[1] The conflict arose after Duke Waleran IV of Limburg, a scion of the Lotharingian Ardennes-Verdun dynasty, had died without male heirs in 1279.

An agreement seemed possible; nevertheless, Adolf of Berg preceded his Ardennes relatives when in September 1283 he sold his claims to the mighty Reginar duke John of Brabant.

John intended to enlarge his Brabant territory and re-unite the former Duchy of Lower Lorraine in the northwest of the Holy Roman Empire.

Siegfried II of Westerburg, the Archbishop of Cologne, suspiciously eyed John's increasing power in the Lower Lorraine lands.

Numerous vassals and allies joined his forces and Reginald of Guelders finally sold his rights to Limburg to him, just before peace talks were scheduled.

[3] Soon after that, Siegfried entered the battle and in a bold advance was able to repel the Berg troops and the Cologne militia, however with too little support from his reserves.

In mid-afternoon, the Berg and Mark troops, along with the Cologne citizens, had gathered again and started a savage attack on the archbishop's forces.

The battle ended in a victory for Brabant when Reginald of Guelders was captured by Daniel van Bouchout[4][5] and Lord Walram of Valkenburg had to retreat.