Gerhard VII, Duke of Jülich-Berg

Gerhard VII, Duke of Jülich-Berg
Duke Gerhard VII of Jülich-Berg. Miniature of 1480
Bornc. 1416
Died(1475-08-19)19 August 1475
Lülsdorf Castle, Niederkassel
Noble familyHouse of Jülich
Spouse(s)Sophie of Saxe-Lauenburg
FatherWilliam VIII of Jülich, Count of Ravensberg
MotherAdelheid 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:

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

References

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

Ancestors

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