Jülich-Cleves-Berg, United Duchies of
Years: 1521 - 1614
Jülich-Cleves-Berg is the name of two territories across the modern German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the modern Dutch province of Gelderland.
From 1521 to 1666, the territory is a combination of states in personal union, all reichsfrei territories of the Holy Roman Empire.
The name will be resurrected after the Congress of Vienna for a short-lived province of the Kingdom of Prussia between 1815 and 1822.
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He also hopes to obtain another son in case something should happen to Edward.
Anne proves a dull, unattractive woman and Henry declines to consummate the marriage.
He quickly divorces her, and she remains in England as a kind of adopted sister to him.
So he marries again, to a nineteen-year-old named Catherine Howard, but when it becomes known that she was neither a virgin at the wedding, nor a faithful wife afterwards, she ends up on the scaffold and the marriage declared invalid.
His sixth and last marriage is to Catherine Parr, more a nursemaid to him than anything else, as his health is failing (it had declined ever since the jousting accident in 1536).
Wilhelm of Berg openly joins the war on Francis's side, invading Brabant, and ...
...fighting begins in Artois and ...
...Hainaut.
Emperor Charles V, invading the Duchy of Jülich at the beginning of the Italian War between the emperor and the French king, attacks William, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg, and ...
...capturing Düren.
William has held the neighboring Duchy of Guelders from 1539, as successor of his distant relatives, the Egmond dukes, who had sold their right of heritage.
He has made a treaty with the King of France and married Jeanne d'Albret, and with this backup had dared to challenge the Emperor.
William learns all too soon that the French have not lifted a finger to help him.
Overwhelmed, he has has to surrender.
The throne of Jülich-Cleves-Berg is claimed by both Wolfgang William, Count Palatine of Neuburg, and Elector John Sigismund of Brandenburg, at the death of Duke John William on March 25, 1609, with no legitimate successors.
Both King Henry IV of France and representatives of the Dutch Republic are suspicious of the possibility that Holy Roman Emperor Rudolph II of Habsburg will seize the throne of Jülich-Cleves-Berg.
Emperor Rudolph does contemplate annexing more territories to extend Habsburg possessions in the Low Countries.
Troops from the Holy Roman Empire ultimately occupy the fortress at Jülich.
Emperor Rudolf eventually retracts his claim to the throne of Jülich and for a brief time supports the House of Wettin (Duke of Saxony) and their claim to Jülich-Cleves-Berg.
However, the claim made by the House of Wettin is ultimately withdrawn.
The conflict gains momentum when Duke Wolfgang William and Elector John Sigismund establish their respective claims to the throne.
King Henry IV of France suggests that the lands be divided between both Duke William and Elector Sigismund.
The Count of Hesse recommends that both individuals rule Jülich-Cleves-Berg jointly.
Both claimants agree to rule together and they also promise to maintain religious tolerance enshrined in the Dortmund Recess developed on June 10, 1609.
The fortress at Jülich, although still occupied by Emperor Rudolph's forces, is eventually besieged on July 28, 1610, by Dutch, Brandenburg and Palatine forces.