Adolf, Duke of Jülich-Berg
Encyclopedia
Adolf, Duke of Jülich-Berg (c. 1370 – 14 July 1437), was the first Duke of the combined duchies of Jülich
and Berg
. He was the son of William VII of Jülich, 1st Duke of Berg
and Anna of the Palatinate.
In 1397, Adolf rebelled against his father along with his brother William
, ravaged Düsseldorf and imprisoned his father. He was outlawed and was subsequently subdued in 1405. Upon his father's death in 1408, Adolf became the 2nd Duke of Berg. Adolf fought against Lorraine and other pretenders for Bar but surrendered after his capture in 1417. His father's cousin, Reginald, Duke of Jülich and Guelders, had no heirs and upon his death in 1423, Adolf succeeded him as Duke of Jülich, thus becoming the first duke of the combined duchies of Jülich and Berg. Adolf also began a year-long hereditary war against the House of Egmond for the dukedom of Guelders but could not win even with financial support from Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
, who supported Adolf in this fight despite Adolf's opposition to Sigismund's coronation at Aachen in 1414. Adolf supported the Roman candidate in the Council of Constance
which ended the Western Schism
. He traditionally fought against the Archibishop of Cologne. He later secured Monschau-Montjoie and in 1428 he seized Lievandal-Wevelinghoven.
Adolf had only one son who died before him so after Adolf's death in 1437, the dukedom of Jülich-Berg passed to his nephew Gerhard
, son of his brother William. Adolf died in Cologne on 14 July 1437 and is buried at St. Martin's Church in Cologne.
but this marriage was never consummated. In 1400 Adolf was married at the Château de Dun to Yolande of Bar (the younger) (c.1378 - 10 January 1421), daughter of Robert I, Duke of Bar and Marie of Valois. On 14 February 1430 in Mainz, Adolf married a second time to Elisabeth of Bavaria (c.1406 - 5 March 1468), daughter of Ernest, Duke of Bavaria
and Elisabetta Visconti
. Adolf had one child by his first wife:
Duchy of Jülich
The Duchy of Jülich comprised a state within the Holy Roman Empire from the 11th to the 18th centuries. The duchy lay left of the Rhine river between the Electorate of Cologne in the east and the Duchy of Limburg in the west. It had territories on both sides of the river Rur, around its capital...
and Berg
Berg (state)
Berg was a state – originally a county, later a duchy – in the Rhineland of Germany. Its capital was Düsseldorf. It existed from the early 12th to the 19th centuries.-Ascent:...
. He was the son of William VII of Jülich, 1st Duke of Berg
William VII of Jülich, 1st Duke of Berg
William VII of Jülich, 1st Duke of Berg was born in Jülich, the son of Gerhard VI of Jülich, Count of Berg and Ravensberg, and Margaret, daughter and heiress of Otto IV, Count of Ravensberg, and Margaret of Berg....
and Anna of the Palatinate.
In 1397, Adolf rebelled against his father along with his brother William
William VIII of Jülich, Count of Ravensberg
William VIII of Jülich, Count of Ravensberg was the youngest son of William VII of Jülich, 1st Duke of Berg and Anna of the Palatinate....
, ravaged Düsseldorf and imprisoned his father. He was outlawed and was subsequently subdued in 1405. Upon his father's death in 1408, Adolf became the 2nd Duke of Berg. Adolf fought against Lorraine and other pretenders for Bar but surrendered after his capture in 1417. His father's cousin, Reginald, Duke of Jülich and Guelders, had no heirs and upon his death in 1423, Adolf succeeded him as Duke of Jülich, thus becoming the first duke of the combined duchies of Jülich and Berg. Adolf also began a year-long hereditary war against the House of Egmond for the dukedom of Guelders but could not win even with financial support from Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
Sigismund of Luxemburg KG was King of Hungary, of Croatia from 1387 to 1437, of Bohemia from 1419, and Holy Roman Emperor for four years from 1433 until 1437, the last Emperor of the House of Luxemburg. He was also King of Italy from 1431, and of Germany from 1411...
, who supported Adolf in this fight despite Adolf's opposition to Sigismund's coronation at Aachen in 1414. Adolf supported the Roman candidate in the Council of Constance
Council of Constance
The Council of Constance is the 15th ecumenical council recognized by the Roman Catholic Church, held from 1414 to 1418. The council ended the Three-Popes Controversy, by deposing or accepting the resignation of the remaining Papal claimants and electing Pope Martin V.The Council also condemned and...
which ended the Western Schism
Western Schism
The Western Schism or Papal Schism was a split within the Catholic Church from 1378 to 1417. Two men simultaneously claimed to be the true pope. Driven by politics rather than any theological disagreement, the schism was ended by the Council of Constance . The simultaneous claims to the papal chair...
. He traditionally fought against the Archibishop of Cologne. He later secured Monschau-Montjoie and in 1428 he seized Lievandal-Wevelinghoven.
Adolf had only one son who died before him so after Adolf's death in 1437, the dukedom of Jülich-Berg passed to his nephew Gerhard
Gerhard VII, Duke of Jülich-Berg
Gerhard VII, Duke of Jülich-Berg was the son of William VIII of Jülich, Count of Ravensberg and Adelheid of Tecklenburg. Gerhard was the second duke of the combined Duchy of Jülich-Berg but the 7th Gerhard in the House of Jülich....
, son of his brother William. Adolf died in Cologne on 14 July 1437 and is buried at St. Martin's Church in Cologne.
Family and children
In 1397, Adolf was betrothed to Catherine of Brunswick-Lüneburg, daughter of Henry the Mild, Duke of Brunswick-LüneburgHenry the Mild, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Henry of Brunswick-Lüneburg , Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, called Henry the Mild, was prince of Lüneburg from 1388 to 1409 jointly with his brother Bernard I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, from 1400 to 1409 also of Wolfenbüttel, and from 1409 until his death sole prince of Lüneburg.Henry was the...
but this marriage was never consummated. In 1400 Adolf was married at the Château de Dun to Yolande of Bar (the younger) (c.1378 - 10 January 1421), daughter of Robert I, Duke of Bar and Marie of Valois. On 14 February 1430 in Mainz, Adolf married a second time to Elisabeth of Bavaria (c.1406 - 5 March 1468), daughter of Ernest, Duke of Bavaria
Ernest, Duke of Bavaria
Ernest of Bavaria-Munich , , from 1397 Duke of Bavaria-Munich.-Biography:Ernest was a son of John II and ruled the duchy of Bavaria-Munich together with his brother William III....
and Elisabetta Visconti
Elisabetta Visconti
Elisabetta Visconti , also known as Elisabeth or Elizabeth, was a younger child of Bernabò Visconti and his wife Beatrice Regina della Scala...
. Adolf had one child by his first wife:
- Rupert (died 2 August 1431), married 26 February 1426 Marie of Harcourt, daughter of John VI, Count of Harcourt and widow of Reginald, Duke of Jülich and Guelders, whose title had passed to Rupert's father.