William IV, Duke of Jülich-Berg

William IV, Duke of Jülich-Berg
Spouse(s)	Elisabeth of Nassau-Saarbrücken Sibylle of Brandenburg
Noble family	House of Jülich-Heimbach
Father	Gerhard VII, Duke of Jülich-Berg
Mother	Sophie of Saxe-Lauenburg
Born	(1455-01-09)9 January 1455
Died

William IV of Jülich-Berg (9 January 1455 – 6 September 1511) was the last ruler of the Duchy of Jülich-Berg.

Life

William was the son of Gerhard VII, Duke of Jülich-Berg and Sophie of Saxe-Lauenburg. When his father died in 1475, William became Duke of Jülich-Berg.

He married the rich Countess Elisabeth of Nassau-Saarbrücken in 1472, but she died in 1479. In 1481, William remarried with Sibylle of Brandenburg, daughter of Albert III Achilles, Elector of Brandenburg. Neither marriage produced a son, so the succession of the Duchy became a problem.

William then concluded in 1496 the Klever Union with John II, Duke of Cleves, in which the union of the Duchy of Jülich-Berg and the Duchy of Cleves-Mark was planned. William had only one five-year-old daughter, Maria, who was promised in marriage to John II's six-year-old son John III. They married in 1510.

William died in 1511, leaving his daughter the final member of the House of Jülich. He is buried in Altenberg Abbey. He was succeeded by his son-in-law, who inherited the Duchy of Cleves-Mark in 1521. John III then became the first ruler of the United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg, which would exist until 1666.

Ancestors

Family of William IV, Duke of Jülich-Berg

16. Gerhard VI of Jülich, Count of Berg and Ravensberg               8. William VII of Jülich, 1st Duke of Berg                       17. Margaret of Ravensberg               4. William VIII of Jülich, Count of Ravensberg                             18. Rupert II, Elector Palatine               9. Anna of the Palatinate                       19. Beatrice of Sicily               2. Gerhard VII, Duke of Jülich-Berg                                   20. Otto VI, Count of Tecklenburg               10. Nicholas II, Count of Tecklenburg                       21. Adelaide of Lippe               5. Adelheid of Tecklenburg                             22. Frederick III, Count of Moers               11. Anna Elisabeth of Moers                       23. Walburga of Saarwerden               1. William IV, Duke of Jülich-Berg                                         24. Eric II of Saxe-Lauenburg               12. Eric IV, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg                       25. Agnes of Holstein               6. Bernard II, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg                             26. Magnus II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg               13. Sophia of Brunswick-Lüneburg                       27. Catherine of Anhalt-Bernburg               3. Sophie of Saxe-Lauenburg                                   28. Bogislaw V, Duke of Pomerania               14. Bogislaw VIII, Duke of Pomerania                       29. Adelheid of Brunswick-Grubenhagen               7. Adelheid of Pomerania                             30. Henry II, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg               15. Sophia of Holstein-Rendsburg                       31. Ingeborg of Mecklenburg

References

• Hansjörg Laute: Die Herrn von Berge. Auf den Spuren der Geschichte des Bergischen Landes (1101–1806). Boll, Solingen 1988, ISBN 3-9801918-0-X

External links

• Mittelalterliche Genealogie (in German)

William IV, Duke of Jülich-Berg House of Jülich-Heimbach Born: 9 January 1455 Died: 6 September 1511
Preceded by Gerhard VII	Duke of Jülich-Berg Count of Ravensberg 1475–1511	Succeeded by John III as Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg