Noble family House of La Marck Mother Margaret of Julich | Name Adolph I | |
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Father Adolph III, Count of Mark Born 2 August 1373 ( 1373-08-02 ) Died September 23, 1448, Wesel, Germany Spouse Marie of Burgundy, Duchess of Cleves (m. 1406) Children John I, Duke of Cleves, Maria of Cleves Parents Adolf III of the Marck, Margaret of Julich Grandchildren Louis XII of France, Mary of Guelders Similar People Adolf - Duke of Guelders, John the Fearless, Charles - Duke of Orleans, Louis XII of France, Mary of Guelders | ||
Adolph I of Cleves (German: Adolf I) (2 August 1373 – 23 September 1448) was the second Count of Cleves and the fourth Count of Mark.
Contents
Life
He was the son of Adolph III, Count of Mark, and Margaret of Jülich (and thus the brother of Margaret of Cleves).
After his father's death in 1394, he became Count of Cleves. In 1397 he defeated his uncle William VII of Jülich, 1st Duke of Berg in the battle of Kleverhamm and became Lord of Ravenstein.
When his brother Dietrich IX, Count of Mark died in battle in 1398, he also became Count of Mark. Adolph further expanded his influence by marrying a daughter of the Duke of Burgundy. As a result, Cleves was raised to a Duchy by the Holy Roman Emperor, Sigismund, in 1417.
From 1409 onwards he faced opposition from his younger brother Gerhard, who claimed the County of Mark. By 1423, their dispute resulted in an armed conflict, with Gerhard allying himself with the Archbishop of Cologne.
A peace was signed between the two brothers in 1430 and confirmed in 1437. As a result, Gerhard ruled the largest part of Mark, but was to be succeeded by his nephew John. He was not allowed to call himself Count of Mark, but has to use the title Count zur Mark. After Gerhard's death in 1461, the County of Mark and the Duchy of Cleves were reunited again.
Marriage and children
Shortly before the year 1400 he married Agnes, daughter of Rupert of Germany and Elisabeth of Nuremberg. Agnes died a year later with no issue.
In 1406 Adolf married Marie of Burgundy, daughter of John the Fearless and Margaret of Bavaria. They had the following issue: