Wilhelm, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg

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William "The Rich", Duke of Jülich-Kleve-Berg (Wilhelm "der Reiche", Herzog von Jülich-Kleve-Berg) (Düsseldorf July 28, 1516 - Düsseldorf January 5, 1592) was Duke of Cleves and Jülich-Berg.

As the only son of Johann III, Duke of Jülich-Berg and Duke of Cleves-Mark, and Maria, Duchess of Jülich-Berg, he took over rule of his father's estates (duchy of Cleves and county of Mark) upon his death in 1539. Despite his mother living up until 1543, he also became the Duke of Berg and Julich and the Count of Ravenstein. He is also known as William V as Duke of Jülich, William IX as Count of Julich, William IV of Berg, and William I of Cleves-Mark.

From 1539 to 1543, he also held, as a Duke, the neighbouring territory of Guelders, as successor of his distant relatives the Egmond dukes. In accordance with the Treaty of Venlo (1543), this territory (including the county Zutphen) was transferred to Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. Thus Gelderland was finally and for good combined with the Habsburg-Burgundian Netherlands.

His sister Anne of Cleves was briefly married with Henry VIII of England.

[edit] Marriages and Descendants

Wilhelm married Jeanne d'Albret, heiress of Navarre in 1541, when she was just thirteen years old, but this political marriage was annulled four years later.

Wilhelm married Maria of Habsburg, Archduchess of Austria (1531 - 1581), daughter of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor and Anna of Bohemia and Hungary on July 18, 1546 and they had the following children:

• Marie Eleonore (June 25, 1550-1608), married Albert Frederick, Duke of Prussia.
• Anna (March 1, 1552-1632), married Philip Louis, Count Palatine of Palatinate-Neuburg.
• Magdalene (1553-1633), married John I of Pfalz-Zweibrücken {Brother of Philip Louis, Count Palatine of Neuberg {Above}
• Karl Friedrich (1555-1575)
• Elizabeth (1556-1561)
• Sibylle [1] (1557-1627), married Karl II of Austria, Margrave of Burgau, morganatic son of Ferdinand II, Archduke of Austria
• John William (May 28, 1562 - March 25, 1609), Bishop of Münster, Count of Altena, Duke of Jülich-Kleve-Berg. He was first married in 1585 to Jakobea of Baden (died 1597), daughter of Philibert, Margrave of Baden-Baden. He was secondly married to Antonia of Lorraine (died 1610) daughter of Charles III, Duke of Lorraine). He had no known legitimate children. He possibly had a son from a unproven morganatic marriage.

Preceded by: John III, Duke of Cleves-Mark	Duke of Cleves, Count of Mark 1539–1592	Succeeded by: John William, Duke of Cleves
Preceded by: John, Duke of Julich-Berg and Maria, Duchess of Julich-Berg	Duke of Julich and Berg 1539–1592	Succeeded by: John William, Duke of Julich
Preceded by: Charles, Duke of Gelderland	Duke of Gelderland and Count of Zutphen 1539–1543	Succeeded by: Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor