Wilhelm, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg
Encyclopedia
William of Jülich-Cleves-Berg (I of Cleves, V of Jülich-Berg) was a Duke
of Jülich-Cleves-Berg (1539–1592).
William was born in and died in Düsseldorf
. He was the only son of John III
, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg, and Maria, Duchess of Jülich-Berg
. William took over rule of his father's estates (the Duchy of Cleves
and the County of Mark) upon his death in 1539. Despite his mother having lived until 1543, William also became the Duke of Berg
and Jülich
and the Count of Ravenstein.
From 1539 to 1543, William held the neighbouring Duchy of Guelders
, as successor of his distant relatives, the Egmond
dukes. Emperor Charles V
claimed this duchy for himself as the dukes had sold their right of heritage, and William tried to hold on to it. He made a treaty with the King of France and married Jeanne d'Albret
, and with this backup dared to challenge the Emperor. All too soon he learned that the French did not lift a finger to help him, and he was overwhelmed and had to surrender. In accordance with the Treaty of Venlo (1543) that was the result of this war, Guelders and the County of Zutphen were transferred to Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
, combining them with the Habsburg Netherlands
.
William then tried to strengthen his inherited territories and launched an impressive development project for the most important cities. The three duchies all got new main fortresses as major strongpoints, for the older medieval fortifications had proved to be no match against the Imperial artillery. The cities of Jülich
, Düsseldorf
and Orsoy became fortresses for the duchies of Jülich, Berg and Cleves respectively, and Jülich and Düsseldorf were turned into impressive residences. For this task, the renowned Italian architect Alessandro Pasqualini
from Bologna was hired, who had already made some impressive display of his craft in the Netherlands. He made the plans for the fortifications and palaces, of which some traces still remain, especially at Jülich where the citadel (built 1548-1580) is a major landmark, with parts of the Renaissance palace still standing.
William's sister Anne of Cleves
was briefly married to King Henry VIII of England
. Through his daughter, Marie Eleonore, he is an ancestor of Alexander II of Russia
, Kaiser Wilhelm II, and the British Royal Family.
in 1541, when she was just 13 years old, but this political marriage was annulled four years later.
William married Maria of Austria (1531–81), daughter of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
, and Anna of Bohemia and Hungary
on 18 July 1546 and they had the following children:
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
of Jülich-Cleves-Berg (1539–1592).
William was born in and died in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
. He was the only son of John III
John III, Duke of Cleves
John III the Peaceful, Duke of Cleves and Count of Mark was a son of John II, Duke of Cleves and Matilda of Hesse, daughter of Henry III, Landgrave of Upper Hesse.John III became Regent of the United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg in 1521, and Lord of Ravensberg in 1528.John represented...
, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg, and Maria, Duchess of Jülich-Berg
Maria of Jülich-Berg
Maria of Jülich-Berg was born in Jülich, the daughter of Wilhelm IV, Duke of Jülich-Berg and Sibylle of Brandenburg....
. William took over rule of his father's estates (the Duchy of Cleves
Duchy of Cleves
The Duchy of Cleves was a State of the Holy Roman Empire. It was situated in the northern Rhineland on both sides of the Lower Rhine, around its capital Cleves and the town of Wesel, bordering the lands of the Prince-Bishopric of Münster in the east and the Duchy of Brabant in the west...
and the County of Mark) upon his death in 1539. Despite his mother having lived until 1543, William also became the Duke of 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:...
and Jülich
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 the Count of Ravenstein.
From 1539 to 1543, William held the neighbouring Duchy of Guelders
Guelders
Guelders or Gueldres is the name of a historical county, later duchy of the Holy Roman Empire, located in the Low Countries.-Geography:...
, as successor of his distant relatives, the Egmond
Egmond family
The Egmond or Egmont family is named after the Dutch town of Egmond, province of Noord Holland, and played an important role in the Netherlands during the Middle Ages....
dukes. Emperor Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
claimed this duchy for himself as the dukes had sold their right of heritage, and William tried to hold on to it. He made a treaty with the King of France and married Jeanne d'Albret
Jeanne III of Navarre
Jeanne d'Albret , also known as Jeanne III or Joan III, was the queen regnant of Navarre from 1555 to 1572. She married Antoine de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme, and was the mother of Henry of Bourbon, who became King of Navarre and of France as Henry IV, the first Bourbon king...
, and with this backup dared to challenge the Emperor. All too soon he learned that the French did not lift a finger to help him, and he was overwhelmed and had to surrender. In accordance with the Treaty of Venlo (1543) that was the result of this war, Guelders and the County of Zutphen were transferred to Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
, combining them with the Habsburg Netherlands
Seventeen Provinces
The Seventeen Provinces were a personal union of states in the Low Countries in the 15th century and 16th century, roughly covering the current Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, a good part of the North of France , and a small part of Western Germany.The Seventeen Provinces were originally held by...
.
William then tried to strengthen his inherited territories and launched an impressive development project for the most important cities. The three duchies all got new main fortresses as major strongpoints, for the older medieval fortifications had proved to be no match against the Imperial artillery. The cities of Jülich
Jülich
Jülich is a town in the district of Düren, in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Jülich is well known as location of a world-famous research centre, the Forschungszentrum Jülich and as shortwave transmission site of Deutsche Welle...
, Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
and Orsoy became fortresses for the duchies of Jülich, Berg and Cleves respectively, and Jülich and Düsseldorf were turned into impressive residences. For this task, the renowned Italian architect Alessandro Pasqualini
Alessandro Pasqualini
Alessandro Pasqualini was an Italian Renaissance architect, born in Bologna, who helped bring Renaissance architecture to the Low Countries....
from Bologna was hired, who had already made some impressive display of his craft in the Netherlands. He made the plans for the fortifications and palaces, of which some traces still remain, especially at Jülich where the citadel (built 1548-1580) is a major landmark, with parts of the Renaissance palace still standing.
William's sister Anne of Cleves
Anne of Cleves
Anne of Cleves was a German noblewoman and the fourth wife of Henry VIII of England and as such she was Queen of England from 6 January 1540 to 9 July 1540. The marriage was never consummated, and she was not crowned queen consort...
was briefly married to King Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
. Through his daughter, Marie Eleonore, he is an ancestor of Alexander II of Russia
Alexander II of Russia
Alexander II , also known as Alexander the Liberator was the Emperor of the Russian Empire from 3 March 1855 until his assassination in 1881...
, Kaiser Wilhelm II, and the British Royal Family.
Marriages and descendants
William married Jeanne d'Albret (1528–72), heiress of NavarreKingdom of Navarre
The Kingdom of Navarre , originally the Kingdom of Pamplona, was a European kingdom which occupied lands on either side of the Pyrenees alongside the Atlantic Ocean....
in 1541, when she was just 13 years old, but this political marriage was annulled four years later.
William married Maria of Austria (1531–81), daughter of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand I was Holy Roman Emperor from 1558 and king of Bohemia and Hungary from 1526 until his death. Before his accession, he ruled the Austrian hereditary lands of the Habsburgs in the name of his elder brother, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.The key events during his reign were the contest...
, and Anna of Bohemia and Hungary
Anna of Bohemia and Hungary
Anna of Bohemia and Hungary, also sometimes known as Anna Jagellonica was, by marriage to Ferdinand I, King of the Romans and later Holy Roman Emperor, Queen of the Romans.-Family:She was the elder child and only daughter of king Vladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary and his third...
on 18 July 1546 and they had the following children:
- Marie EleonoreMarie Eleonore of ClevesMarie Eleonore of Cleves was a Duchess consort of Prussia as the wife of Albert Frederick, Duke of Prussia. She was the eldest child of Wilhelm, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg and Maria of Austria.- Family :...
(25 June 1550–1608), married Albert Frederick, Duke of PrussiaAlbert Frederick, Duke of PrussiaAlbert Frederick was duke of Prussia from 1568 until his death. He was a son of Albert of Prussia and Anna Marie of Brunswick-Lüneburg. He was the second and last Prussian duke of the Ansbach branch of the Hohenzollern family.-Duke of Prussia:...
. - Anna (1 March 1552–1632), married Philip Louis, Count Palatine of NeuburgPhilip Louis, Count Palatine of NeuburgPhilip Louis of Neuburg was the Duke of Palatinate-Neuburg from 1569 until 1614.-Life:Philip Louis was born in Zweibrücken in 1547 as the eldest son of Wolfgang, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken. After his father's death in 1569, his lands were partitioned between Philip Louis and his four brothers -...
. - MagdaleneMagdalene of Jülich-Cleves-BergDuchess Magdalene of Jülich-Cleves-Berg was the fifth child of Duke William "the rich" of Jülich-Cleves-Berg and Maria of Austria, a daughter of Emperor Ferdinand I....
(1553–1633), married John I, Count Palatine of ZweibrückenJohn I, Count Palatine of ZweibrückenJohn I of Zweibrücken was Count Palatine and Duke of Zweibrücken during 1569-1604.He was born in Meisenheim as the second son of Wolfgang, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken and his wife Anna of Hesse. In 1588 he changed the state religion from Lutheranism to Calvinism...
(brother of Philip Louis) - Charles Frederick (1555–75)
- Elizabeth (1556–61)
- Sibylle of Cleves (1557–1627), married Karl II of Austria, Margrave of Burgau, morganatic son of Ferdinand II, Archduke of AustriaFerdinand II, Archduke of AustriaFerdinand II, Archduke of Further Austria was ruler of Further Austria including Tirol.-Life account:...
and Philippine WelserPhilippine WelserPhilippine Welser was the morganatic wife of Ferdinand II, Archduke of Austria. Her family, the Welsers of Augsburg, were merchants and financiers of European significance and great wealth.-Works:* De re coquinaria , handwriting ca. 1545, Castle Ambras near Innsbruck. Inv.No... - John William (28 May 1562 – 25 March 1609), Bishop of Münster, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berge, Count de la Marck, Count of Ravensberg, Lord of Ravenstein. He was first married in 1585 to Jakobea of Baden (died 1597), daughter of Philibert, Margrave of Baden-BadenPhilibert, Margrave of Baden-BadenMargrave Philibert of Baden ruled the Margraviate of Baden-Baden from 1554 to 1569. Philibert was the son of the Margrave Bernhard III, Margrave of Baden-Baden and Franziska of Luxembourg....
. He was secondly married to Antonia of Lorraine (died 1610) daughter of Charles III, Duke of LorraineCharles III, Duke of LorraineCharles III , known as the Great, was Duke of Lorraine from 1545 until his death.-History:He was the eldest surviving son of Francis I, Duke of Lorraine, and Christina of Denmark...
.