Gerhard von der Mark zu Hamm

Gerhard von der Mark zu Hamm (* around 1387, † 1461 ) ruled the county of Mark from 1430 to 1461 as Graf zur Mark . He was the son of Count Adolf III. von der Mark-Altena and Margarete von Jülich .

Life

Gerhard initially embarked on a spiritual career. From 1403 to 1417 he was provost of the Xantener Viktorstift , from 1414 to 1416 he can also be verified as a canon at Cologne Cathedral . However, he finally renounced his spiritual dignity in order to be able to concentrate fully on a worldly career. From 1409 Gerhard claimed against his brother Adolf II / IV. , Count von Kleve and Mark, share in the paternal inheritance. First of all, Gerhard was given the Liemers . In 1413 Adolf temporarily settled his younger brother with parts of the southern region of the Mark and the pledges of Kaiserswerth , Sinzig and Remagen . In 1418 Adolf, who had been raised to Duke of Kleve in the previous year, issued a primacy regulation for his lands of Kleve and Mark. Gerhard saw himself deprived of all prospects of a successor in the market. He received support from Emperor Sigismund , who gave him the liens on the imperial city of Duisburg . Gerhard also allied himself with the Archbishop of Cologne Dietrich II von Moers , to whom he gave Kaiserswerth, Sinzig and Remagen. Finally, Gerhard also found support from the Brandenburg estates, who had considered him to be their “born gentleman” since 1429.

In the feud against his brother in 1427, Gerhard conquered the Hörder Castle , but Adolf recaptured it a short time later.

In 1430 the brothers made a peace that was renewed in 1437. Gerhard received a large part of the county of Mark at the peace treaty of the “Märkischen brother dispute” under pressure from the estates . However, he was only allowed to use the title “Graf zur Mark”, while Adolf remained Graf von der Mark. Gerhard had the offices of Hamm, Unna / Kamen, Iserlohn, Schwerte, Lünen, Hörde, Bochum, Altena, Breckerfeld and Neustadt, while Wetter / Blankenstein / Volmarstein, Bilstein, Fredeburg, and the bailiffs over Essen and Werden were in Adolf's possession.

The county of Bilstein and the lordship of Fredeburg , which had only been ceded to the Counts of the Mark by Count Gottfried IV of Arnsberg in 1367, ceded to Kurköln in 1449 .

Since 1456, Gerhard shared rulership in the Mark with his nephew Duke Johann von Kleve .

With the death of Gerhard in 1461, the county of Mark fell to his nephew Duke Johann and was united with the Duchy of Kleve in personal union. Gerhard never married, but had several illegitimate children. He was buried in the chapel of the St. Agnes monastery in Hamm, which he founded . The ornate grave cladding was lost during the Second World War.

predecessor	Office	successor
Adolf II. Count von der Mark until 1448 ; 1437 ceded regency to Gerhard. Gerhard can only call himself Graf zur Mark .	Regent as Count of the Mark 1437–1461	Johann I from 1448 Count von der Mark; received power of disposal only in 1461.