William VII of Jülich, 1st Duke of Berg

Was from 1360, Count of Berg and William I, Count of Berg Ravens, from 1380 when William I Duke of Berg, Wilhelm II von Berg († June 24, 1408 in Dusseldorf * 1348 ).

History

Family

William was the only son of Count Gerhard of mountain of the house of Jülich ( - Heimbach ) and Margaret of Ravens Mountain Mountain. He married 1360 Anna of the Palatinate, daughter of the Elector Ruprecht II of the Palatinate. Of his sons, Ruprecht, Gerhard, Adolf Wilhelm and he paid Adolf and Wilhelm from successively with the county Ravens mountain, Ruprecht (died 1394) and William he helped also to the episcopal election in Paderborn. His daughter Beatrix von Berg (1360-1395) married 1385 Prince Elector Ruprecht I. (Pfalz ), and thus became Electress. She was buried in a prominent place in the abbey church ( Neustadt on the Wine Route ); Grave and epitaph are getting there.

Rule

Under William's reign, the county became the Duchy of Berg and Fahnlehen. At the Diet of Aachen on May 24, 1380, King Wenceslas William the title of Duke and took him into the imperial princes. Wilhelm thus obtained the legal right to be allowed to lead campaigns, the royal horse by the bridle. In addition, he was admitted to a friendship alliance next to the Dukes of Jülich and Geldern and later appointed by the Emperor Charles IV to Council and of the household of King Wenceslas.

During his reign, he bought some parishes to Agger and victory and also gained Blankenberg. He paid for the 1368 rule Hardenberg and Kaiserwerth pledge.

From 1386 resided Duke William I in Dusseldorf. There he had converted a castle on the Rhine. The previously small parish church of Düsseldorf, St. Lambertus, and the city have also been expanded princely.

Wars

He waged war against the counties of Mark and Cleves, also to prevent the union of the two countries, but was taken prisoner at the battle of Kleverham on June 7, 1397 with his whole army. He could buy himself and his followers, but had to pledge for large parts of his territory. His sons Adolf, Gerhard Wilhelm and saw this as a threat to her heritage and rebelled openly against the father. They forced themselves from some areas. Adolf attacked the father finally at Monheim on 28 November 1403 and placed him in custody until August 1404. On August 24, 1404 William was liberated by the faithful from the castle Wupper and was able to prevail in the reign question on July 2, 1405 with the help of King Ruprecht. However, he left his son Adolf largely dominion over the mountain.

Tomb

William died in 1408 in Dusseldorf. The tomb can not be determined unambiguously. However, in the Altenberg Cathedral, there is a grave stone for him. So it can be assumed that he was buried, as well as his son there.