Gerhard VII, Duke of Jülich-Berg

Gerhard VII, Duke of Jülich-Berg
Duke Gerhard VII of Jülich-Berg. Miniature of 1480
Born	c. 1416
Died	(1475-08-19)19 August 1475 Lülsdorf Castle, Niederkassel
Noble family	House of Jülich
Spouse(s)	Sophie of Saxe-Lauenburg
Father	William VIII of Jülich, Count of Ravensberg
Mother	Adelheid of Tecklenburg

Gerhard VII, Duke of Jülich-Berg (c. 1416 – 19 August 1475) 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.^[1]

Upon his father's death in 1428, Gerhard became Count of Ravensberg. In 1437, his uncle Adolf died without heirs and Gerhard inherited his title as Duke of Jülich-Berg. Gerhard continued his uncle's fight for the dukedom of Guelders, supported by King Albert II of Germany. In 1444 he won the Battle of Linnich but was unable to prevail in his fight for Guelders and ultimately sold his claim to Burgundy and acquired Blankenheim-Löwenberg and Heinsberg from Guelders. He was increasingly unable to govern his territories after 1461. His spouse Sophie of Saxe-Lauenburg then wielded regency for him.

Family and children

In 1444, Gerhard married Sophie of Saxe-Lauenburg (1428 – 9 September 1473), daughter of Bernard II, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg. They had the following children:

William (1455–1511), succeeded his father as Duke of Jülich-Berg
Adolf (1458–1470)
Gerhard (died young)
Anna, married John III, Count of Mörs and Saarwerden

References

^ Walther Möller, Stammtafeln westdeutscher Adelsgeschlechter im Mittelalter (Darmstadt, 1922, reprint Verlag Degener & Co., 1995), Vol. 1, page 14.

Ancestors

Ancestors of Gerhard VII, Duke of Jülich-Berg

16. William V, Duke of Jülich

8. Gerhard VI of Jülich, Count of Berg and Ravensberg

17. Joanna of Hainaut

4. William VII of Jülich, 1st Duke of Berg

18. Otto IV, Count of Ravensberg

9. Margaret of Ravensberg

19. Margaret of Berg-Windeck

2. William VIII of Jülich, Count of Ravensberg

20. Adolf, Count Palatine of the Rhine

10. Rupert II, Elector Palatine

21. Irmengard of Oettingen

5. Anna of the Palatinate

22. Peter II of Sicily

11. Beatrice of Sicily

23. Elisabeth of Carinthia

1. Gerhard VII, Duke of Jülich-Berg

24. Nicholas I, Count of Tecklenburg

12. Otto VI, Count of Tecklenburg

25. Helena of Oldenburg-Wildeshausen-Altbruchhausen

6. Nicholas II, Count of Tecklenburg

26. Bernard V, Lord of Lippe

13. Adelaide of Lippe

27. Richarda of the Marck

3. Adelheid of Tecklenburg

28. Dietrich IV of Moers

14. Frederick III, Count of Moers

29. Elisabeth of Zuilen

7. Anna Elisabeth of Moers

30. John II of Saarwerden

15. Walburga of Saarwerden

31. Clara of Vinstingen

External links

Genealogie-Mittelalter.de

German nobility
Gerhard VII, Duke of Jülich-Berg House of Jülich Born: c. 1416 Died: 19 August 1475
Preceded by William II	Count of Ravensberg 1428–1475	Succeeded by William IV as William III, Count of Ravensberg William IV, Duke of Jülich-Berg
Preceded by Adolph VII	Duke of Jülich-Berg 1437–1475