Coordinates: 50°55′N 06°21′E / 50.917°N 6.35°E
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Duchy of Jülich (German: Herzogtum Jülich; Dutch: Hertogdom Gulik) was a state of the Holy Roman Empire. Its territory lies in present-day Germany (part of North Rhine-Westphalia) and in the present-day Netherlands (part of Limburg). The Duchy had territories on both sides of the river Rur, around its capital Jülich in the lower Rhineland. It amalgamated with the County of Berg in 1423, and from then on also became known as Jülich-Berg. Linguistically and culturally Julich had close ties with the Netherlands Province of Limburg, sharing the same Limburgisch language; it only became germanized when Prussia acquired the region in 1815.
The County of Jülich (Grafschaft Jülich) was first mentioned[by whom?] in the 11th century. In 1356 the county became a duchy. Its history became closely intertwined with that of its neighbours: the Duchies of Cleves, Berg, and Guelders and the County of Mark. In 1423, Jülich and Berg amalgamated. In 1521 Jülich, Berg, Cleves and Mark formed the United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg in a personal union under John III, Duke of Cleves who married Maria von Geldern, daughter of William VIII of Jülich-Berg, who inherited her father's estates: Jülich, Berg, and the County of Ravensberg.
When the last duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg died without direct heirs in 1609, the War of the Jülich succession broke out. The Treaty of Xanten of 1614 divided the separate duchies between Palatinate-Neuburg (Jülich and Berg) and the Margraviate of Brandenburg (Cleves and Mark). When the last duke of Palatinate-Neuburg (after 1685 also Palatine Elector) died issueless in 1742, the Duke of Palatinate-Sulzbach (after 1777 also Duke of Bavaria) inherited Jülich and Berg.
In 1794 France occupied the Duchy of Jülich, and it became part of the French département of the Roer. The Treaty of Lunéville in 1801 officially ackowledged the cession of Jülich to France. In 1815, after the defeat of Napoleon, the duchy became part of the Prussian Province of Jülich-Cleves-Berg (after 1822 the Prussian Rhine Province), except for the cities Sittard and Tegelen, which became part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Contents |
Dukes from 1356
– 1393-1423 in Union with Geldern, from 1423 with Berg, from 1437 with Ravensberg –
- 1356-1361 William I (previously Count of Jülich)
- 1362-1393 William II
- 1393-1402 William III
- 1402-1423 Rainald
- 1423–1437 Adolf
- 1437–1475 Gerhard
- 1475–1521 William IV
House of Mark, Dukes
– from 1521 a part of the United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg –
- 1521–1539 John
- 1539–1592 William V
- 1592–1609 John William I
House of Wittelsbach, Dukes
– in union with Berg and Palatinate-Neuburg, after 1690 also with the Electoral Palatinate, from 1777 also with Bavaria–
- 1614–1653 Wolfgang William
- 1653–1679 Philip William
- 1679–1716 John William II
- 1716–1742 Charles Philip
- 1742–1794 Charles Theodore
External links
- Edicts of Jülich, Cleves, Berg, Grand Duchy Berg, 1475-1815 (Coll. Scotti) online
- Settlement of Dortmund between Brandenburg and Palatinate-Neuburg and the conflict of succession in Jülich, in full text
- Map of the Duchy of Jülich in 1789
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
