Westphalian lords, cities and the Archbishop of Cologne. It is mutually agreed that the Allies will individually supply a number of warriors for a joint battle group to safeguard the agreement. Duke of Berg, Count of Ravensberg and Blankenberg, Counts of Nassau, Mark, Waldeck, Teckelenburg, Hoya, Schauenberg, Katzenellenbogen, Everstein, Bentheim, Rietberg, Delmenhorst, Limburg Hohenlimburg Broich and further the lords of Diepholt, Dietz, Steinfurt, Solms, Wildenberg and the guardian of Berg take part in this peace covenant. Later on joined by the count of Mark and his brother the Adolf, duke of Cleves. [9]
Due to the strategic location of Broich on the border of 5 territories including the Duchy of Cleves and Duchy of Berg, the count of Limburg Hohenlimburg Broich and sons in 1396 were faced with a dilemma. Until then they were on good terms with count Diederik of Mark. However, duke Willem of Berg comes into open conflict with duke Adolf I of Cleves, brother and ally of the count of Mark. Due to the loan bond with Berg, Diederik and Willem see themselves on December 28, 1396 [10] forced to assist the Duke of Berg in his fight against count Diederik of Mark. In the spring of 1397 the battle broke out. The Bergse troops near the city of Cleves were defeated. Captured men and knights had to ransom themselves for large sums of money. The Berg alliance fell apart after the three sons of duke Willem of Berg, Gerhard, Adolf and Willem turned against their father who was forced to give up his territories to his sons. Count Adolf of Berg, assisted by knight Evert of Limburg, lord of Hardenberg (Velbert) and his uncle Diederik III count of Limburg Hohenlimburg Broich, fought on. Count Diederik of der Mark was wounded and died in 1398. His brother duke Adolf of Cleves then inherited the entire county of Mark. On December 21, 1399 [11] the battle flares up again after John II, Count of Nassau-Siegen and brother Engelbert I of Nassau announce, together with their cousin count Diederik III of Limburg Hohenlimburg Broich, that they are enemies of the Archbishop of Cologne. A short time later Diederik probably died of wounds sustained during fighting against Cologne troops.
The brothers Willem I and Diederik IV of Limburg-Hohenlimburg Broich succeed their deceased father. Willem I of Gullick, duke of Berg and Ravensberg returns the county of Limburg with the lordship of Broich back as fief of the Duchy of Berg. Also an peace agreement was made with the Cologne Archbishop on March 29, 1402.[12] Over a period of three years, the Of Limburg's have to pay 1,000 heavy Rhine guilders as compensation and promise not to fight against the archbishop, his cities or subjects anymore. On December 4, 1412 [13] the brothers Willem and Diederik IV mutual to an agreement whereby they divide the estate of their father. Willem goes to live on the Hohenlimburg and Diederik on Broich Castle.
Diederik III count of Limburg was married to Lukarda of Broich with whom he had 8 children, Elisabeth, Willem (I), Diederick (IV), Anna, Lukarda, Margaretha, Jutta and Agnes.