OTD 28 July 1516 William of Jülich Cleves Berg brother of Anne of Cleves
On 28 July 1516 William of Jülich-Cleves-Berg was born at Düsseldorf,
then a part of the Duchy of Berg, nowadays a part of Germany.
Family
William was the only son of John III, Duke of Cleves and
Maria, Duchess of Jülich-Berg.
He was thus a brother of Anne of Cleves, who was for 6 months
the 4th wife of King Henry VIII of England.
William is the ancestor of Maria Louise of Hesse-Kassel.
Love and Marriage
William of Jülich-Cleves-Berg was married to Jeanne d'Albret, the
heiress of Navarra. This wedding took place in 1541, when she was
just 13 years old. However this political marriage was annuled four
years later.
On 18 July 1546, William married Maria of Austria, daughter of
Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor and Anna of Bohemia and
Hungary. They would have 7 children together and a lot of
royal descendants.
Duty
In 1539 William took over the rule over the Duchy of Cleves and
the County of Mark. He also became Duke of Berg and Jülich and
Count of Ravensberg.
Between 1538 and 1543, William held the neighbouring Duchy of
Guelders. He was a distant relative from the Egmond Dukes.
But this action brought him in troubles with the Holy Roman Emperor,
Charles V.
Finally Charles V claimed the Duchy of Guelders for himself. It was
only after the Treaty of Venly (1543) that the Duchy of Guelders and
the County of Zutphen were transferred to Charles V. He brought the
territories into the Habsburg Netherlands.
Death
William of Jülich-Cleves-Berg died at Düsseldorf, on 5 January 1592
at the noble age of 75.
He was buried at the Collegiate Church of St. Lambertus at
Düsseldorf.
William was succeeded by his son Johann Wilhelm.
Source pictures: Wikipedia
then a part of the Duchy of Berg, nowadays a part of Germany.
Family
William was the only son of John III, Duke of Cleves and
Maria, Duchess of Jülich-Berg.
He was thus a brother of Anne of Cleves, who was for 6 months
the 4th wife of King Henry VIII of England.
William is the ancestor of Maria Louise of Hesse-Kassel.
Love and Marriage
William of Jülich-Cleves-Berg was married to Jeanne d'Albret, the
heiress of Navarra. This wedding took place in 1541, when she was
just 13 years old. However this political marriage was annuled four
years later.
On 18 July 1546, William married Maria of Austria, daughter of
Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor and Anna of Bohemia and
Hungary. They would have 7 children together and a lot of
royal descendants.
Duty
In 1539 William took over the rule over the Duchy of Cleves and
the County of Mark. He also became Duke of Berg and Jülich and
Count of Ravensberg.
Between 1538 and 1543, William held the neighbouring Duchy of
Guelders. He was a distant relative from the Egmond Dukes.
But this action brought him in troubles with the Holy Roman Emperor,
Charles V.
Finally Charles V claimed the Duchy of Guelders for himself. It was
only after the Treaty of Venly (1543) that the Duchy of Guelders and
the County of Zutphen were transferred to Charles V. He brought the
territories into the Habsburg Netherlands.
Death
William of Jülich-Cleves-Berg died at Düsseldorf, on 5 January 1592
at the noble age of 75.
He was buried at the Collegiate Church of St. Lambertus at
Düsseldorf.
William was succeeded by his son Johann Wilhelm.
Source pictures: Wikipedia
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