Duchy of Guelders

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Banner of the Holy Roman Emperor with haloes (1400-1806) .svg
Territory in the Holy Roman Empire
Duchy of Guelders
coat of arms
Armoiries Gueldre.svg
map
Low Countries Locator Gelre.svg
Duchy of Geldern around 1350
Alternative names Gelre (nl.)
Form of rule County, from 1339 duchy
Ruler / government Count / Duke
Today's region / s NL-GE , smaller parts also NL-LI and DE-NW


Reichskreis Lower Rhine-Westphalian ,
1543 Burgundy
Capitals / residences Geldern , Nijmegen , Arnhem , Zutphen
Dynasties Wassenberg, Jülich-Heimbach , Egmond , Burgundy , Habsburg , Kleve-Mark , Spain , Hohenzollern
Denomination / Religions Roman Catholic
Language / n Kleverland , Dutch


Incorporated into North: States General (1581), South: France, Département de la Roer (1798), Southwest: North Limburg (1815), Southeast: Prussia Province of Kleve-Jülich-Berg (1815), Rhine Province (1822)


The Duchy of Geldern is a historical territory of the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation in the Lower Rhine-Westphalian Empire .

geography

The Duchy of Geldern bordered in the north and west on the Monastery of Utrecht , in the east on the Duchy of Münster , the Electorate of Cologne and the Duchy of Kleve and Jülich and in the south on the Duchy of Brabant , in the west on the County of Holland .

The duchy essentially consisted of the Roermond district (the upper district), in which the city ​​of Geldern is also located (other cities: Erkelenz , Goch , Nieuwstad , Venlo , Straelen ), Viersen and the three lower districts of Arnhem ( Veluwe ; lower towns : Elburg , Harderwijk , Hattem , Wageningen ), Nijmegen ( Betuwe ; lower towns : Gendt , Maasbommel , Tiel , Zaltbommel ) and Zutphen ( lower towns : Doesburg , Doetinchem , Groenlo , Lochem ). The upper quarter on the Lower Rhine on both sides of the Meuse was spatially separated from the three other areas in the south-east of the Netherlands on the IJssel and Waal .

The present-day province of Gelderland in the Netherlands covers the three aforementioned lower quarters of the former territory.

The duchy is named after the city of Geldern in the Kleve district , North Rhine-Westphalia .

history

Territorial development of the county and duchy until 1815

First phase until around 1230

In addition to the first legal estate around 1021, the imperial fiefdom for the area of Wassenberg , additional allodial possessions were added around Wassenberg and on the middle Meuse. In 1054 the Wassenbergers were given the fiefdom for the Hattuaria-Gau on the Lower Rhine by Archbishop Hermann II of Cologne , which made them active in the territorial area around Geldern. After that, in the second half of the 11th century the direct imperial fiefs with county rights for the Wetterau near Styrum , in Hamaland near Elten , in Westphalia near Vreden and the imperial forest near Kleve were expanded.

With these extensions, a solid basis for a county was already achieved. In the 11th century, county rights came from the Utrecht bishopric through fiefs for the Gau Teisterbant and in the Betuwe . These last extensions were secured at the turn of the 12th century by the transfer of the bailiwick rights for the Utrecht Marienstift including the altar bailiwick. This expansion of the area of ​​influence to the northwest led to problems with the Counts of Holland , who also included these territories there under their area of ​​influence.

By the beginning of the 12th century at the latest, the Counts of Geldern became feudal men of the Archbishops of Cologne. From these they received the bailiwick of the Neuss Quirinstift, areas in the area of ​​Geldern and the county of Kempen, west of the Maas, and the area of ​​Peel . In particular, the new feudal areas around Geldern supplemented the properties in this area and rounded them off. In addition, in the middle of the 12th century there were documented Brabant fiefs in the Veluwe area and counts rights in Salland to the east .

Up until this point in time, the acquisitions had largely been transfers of fiefs and the associated rights, but the counts now increasingly expanded their rights themselves through their own efforts. The usable allodial property was increased through clearing and cultivation of wasteland and marshland, especially in the area of ​​Wassenberg, Geldern and the previously largely undeveloped Reichswald. By marrying the daughters, the property was also extended through inheritance. The latter particularly concerned the acquisition of the County of Zutphen in the first half of the 12th century. However, possessions were lost again through inheritance through the daughters' “marriage property”. The latter particularly affected the area of ​​the originally first area of ​​the County of Wassenberg. This came to the county of Limburg through the marriage of the daughter Jutta (or Judith) of Gerhard I von Geldern at the beginning of the 12th century .

During this first phase of the construction of the Geldrian territory, the focus of allodial ownership was around the centers of Wassenberg and Geldern. The count's rights, however, were predominantly further north for areas in the area of ​​the confluence of the Meuse, the Waal and the Veluwe with Salland. With the loss of the areas around Wassenberg and the legacy of the County of Zutphen, the sphere of influence of the Counts of Geldern shifted significantly to the north. However, this area of ​​influence was still very heterogeneous and there was still no largely uniform county of Geldern with a rounded territorial area

Second phase up to the elevation to the duchy in 1339

In the first phase, the main goal was to expand the area of ​​influence as much as possible, but now the aim was increasingly to round off the own areas. Due to the acquired river tariffs, money was available for the targeted purchase of rulership rights. Under the counts Otto II. , Rainald I and Rainald II. Individual estates, allodiums, castles as well as closed rulership complexes were acquired for sale. Through inheritance, claims to the Duchy of Limburg were acquired at short notice, but these were lost again in the Battle of Worringen , in which the incumbent Count von Geldern was one of the losers. In general, property outside the core areas was sold again or exchanged for property within the core property. In addition, smaller previously independent domains were converted into monetary fiefs through the use of money. The following are the main acquisitions for funds at this stage:

  • from 1243 to 1251 parts of the Krickenbeck dominion
  • 1251 Acquisition of the estates around Groenlo and Bredevoort
  • around 1250 acquisition of the imperial rights of Nijmegen
  • 1255 Purchase of the Goi at Zelhem and Hengelo from Hermann II von Lohn as well as goods at Lek and Lingen from the Marienstift in Utrecht
  • 1256 Purchase of the Allode Velp and Rijnwijk from Deutz Abbey
  • 1257 renewed takeover of the dominion of Montfort , which in the meantime had been subordinate to the Bishop of Liège
  • 1279 Acquisition of the rule of Kessel including the associated castle
  • In 1326 Gottfried von Heinsberg recognized the feudal sovereignty of Geldern over Varsseveld and Silvolde , and the same followed for the glory of Bredevoort
  • 1331 Purchase of the Beerenbroek estate with the court of Kapellen (near Geldern), in the same year further parts of the Reichswald von Kleve were acquired.
  • In 1339, the town of Tiel and the villages of Zandwik and Heerewarden were acquired through a forced exchange with Brabant , followed in the same year by the repurchase of the Vogtei Straelen and the acquisition of Gennep

In addition to the acquisitions listed, various courts, other castles, tithe benefits through purchase or via pledge were included in the domain in the first third of the 14th century. Especially through the acquisition of castles and the founding of walled and fortified cities, administrative and economic centers developed. As a result, offices could now be formed and an office constitution set up. There were also wealthy smaller gentry families in the county of Geldern who often recognized at least parts of their property as fiefs of the Counts of Geldern. This inevitably increased the influence of the Geldrian counts as authorities. These developments enabled the Counts of Geldern to effectively control their domain by the middle of the 14th century. Furthermore, the foundations for the conversion from a county to a duchy had been reached.

Third and final phase as a duchy until the loss of independence in 1543

After Rainald II was raised to the rank of imperial prince on March 19, 1339 and the county was converted into a duchy, the territory had already largely reached its greatest extent and stagnated. Some of the main reasons for this are problems of succession when there was no direct male heir and which led several times to wars of succession or wars with other duchies or internal armed conflicts. These required high financial resources, especially when the disputes came to the disadvantage of money. Due to acute financial distress, parts of the area and dominions were pledged at times. Sometimes, if one could not carry out the due redemption of the pledge, this resulted in the permanent loss of a pledge.

There were still notable acquisitions, but also significant losses of areas. The former include the acquisitions of the cities, castles and lands of Born , Sittard and Susteren as well as the rule Cuijk 1400. Born, Sittard and Susteren were bought for 70,000 guilders from "Johann von Salm". As early as 1412, however, Born and Sittard were pledged to “Wilhelm von Arken” for 50,000 guilders and obtained funds for a long time through the latter and his son Arnold von Egmond. On the other hand, Susteren changed membership several times from Geldern to Jülich and vice versa. However, Cuijk did not remain part of the Duchy of Geldern for very long.

The cession of Emmerich with parts of the Liemers, the Bailiwick of Elten and Goch as well as the Geldrischen part of the Reichwald in 1355 to the county of Kleve belonged to the bigger losses. This loss was due to a pledge that Duke Rainald III. in the war with his brother Eduard to raise money with the Count of Kleve.

One of the main opponents of Geldern was the county and later duchy of Brabant . At first, Geldern was able to predominantly prevail in the disputes. Later, especially when Brabant came under the sovereignty of the Duchy of Burgundy , this changed.

The internal administrative structure in the duchy was largely completed by the middle of the 14th century. Above the level of the local offices, four administrative centers, the management of the so-called quarters (= quarters), were formed. These were the southern upper quarter with Roermond and Geldern, the north-western quarter Arnhem (Veluwe), the northern quarter Nijmegen and the north-eastern quarter Zutphen. With this establishment of a functioning administrative structure, however, the opportunities for influencing the stands were also made easier.

Especially in times of crisis, the dukes needed the approval of the estates for the collection of higher tax amounts, through the so-called Bede . Particularly noticeable was the increased position of the estates in the duchy in the selection of a successor for the deceased last duke from the Jülich-Geldern noble house, Rainald IV. The prerequisite for the election of Arnold von Egmond , who was still underage, as successor was the recognition of extended rights for the estates for their consent. These promises for the participation of the estates in important decisions were later undermined more often by the reigning dukes. This then led to internal disputes, which more or less hindered the dukes' optimal administration of office.

Under the leadership of the dukes from the Egmond noble house, the decline of the duchy as an independent territorial power began to emerge. Charles the Bold , Duke of Burgundy and Brabant, took advantage of the disputes between the father Arnold and the son Adolf and in 1473 conquered the duchy and also became Duke of Geldern. This transfer of the ducal power to Brabant was confirmed by the emperor through a hereditary imperial fief. Another result of this loss of power were the areas that Geldern had pledged to Kleve in 1355. Charles the Bold's ally in this war was the Duke of Cleves. In addition to money, after the victorious end, this pawn was now transferred as legal property of money.

This first phase of the takeover of power by Burgundy over Brabant by Charles the Bold was ended relatively quickly by his early death on the battlefield in 1477. A permanent inheritance of funds via Karl's daughter Maria of Burgundy to her husband Maximilian of Austria could be prevented for the time being. With the active support of the estates in Geldern, this assumption of power by the Habsburgs was interrupted again by Duke Karl von Egmond from 1492/93 to 1538.

Duke Wilhelm the Rich humbly submits to Charles V on September 6, 1543

Under the mediation and pressure of the estates in Geldern, after the death of Karl von Egmond in 1538, Wilhelm the Rich took over the duchy from the Jülich-Kleve-Berg noble house , who as heir to Jülich-Geldern still had a right to the successor in Geldern. After his lost war over Geldern with Emperor Charles V , Wilhelm had to cede the Duchy of Geldern to the Habsburgs in the Treaty of Venlo in 1543 . Under the latter, Geldern became part of the Spanish Netherlands and was no longer an independent duchy.

The transition from Duke Wilhelm to Duke Charles V was legally secured in the Venlo tract on September 12, 1543. More than seventy representatives of the estates and the knighthood from the three northern quarters signed the transfer of power with this contract with Charles V. Since the Eighty Years' War began in 1568 , which led to the formation of the Republic of the United Netherlands with the active participation of the three northern quarters of Geldern , a revival of an independent Duchy of Geldern was practically no longer possible and it ended prematurely.

Affiliations of the territories of the former Duchy of Geldern from 1648 to 1815

With the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, the independence of the States General and the separation from the HRR were legally recognized. Only the three northern quarters of the former duchy were part of these States General. The upper quarter with Roermond, Venlo and Geldern continued to belong to the Spanish Netherlands even after 1648 .

Upper district of Geldern after 1713

After the end of the Spanish War of Succession in 1713, the upper quarters were divided. Prussia received the northeastern part with the offices of Geldern, Kessel, Krickenbeck and Straelen as well as the exclave of Viersen. Venlo with its immediate surroundings, the Beesel area and the Montfort office fell to the States General and the rest with Roermond belonged to Austrian Geldern . The Erkelenz exclave was assigned to the Duchy of Jülich.

From 1794 French revolutionary troops occupied large areas on the Lower Rhine and the Meuse. For a short time, the upper quarter was combined with the Principality of Moers and the area on the left bank of the Rhine of the Duchy of Kleve to form the Arrondissement of Geldern. On August 31, 1795, the Austrian and the state upper quarters were separated again and merged into the Niedermaas department (French: Meuse-Infériere). Legally belonged from 1801 to 1810 the "Prussian part of funds' with the left-bank part of the former" Duchy of Cleves " Département de la Roer to France.

As a result of the temporary French takeover of power in this area, the Batavian Republic was formed from the States General in January 1795 as a French vassal state, which was renamed the Kingdom of Holland on June 5, 1806 . This state was dissolved by decree on July 9, 1810 and annexed by France. From 1810 to 1814 the French departments Bouches-du-Rhin (German: Departement der Rheinmündungen from 1810) and Yssel Supérieur (from 1811) were formed from the three former Niederquartier.

After the collapse and end of the "French Empire" as a result of the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the formation of the Kingdom of the United Netherlands from the former "States General" and the "Austrian Netherlands" followed. However, the areas of the former four "quarters" were in part no longer completely congruent with the new Dutch successor provinces. The former Prussian part of the upper quarter was practically halved, as the western border with the Netherlands was moved to the east of the Meuse. A narrow Dutch strip on the Maas (distance of a cannon shot) was thus in front of the western Prussian border. The remaining and larger part of the former upper quarter, which did not belong to Prussia, became part of the Netherlands as the new province of Limburg.

General story

Until the early Middle Ages

Geldern was originally inhabited by Menapians . Later Sigambrer and Batavians immigrated . The individual Germanic tribes united to form the Franks . It formed part of the Kingdom of Austrasia . After the fall of the Carolingian monarchy , the later Geldern belonged to the Duchy of Lorraine and came to Eastern Franconia through the Treaty of Meersen in 870 .

Geldern, originally referred to as "Gelre", "Gelera", "Gelria" or "Gielra", was first mentioned in 812 as "Gelleron". At that time it was the name of a landscape area in the area of ​​the lower Niers, and not yet a place name. Local rulers in this area were bailiffs appointed by the king before 1000. So far, only Megingoz von Geldern from 973 to around 998 can be documented, although it is mentioned as "comes", but probably only belonged to the lower nobility. He had property in the area of ​​Geldern and near Bonn.

Presumably at least some of these bailiffs belonged to the family of the “noblemen of Pont”, who were also the builders of the first moated castle in the area of ​​Geldern around 950. This castle, probably built in the area of ​​the intersection of two old Roman roads at a crossing of the Niers, was supposed to secure traffic between the Rhine and the Meuse.

middle Ages

In the second half of the 11th century, territorial power developed in the area of ​​the lower Niers and the lower Meuse ; Gerhard III is the first Count of Geldern . Count von Wassenberg (around 1096, named after Wassenberg Castle ). After the progenitor of the noble family, Count Gerhard I. Flamens , his family is also known as the Flamenses.

The first Count of Geldern was Count Gerhard III in 1096. von Wassenberg can be documented. The son Gerhard II von Geldern had the first Geldrian coins (Arnhem dinars) minted in 1117. Gerhard I. of funds grandson, Henry I († 1182), inherited in 1179 the county Zutphen with the same-named town Zutphen . Due to the free float in Friesland and Westphalia from the Zutphen inheritance, this count had many quarrels with the bishops of Liège, Münster and Paderborn. Since he had good relations with Emperor Barbarossa , he was able to secure his property to a large extent and also received customs at Nijmegen.

The successors Otto I. and Gerhard III./IV. enlarged this property through multiple acquisitions in the Veluwe and Betuwe regions . Both Otto I. and Gerhard III./IV. ruled in the time of the German controversy , in which in June 1206 the battle of Wassenberg took place. Otto I maintained good contacts with the later Guelph Emperor Otto IV and was supported by him in his dispute with Brabant and Utrecht over the Veluwe. In contrast, Gerhard III./IV. Sympathizer of Philipp von Schwaben . This led to the fact that from 1213 to 1214 large areas of money were devastated by mercenaries Otto IV and Roermond burned down.

Otto II , the Lame, fortified several cities and granted them significant privileges to increase trade, and in 1248 Wilhelm von Holland gave him pledge ownership of the bailiwick of the imperial city of Nijmegen .

His son and successor Rainald I raised claims to the Duchy of Limburg against Adolf V , Count von Berg . But since Adolf V had sold his claims to the Duke of Brabant, Duke John I of Brabant was Rainald I's main opponent. In the course of searching for allies against the Brabant, Rainald I pledged the castle and town of Wassenberg to the Archbishop of in 1283 Cologne . Furthermore, in the same year he secured the help of his brother-in-law, Count Dietrich von Cleve , in this feud for the Duchy of Limburg. Both alliances were sealed with a written contract. The resulting armed conflicts led to the decisive battle near Worringen on June 5, 1288 , in which, however, his brother-in-law, the Count of Kleve, did not support Rainald I despite the contract. The battle was lost for Rainald I and he was taken prisoner. Only by waiving all claims to Limburg could he buy his freedom again.

In 1310 he received the Privilegium de non evocando for his possessions from the later Emperor Henry VII , which freed his subjects from the power of foreign courts. Since he was mentally ill as a result of a wound received in the Battle of Worringen , a rebellion arose in Geldern in 1316, headed by his son Rainald II . He seized his father by trickery in 1320 and threw him into prison, where he died in 1326.

Rainald II was made Duke of Geldern by Emperor Ludwig the Bavarian in 1339 and at the same time enfeoffed with East Frisia . During his tenure, the county of Kessel , the Tiel area , the rule of Heinsberg were acquired and the Utrecht upper monastery was incorporated into the duchy by pledging. However, Rainald II accumulated a large debt burden, which arose especially through his support of the English in their Hundred Years War with France.

When Rainald II died in 1343, he was followed by his ten-year-old son Rainald III. under the tutelage of Count Adolf II von der Mark . Two parties were formed that were named after two distinguished families: the Hekeren or Heeckeren , headed by Duke Rainald, and the Bronkhorsten , led by his brother Eduard. In the Battle of Tiel in 1361 Rainald was defeated and taken prisoner; Eduard now took over the government, but lost his life in the Brabant feud (1371).

Book of hours by Maria d'Harcourt , Duchess of Geldern, 1415

Now the previously imprisoned Rainald III. reappointed to the government, but he too died childless that same year. While the Hekeren declared themselves for Mathilde, daughter of Rainald II. And widow of Count Johann von Kleve , the Bronkhorsts tried to help Wilhelm von Jülich , the seven-year-old nephew Rainald III., To rule. His father, Wilhelm II von Jülich, had married the former bride of Duke Eduard von Geldern, Maria von Geldern, also a daughter of Rainald II. This resulted in the First War of the Geldrian Succession , which only ended in 1379 in favor of Wilhelm, who was then recognized by King Wenzel as Duke Wilhelm I of Geldern in 1383 . In 1393 he also inherited the Duchy of Jülich; he died in 1402. His brother and successor Rainald IV , who was Duke of Geldern from 1402 to 1423, had to leave the city of Emmerich to the Duke of Cleves according to an earlier promise .

Time of the Dukes of Egmond

Since Rainald IV also died childless in 1423, the government was taken over by his great-nephew Arnold von Egmond , for whom his father Johann von Egmond , Herr von Arkel, was the guardian. King Sigismund had also confirmed this succession in 1424, but in 1425 he revoked this confirmation and appointed Duke Adolf von Berg and Jülich as Duke of Geldern. A process before the Council of Basel and a long war were the result, as Arnold now also made claims on Jülich. It happened around Hubertus Day on November 3, 1444 between Arnold von Egmond and Adolf's heirs, his nephew Gerhard von Jülich and Berg for the battle of Linnich on today's Hubertuskreuz near Linnich . The war finally ended with the Egmond family in Geldern and Adolf's heirs in Jülich.

Duke Arnold was in constant dispute with his estates, especially those of Nijmegen , because he was imposing heavy taxes on the country. In 1458/59 there was a revolt of the state estates and a conspiracy against Arnold was formed. Of the four quarters, only the upper quarters supported the duke. His own wife, the domineering and violent Katharina von Kleve , and his son Adolf von Egmond took part in the conspiracy. At first Arnold gained the excess weight and Adolf had to flee from Geldern.

By betrayal, Adolf seized his father in 1465 and held him in hard captivity at Büren Castle and temporarily took over the rule. Charles the Bold of Burgundy seized the welcome opportunity to interfere, for which the general indignation at Adolf's cruelty offered him the pretext. He forced Adolf to release his father and imprisoned him (1471). The now reigning Arnold sold the Duchy of Geldern in 1472 for 92,000 gold guilders to the Burgundian. Adolf, however, was freed again after the death of Charles the Bold (1477) and was placed at the head of a party by the Ghent who wanted to force a marriage between him and Mary of Burgundy ; but soon afterwards he found his death at the siege of Tournai .

Katharina von Geldern , Adolf's sister, was now trying to lead the government for his son Karl ; but she was unable to assert herself against Maximilian of Austria , to whom the Burgundian claims had passed through his marriage to Maria von Burgund , the daughter of Charles the Bold. Maximilian's son, Philip the Fair , took possession of the inheritance of Charles the Bold, the territories of Flanders, Brabant and Geldern, to a large extent by 1483. Karl von Egmond was captured by the latter during a battle between Maximilian's troops and the French in 1487 and held in Paris. In 1492 Karl was released through the payment of 80,000 guilders, which the Geldrian estates raised, through the mediation of Count Vincenz von Moers. Charles, who had not given up his claims, raised an army with French support after his release and regained his father's inheritance in 1492 and 1493.

All attempts by Maximilian to recapture Geldern were in vain, and even the Dutch governors, Archduke Philip the Fair and later Margaret of Austria , were unable to do anything against Charles, who invaded Brabant and Holland in 1507, conquered Harderwijk and Bommel in 1511, and advanced in 1512 Amsterdam appeared and in 1514 took Groningen and Arnhem . In addition, he controlled Friesland from 1514 . From 1522 Drenthe and Overijssel also belonged to the sphere of influence of Karl von Egmond and Utrecht followed from 1527. He was at the height of his power and was in no way inferior to the Burgundian-Dutch.

Modern times

The United Duchies of Jülich, Kleve and Berg around 1540. Hatched the Bailiwick of Essen , the Lippstadt condominium and the Duchy of Geldern, inherited in 1538, with the County of Zutphen

It was not until 1528 that Karl von Egmond was forced by Charles V in the “Treaty of Gorkum” to recognize Geldern and Zutphen as imperial fiefs. In addition, in the event of death without a heir, he had to accept that these fiefs would revert to the empire. In the “Secret Treaty of Grunsvoort” 1534, however, he transferred his inheritance to the King of France in the event of his death for annual monetary payments . But in 1536 Charles V forced him to revoke this last agreement in the “Treaty of Grave” and to confirm the Treaty of Gorkum.

Despite this, Duke Karl continued to try to bring his inheritance funds to France. The estates resisted this fiercely and in 1538 forced him to cede the land to the son of the reigning Duke of the United Duchies, Johann von Jülich-Kleve-Berg . In the same year Karl died and Wilhelm the Rich became Duke of Geldern, although Charles V was against this assumption of office. Ally with the French, Wilhelm held his own for a long time with luck. In 1543, however, Charles V himself appeared on the Lower Rhine and forced Duke Wilhelm to cede money to him in the Treaty of Venlo of September 7th, which was now definitively united with the Habsburg-Burgundian Netherlands .

Zutphen, the quarters of Arnhem and Nijmegen and the northern part of Obergeldern (Quartier Roermond) joined the Union of Utrecht in 1579 . The southern district of Roermond (Amt Montfort and the Geldrian strip from Erkelenz to the Meuse) remained under Spanish rule. The Spaniards conquered the city of Geldern in 1587 after the governor in the Dutch service opened the gates for them. He had previously been slapped by a Dutch officer during a drinking bout. By 1590 the Spaniards had largely conquered Obergeldern. From this point onwards, the upper quarter was practically separated from its northern Geldern quarters and was subject to different power-political influences than the Dutch quarters of the former Duchy of Geldern.

Although the territorial area of ​​the Duchy of Geldern practically no longer existed, the area of ​​the upper quarter "á titre de Gueldre" was expanded several times. For the part of the southern Netherlands known as “Spanish money”, the dominions Weert , Wessem and Nederweert were confiscated under Philip II in 1570 . In 1670 more than ten other lordships followed, including the following larger areas: "Dalenbroek", Hamb , Hunsel , Kessenich , Myllendonk and Wickrath .

In accordance with the different power relations between the former upper and lower quarters, the members loyal to the king and the Geldrische accountancy chamber were asked in 1580/81 to move their seat from Arnhem to Roermond. This separation of the upper quarter from the other areas of Geldern was formally confirmed in the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. In the War of the Spanish Succession from 1701 to 1714 there were further armed conflicts, which also affected the upper quarter. For example, the Prussians besieged the fortress of Geldern in 1703 and occupied it after their surrender.

After the end of the war, the upper quarter with the capital Geldern came to Prussia in 1713, with the exception of Venlo , which fell to the States General , and Roermond , which with some neighboring communities fell to Austria as Austrian Geldern and the rest of the Spanish Netherlands .

In the Peace of Basel (1795), however, part of it and in the Peace of Lunéville (1801) the whole fell to France as the Rur department .

At the Congress of Vienna (1815), the entire Rhineland was ultimately awarded to Prussia . Part of the former upper quarter of the Duchy of Geldern was one of them. However, the areas west of the Meuse were ceded to the Netherlands , taking into account a narrow strip running parallel to the east .

As a result, in the course of the Prussian administrative organization on April 23, 1816, the Geldern district was re-established as one of 29 districts in the Jülich-Kleve-Berg Province , which soon became part of the Rhine Province .

Reformation in the Duchy

In contrast to the neighboring areas to the east, the Reformation in Geldern had only a few followers until around 1570. Admittedly, the negative developments in Catholicism also led to reform movements here, but the main aim was to put an end to these evils. Such "innovators" were, for example, Wilhelm Lindanus (1562–1588) and Aegidius de Monte (1570–1577).

Since both the authorities, such as Duke Karl von Egmond, large parts of the nobility and also the vast majority of city leaders, adhered to Catholicism, the formation of Reformed communities and their influx in the duchy remained relatively low until the middle of the 16th century. In 1529 a ducal ordinance was issued against the "Lutherei".

After Duke Karl von Egmond switched to Duke Wilhelm the Rich in 1538, the resistance of the authorities to the Reformation temporarily decreased somewhat. After the move to Charles V in 1543 as Duke of Geldern, however, the oppression became even greater. Shortly after he came to power, on September 28, 1543, he issued an ordinance “Against Anabaptists and Lutherans”.

This constant pressure until almost the end of the 16th century on the supporters of the Reformation led to their expulsion and Protestants fled to the neighboring duchies, including the Duchy of Cleves; there more often to Emmerich and Wesel.

When Charles V abdicated in 1556, the hereditary lands of the Habsburgs were divided under his successor as King of Spain Philip II . The Burgundian Netherlands now became part of Spain, but continued to belong to the HRR . Furthermore, the church provinces in Geldern were restructured in 1559 under Philip II. The district of Zutphen with the northeastern Veluwe was assigned to the Diocese of Deventer , the area around Arnhem to the Diocese of Utrecht and the area around Nijmegen to the Diocese of Roermond .

From the middle of the 16th century, despite the suppression, the activities of the Calvinists increased in the area of ​​what is now the Netherlands and Belgium. In 1566 there was an iconoclasm (Beeldenstorm ) in numerous places in these areas . Philip II then sent more mercenaries to the Burgundian Netherlands and brutally suppressed the influx of Protestantism in the areas controlled by the Spaniards. This sparked the Dutch Eighty Years War against Spain in 1568 .

This led to different political developments in the southern and northern areas of the Burgundian Empire . The southern part, later largely the state of Belgium, and the northern part, the current Netherlands, reacted differently to the despotic rule of Philip II. While the south in the Union of Arras explicitly recognized the sovereignty of the Spaniards in 1579, the northern areas in the Union of Utrecht sought to break away from Spain in January 1579. In the Plakkaat van Verlatinghe on July 26, 1581, they declared their independence and the deposition of Philip II as sovereign. Since this separated the north from the oppression of the Protestant movement in the Catholic south, it was much easier to spread Protestantism in these areas.

From 1572 to 1600, Calvinist communities increasingly formed from east to west in Geldern. One of the most active reformers in this period was Johannes Fontanus (1545–1615). Furthermore, the political and military pressure from the Spaniards on the Lower Rhine and in the area of ​​Geldern grew and large parts of this area were conquered by Spanish troops by around 1585. At the same time, the Protestants were persecuted in the areas controlled by the Spaniards and some were also executed by the Inquisition .

This brutal repression by the Spaniards increased the resistance in the population in the area of ​​the Union of Utrecht and especially north of the upper quarter. Calvinism was now getting more and more popular. The Union's first governor was William of Orange , under whom the fight against the Spaniards by force of arms began. After the assassination of Wilhelm in 1584, his son and successor Moritz von Orange, as governor, succeeded in largely driving the Spaniards out of the territories of the Union of Utrecht.

As early as January 29, 1582, an ordinance was issued in Zutphen and other areas according to which Calvinism was the only publicly permitted religion. From the end of the 16th century onwards, “spiritual Catholic possessions” were confiscated in the northern areas.

While in the three lower quarters the detachment from Spain in fact took place through the capitulation of the Spanish troops in Zutphen and Nijmegen in 1591 with the assumption of power by the governor Moritz of Orange , the entire upper quarter remained under Spanish and thus Catholic control even after 1591. These politically different conditions for the south of Geldern inevitably led to different developments, which also affected the population's membership of Catholicism or the conversion to Protestantism.

The extensive takeover of power by the Republicans from the end of the 16th century in the Niederquartier inevitably led to a further spread of Calvinism in these areas. Since almost all Geldrian cities in the Niederquartiere had been conquered by state troops by 1620, the Catholics there were now viewed as a "political risk". Practiced Catholic faith was suppressed and public Catholic worship was only possible in the chapels of the nobility, as long as this nobility had remained Catholic. With a decree of the Geldrischen Landtag of July 24, 1651, the dismissal of all Catholic officials in the areas of the Republicans was ordered.

However, the situation in the Republican-controlled areas was not uniform in terms of the oppression of Catholics. For example, in the county of Culemburg , an area west of Arnhem, the Catholic faith was tolerated and the Jesuits were even given permission to settle here in 1628.

When the state independence of the Netherlands was officially recognized with the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, the religious confusion in Geldern largely ended. Nevertheless, there were still tensions between Calvinists and Catholics in the 18th century, for example from 1709 in the Werth reign near Bocholt. At this time, the area of ​​this rule was assigned to the diocese of Münster. As a result, the local Reformed came into trouble and the local priest fled to Zutphen. The result was a renewed suppression of the Catholic faith in the county of Zutphen from 1719. Furthermore, the so-called "Office of Gregory VII" was introduced by Pope Benedict XIII. the ordinance of the Geldrischen states of October 19, 1730, whereby the Catholic regular clergy were forbidden from entering the province. However, the local Catholic clergy were allowed to continue to look after their communities.

As a result of the Counter-Reformation, Catholicism was able to gain more supporters again in some areas of the former Niederquartiere from the middle of the 17th century. This is especially true for the eastern part of Zutphen in the area of ​​Lichtenvoorde and Groenlo. Between 1665 and 1674, through military intervention by the Bishop of Münster, Christoph Bernhard von Galen , with the support of the Franciscans, part of the population became Catholic again. The temporary French occupation of the former Niederquartiere from 1772 to 1773 also led to a stabilization of the Catholic faith. The same happened with the formation of the Batavian Republic in 1795. Now all religions were again equal and their members were allowed to hold public offices without restriction. From 1796 the separation of church and state followed and with it the end of the Calvinist state church.

In contrast to the former upper district of Roermond, in which practically the entire population remained Catholic, only a majority of the population was Calvinist after the end of the political upheavals in the lower districts. A notable minority remained Catholic, while the Lutherans formed only a very small minority. In a public census in the province of Gelderland in 1809, out of a total of 248,624 residents, 153,494 were Reformed and 90,306 were Catholics.

The practically exclusive membership of the Catholic faith in the upper quarter also applied to the “Prussian money” from 1713. In a list from 1836 on the religious affiliation of the residents in the eastern part that remained with Prussia after 1815, the proportion of Catholics was 23,128 with only 287 Protestants.

Ruler of Geldern from the Wassenberg family

(List: reign from to , name , born + died , family , etc. )

Coat of arms of the Counts of Geldern / Counts of Wassenberg in the Armorial Gelre , approx. 1380 (incompletely colored)

Counts of Geldern / Counts of Wassenberg

House Wassenberg

  • before 1096 – around 1129 - Gerhard I (also Gerhard III. von Wassenberg) (Count of Geldern) (* around 1060; † around 1129)
  • around 1129 – around 1131 - Gerhard II ( the Tall One) (Count of Geldern) (* around 1090/95; † around 1131)
  • around 1131–1182 - Heinrich I (around 1117; † 1182) (father of Gerhard III (eldest son and co-regent) and Otto I.)
  • 1182–1207 - Otto I (* around 1150; † 1207) (youngest son of Heinrich I)
  • 1207–1229 - Gerhard IV. (* Around 1185; † 1229)
  • 1229–1271 - Otto II ( the Lame ) (* around 1215; † 1271) (son Rainald I)
  • 1271– (1288) 1318 - Rainald I ( the arguable ) (until June 5, 1288 Battle of Worringen ; 1310 Privilegium de non evocando; 1316 uprising) (* around 1255; † 1326)
  • 1318 / 39–1343 - Rainald II. ( The red / the black ) (from 1339 Duke of Geldern, enfeoffed with East Friesland) (* around 1295, † 1343) (son Rainald III., Son Eduard, daughter Mechtild (married to Count Johann von Kleve ))

Dukes of Guelders and Counts of Zutphen

House Wassenberg

  • 1339–1343 - Rainald II. ( The red ) (* around 1295; † 1343) (see above)
  • 1343-1361 - Rainald III. ( the fat one ) (1343/44 under the tutelage of Eleanor of England, daughter of Edward III of England (?) , wife of Rainald II) (* 1333, † 1371)
  • 1361–1371 - Eduard (* 1336; † 1371) (younger brother of Rainald III.)
  • 1371-1371 - Rainald III. ( the thick ) (* 1333; † 1371) (see above)
  • 1371–1379 - (War of Succession)

House Jülich-Heimbach

  • 1371–1402 - Wilhelm I (1371–1377 under the tutelage of Duke Wilhelm von Jülich , his father) (recognized in 1383 by King Wenzel as Duke of Geldern) (* 1363; † 1402) (nephew of Rainald III. And Eduard, to be Brother was Rainald IV.) (By inheritance 1393–1402 Duke of Jülich )
  • 1402–1423 - Rainald IV. (* Around 1365; † 1423) (brother of Wilhelm I, died childless) (1402–1423 Duke of Jülich)

House Egmond

  • 1423–1465 - Arnold von Egmond (1423–1436 under the tutelage of Johann II. Von Egmond, Herr von Arkel) (* 1410; † 1473) (great-nephew (grandson of the sister) of Rainald IV., Son of Johann II. Von Egmond , Herr von Arkel, wife Katharina von Kleve , son Adolf, grandson Karl, daughter Katharina)
  • 1465–1471 - Adolf von Egmond (* 1438; † 1477) (son of Arnold, son Karl)
  • 1471–1473 - Arnold von Egmond (* 1410; † 1473) ( see above )

House Valois (Burgundy)

  • 1473–1477 - Charles the Bold (* 1433; † 1477) (1467–1477 Duke of Burgundy etc.)

House Egmond

House of Habsburg (Burgundian)

House Egmond

  • 1492–1538 - Karl von Egmond (* 1467; † 1538) (son of Adolf, see above )

House of Kleve-Mark

House of Habsburg (Burgundian-Spanish)

  • 1543–1555 - Charles V (* 1500; † 1558)
  • 1555–1581 / 98 - Philip II of Spain (* 1527; † 1598) (1581 the States General deposed Philip II, i.e. the rule of the Duke of Geldern was de facto only over the upper quarters)

from here divisions

  • (Separation into southern and northern parts by the Dutch Revolution (States General))
  • 1713– House of Hohenzollern

coat of arms

The ducal coat of arms of Geldern

The Duchy of Geldern had the following coat of arms: In blue a striding, twin-tailed, red-crowned, red-tongued and red-armored golden lion. On the helmet with golden-red helmet covers as a crest ornament, an umbrella board repeating the shield image, fan-like with silver peacock feathers on a red helmet cushion with silver tassels on blue knots .

The older coat of arms of the Counts of Geldern, on the other hand, showed a Geldern rose , a medlar flower , as it can still be seen today in the lower part of the coat of arms of Goch.

Coat of arms with the Geldrian lion or medlar (rose family)

As a sign of belonging to Geldern, the two figures appear in numerous municipal coats of arms of the German Lower Rhine region and the neighboring Dutch provinces of Limburg and Gelderland , for example:

The Gelre Book of Arms

The Book of Arms Gelre is an important medieval book of arms, it shows around 1800 arms. It was created on behalf of Duke Wilhelm I.

literature

  • GA de Meester: Geschiedenis van de staten van Gelderland, van den oorsprong dead . 2 volumes. Wedding, Harderwijk 1864.
  • Is. Anne Nijhoff: Gedenkwaardigheden uit de geschiedenis van Gelderland . 7 volumes. Nijhoff, Arnhem 1830-1875.
  • P. Nijhoff: Het voornaamste uit de geschiedenis van Gelderland aan jongelieden verhaald . 2 edition. Is. An. Nijhoff en Zoon, Arnhem 1869.
  • Willem Anne van Spaen La Lecq: History of Gelderland . Altheer, Utrecht 1814.
  • Heinrich Ferber: Brief history of the Duchy of Geldern for school and home: published on the occasion of the 150th anniversary celebration of the incorporation of the Duchy of Geldern into the Kingdom of Prussia . Bagel, Wesel 1863 ( digitized version )
  • Duchy of Geldern (= publications of the State Archives of North Rhine-Westphalia , Series D: Exhibition Catalogs State Archives , Vol. 30). Publishing house of the historical association for Geldern and the surrounding area, Geldern 2001.
    • Vol. 1: Johannes Stinner, Karl-Heinz Tekath (ed.): Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern . ISBN 3-921760-35-6 (articles).
    • Vol. 2: Peter van der Coelen, Robert Plötz (Red.): The Golden Age of the Duchy of Geldern. History, art and culture in the 15th and 16th centuries . ISBN 3-921760-31-3 (exhibition catalog).
  • Ralf G. Jahn : The genealogy, the bailiffs, counts and dukes of money. In: Johannes Stinner, Karl-Heinz Tekath (ed.): Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern (= Duchy of Geldern. Vol. 1 = Publications of the State Archives of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia. Series D: Exhibition catalogs of the State Archives. Vol. 30). Verlag des Historisches Verein für Geldern and the surrounding area, Geldern 2001, ISBN 3-9805419-4-0 , pp. 29–50.
  • Irmgard Hantsche: Geldern Atlas. Maps and texts on the history of a territory . Historical association for Geldern and the surrounding area, Geldern 2003, ISBN 3-921760-39-9 .
  • Wil van de Pas (Ed.): "Tussen centraal en lokaal gezag". Bestuurlijke organisatie en financieel beheer in Gelre en Holland tijdens de Habsburgse period . Works Gelre, Hilversum 2004, ISBN 90-6550-831-7 .
  • Instructie voor Magistraten, Drossarden, Voogden, Scholtissen, Schepenen enRegeerders concerning d 'Aanwerving der Land-Capitulanten voor Hertogdom money . Bontamps, Te Gelder 1789. ( digitized version )

See also

Web links

Wikisource: Duchy of Geldern in the Topographia Circuli Burgundici (Mathäus Merian)  - sources and full texts
Commons : Guelders  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ For the distribution of languages ​​see: Irmgard Hantsche: Atlas zur Geschichte des Niederrheins . Cartography by Harald Krähe. Bottrop / Essen: Verlag Peter Pomp, 1999 (series of publications by the Niederrhein Academy, volume 4), p. 98f
  2. ^ Heinrich Neu, in: NDB / Geldern, Counts and Dukes of. , 1964, Volume 6, p. 171. Online version [1]
  3. ↑ a b c Peter Schiffer: The territorial development of the county and the duchy of Geldern . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 51–54, here p. 51.
  4. ↑ Peter Schiffer: The territorial development of the county and the Duchy of Geldern . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 51–54, here p. 52.
  5. ↑ Peter Schiffer: The territorial development of the county and the Duchy of Geldern . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 51–54, here pp. 52–53.
  6. ↑ Peter Schiffer: The territorial development of the county and the Duchy of Geldern . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 51–54, here p. 53.
  7. ↑ Theodor Joseph Lacomblet, in: Document book for the history of the Lower Rhine or the Archbishopric of Cologne, document 1081 , 1853, volume 4, 1401 to 1609, p. [970] 958.
  8. ^ Wilhelm Janssen: The history of Geldern up to the tract of Venlo (1543). An overview . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 13–28, here 23.
  9. ^ Wilhelm Janssen: The history of Geldern up to the tract of Venlo (1543). An overview . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 13–28, here 25.
  10. ↑ Frank Keverling Buisman: The Peace and Treatise of Venlo (1543) and the consequences for the administration of money and Zutphen . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 65–72, here pp. 67–68.
  11. ↑ Irmgard Hantsche: History of Geldern in a modern map . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 437–455, here p. 449.
  12. ^ Gerhard HA Venner: The upper quarter of Geldern in the years 1543–1795. In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 75–80, here p. 79.
  13. ↑ Irmgard Hantsche: History of Geldern in a modern map . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 437–455, here pp. 450–451.
  14. ^ Gerhard HA Venner: Historical research on the history of the Duchy of Geldern. A cross-border topic . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , p. 477 ff.
  15. ^ Ralf G. Jahn : Chronicle of the county and the Duchy of Geldern . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 489–519, here p. 518 (Appendix: Lists of the Dukes of Geldern).
  16. ↑ Ralf G. Jahn: The genealogy of the bailiffs, counts and dukes of Geldern . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 29–50, here pp. 29–30
  17. ^ Ralf G. Jahn: Chronicle of the county and the Duchy of Geldern . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 489–519, here pp. 490–491.
  18. ↑ NDB, 1964, Volume 6, pp. 264/5.
  19. ↑ ADB, 1887, Volume 24, p. 690.
  20. ↑ Theodor Joseph Lacomblet, in: Document book for the history of the Lower Rhine or the Archbishopric of Cologne, documents 782 + 783 , 1846, volume 2, 1201 to 1300, pp. [496/497] 458/459.
  21. ↑ For the power constellation before the battle of Worringen see: Irmgard Hantsche: Atlas zur Geschichte des Niederrheins . Cartography by Harald Krähe. Bottrop / Essen: Verlag Peter Pomp, 1999 (series of publications by the Niederrhein Academy, vol. 4), p. 32f
  22. ^ Ralf G. Jahn: Chronicle of the county and the Duchy of Geldern . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 489–519, here p. 497
  23. ↑ Ralf G. Jahn: The genealogy of the bailiffs, counts and dukes of Geldern . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 29–50, here p. 36.
  24. ^ Wilhelm Janssen: The history of Geldern up to the tract of Venlo (1543). An overview . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 13–28, here pp. 22–23.
  25. ↑ Clemens von Looz-Corswarem : Geldern and the neighbors Kleve, Jülich and Berg from the late Middle Ages to 1543 . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 123–128, here 126–127.
  26. ^ Ralf G. Jahn: Chronicle of the county and the Duchy of Geldern . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 489–519, here p. 506.
  27. ^ Ralf G. Jahn: Chronicle of the county and the Duchy of Geldern . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 489–519, here p. 507.
  28. ↑ Aloysius Maria Joannes Augustinus Berkvens: Territorial expansion of the southern Netherlands à titre de Gueldre (1570–1702) . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 81–86, here p. 81.
  29. ↑ a b c d e Willem Frijhoff: The Protestant Reformation in the Niederquartier . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 323–336, here p. 323.
  30. ↑ a b c Willem Frijhoff: The Protestant Reformation in the Niederquartieren . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 323–336, here p. 324.
  31. ↑ Willem Frijhoff: The Protestant Reformation in the low quarters . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 323–336, here p. 325.
  32. ↑ a b Willem Frijhoff: The Protestant Reformation in the low quarters . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 323–336, here p. 330.
  33. ↑ Willem Frijhoff: The Protestant Reformation in the low quarters . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 323–336, here p. 327.
  34. ↑ a b Willem Frijhoff: The Protestant Reformation in the low quarters . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 323–336, here p. 331.
  35. ↑ a b c Willem Frijhoff: The Protestant Reformation in the Niederquartieren . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 323–336, here p. 329.
  36. ↑ Willem Frijhoff: The Protestant Reformation in the low quarters . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 323–336, here p. 328.
  37. ↑ Willem Frijhoff: The Protestant Reformation in the low quarters . In: Duchy of Geldern , vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 323–336, here p. 334.
  38. ↑ Johann Georg von Viehahn, in: Statistics and topography of the district of Dusseldorf , 1836, Second Part, pp 107-113.

Remarks

  1. ↑ The Reichswald covered large areas between Nijmegen in the north to Grafenthal in the south, bounded in the west by Malden, Mook and Nergena and in the east by Beck, Groesbeek, Frasselt and Nütterden. It included the Niederwald, the Oberwald and the Kelkt in the southeast.
  2. ↑ The estates raised 80,000 guilders, which were needed as ransom for the liberation of Karl von Egmond from French internment.
  3. ↑ It is noticeable that no representatives of the estates signed this treatise from the upper quarter. The reason for this is still unclear.
  4. ↑ This new province of Limburg is not identical to the historical county and later Duchy of Limburg. This was practically south of a line formed by Liège and Aachen.
  5. ↑ The castle in the area of ​​the city of Geldern was built around 1120, documented in 1255. This castle was demolished in 1637 because it hindered the expansion and modernization of the fortifications by the Spaniards at that time. (Proof: Ralf G. Jahn: Chronicle of the County and the Duchy of Geldern . In: Duchy of Geldern , Vol. 1: Gelre - Geldern - Gelderland. History and Culture of the Duchy of Geldern , pp. 489-519, here pp. 491, 493 and 513).
  6. ↑ The data situation for the first family members of the "Flamenses", branch: Wassenberg / Geldern, is incomplete. Historians cite various people as the predecessor of Gerhard I von Geldern. Mostly the first members listed before Gerhard I von Geldern are “Gerhard I von Wassenberg → Gerhard II von Wassenberg → Heinrich von Wassenberg”.
  7. ↑ The rule of Heinsberg belonged to Geldern for only a few decades and changed to Jülich.