Adolph I, Duke of Cleves

Adolf von der Mark (* August 2, 1373; † September 23, 1448 ) was ruler of the counties of Cleves and Mark, he became in 1417 the first Duke of Cleves. Adolf is thus referred to in Kleve as Adolf II Count of Cleves from 1417 and occasionally as Adolf I Duke of Cleves. In the census of the county of Mark, he is listed as Adolf IV, Count of the Mark. Since the battle of Klever Hamm 1397 he is also Lord of the rule Ravenstein, when Adolf I. by Rave Steiner count.

Life

Adolf of Cleves had been born in 1373 as the eldest son of Count Adolf I of Kleve and Margarethe von Berg. After his father's death in 1394, Adolf Count of Cleves had become. In 1397 he defeated his uncle Duke William of mountain in the Battle of Klever Hamm and acquired in the ensuing peace, the rule Ravenstein. When in 1398 his brother Dietrich, Count of Mark, died, Adolf united the two counties under his rule. In the following years he extended his territory and increased its political influence, especially in 1406 by marrying Mary, the daughter of John of Burgundy. His effort was crowned by the fact that King Sigismund in 1417 rose to the Duchy of Cleves.

1404 bought by the Count the right bank Klever possessions to Wesel and Dinslaken by his uncle Dietrich von der Mark for the main line back. From 1409 Adolf had to the claims of his brother Gerhard help thinking of the county had Mark laid claim and formed an alliance with Dietrich II of Moers, the Archbishop of Cologne. To open fighting it came from 1423. 1437 began a brief period of peace after the estates had Adolf forced to leave Gerhard a large part of the county. The Feud of Soest the fighting broke out again: The city of Soest had fallen out with their ruler Adolf Dietrich and recognized as the new ruler. Numerous imperial estates and the House of Burgundy intervened in the feud that escalated into a so far-flung conflict. The end of the conflict and thus the klevian dominion over Soest and Xanten in 1449 Adolf II did not live.

In addition to the survey of the duchy of Kleve Adolf drove the country's development progress including through irrigation systems and the modernization of the administration. He reorganized the firm in the country and called for a permanent council.

Duke Adolf was buried in the Carthusian monastery founded by him on the Grave island near Wesel.

Drive up

Marriage and issue

In his first marriage Adolf married about 1400 Agnes (* 1379, † 1401 ), a daughter of the German king Rupert of the Palatinate. This marriage remained childless.

His second wife he married in 1406 Mary of Burgundy (* 1393, † October 30, 1463 ), the daughter of Duke John of Burgundy and Margaret of Bavaria. From this marriage sprang ten children:

  • Margarete (* February 24, 1416, † May 20, 1444 ), married in 1433 his first wife William III. of Bavaria ( † 1435 ) and his second wife in 1441 Duke Ulrich V of Württemberg
  • Catherine ( * May 25, 1417, † February 10, 1479 ), married on July 23, 1423 Arnold of Egmond, Duke of Gelre
  • Johann (* January 14, 1419, † September 5, 1481 ), as Johann Adolf I. successor as Duke of Cleves
  • Elisabeth ( * October 1, 1420, † 1488 ), married on July 15, 1434 Count Heinrich XXVI. of Schwarzburg- Blankenburg
  • Agnes (* February 24, 1422, † 1446 ), married on September 30, 1439 in Olite Charles of Viana, Charles IV as the rightful King of Navarre (House Trastámara )
  • Helena (* August 18, 1423; † July 1471 ), married on February 12, 1436 Duke Henry II of Brunswick -Lüneburg
  • Adolf ( * June 28, 1425; † September 18, 1492 ), married on May 13, 1453 Beatrice of Portugal (* 1435, † 1462 ), daughter of Peter of Portugal, Duke of Coimbra
  • Maria ( * September 19, 1426, † 1487 ), married 1440 Charles of Valois, Duke of Orléans; her son was when Louis XII. French king
  • Anna (* January 25, 1432 ), died young
  • Engelbert (* / † June 30, 1433 )

Also, was Adolf fathered at least three illegitimate children.

30580
de