He was given the Duchy of Lower Lorraine by Lothair III, Holy Roman Emperor in 1128[1] after the latter's accession as King of Germany in 1125.
Waleran was the son of Henry, Duke of Lower Lorraine (1101–1106),[1] and Adelaide of Pottenstein (Adelheid von Botenstein).
Godfrey was not willing to do so and war broke out, especially over disputes about the advocats of the abbey of Sint-Truiden, the Counts of Duras.
In 1129, Waleran and the bishop of Liège, Alexandre de Juliers, defeated Godfrey's forces at Wilderen, near Duras,[2] but Brabant and Duras subsequently continued to fight until they came to terms three years later.
Waleran married Jutta von Wassenberg sometime between 1107–10,[3] daughter of Gerard I of Guelders.