Duchy of Jülich-Berg
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Map of Duchy of Julich.

The Jülich-Berg or sometimes the Duchy of Jülich (German: Herzogtum Jülich; Dutch: Gulik) was a state enlarged from the County of Jülich and became a duchy when combined with the County of Berg in the Holy Roman Empire, so that the territories are situated in present day Germany (part of North Rhine-Westphalia) and the Netherlands (part of Limburg). Its territory was situated on both sides of the river Rur, around its capital Jülich in the lower end of the Rhine drainage basin. It was combined with County of Berg in 1423.

The County of Jülich (Grafschaft Jülich) was first mentioned in the 11th century. In the 14th century, the county became a duchy. Its history is closely related to that of its neighbours: the Duchies of Cleves, Berg, and Guelders and the County of Mark. In 1423, Jülich and Berg were united. 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 to Maria von Geldern, daughter of William VIII of Jülich-Berg, who became heiress to her father's estates: Jülich, Berg, and the County of Ravensberg.

When the last duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg died issueless in 1609, a war broke out for the succession. The duchies were divided between Palatinate-Neuburg (Jülich and Berg) and Margraviate of Brandenburg (Cleves and Mark) in the Treaty of Xanten of 1614. When the last duke of Palatinate-Neuburg (after 1685 also Palatine Elector) died issueless in 1742, Jülich and Berg were inherited by the Duke of Palatinate-Sulzbach (after 1777 also Duke of Bavaria).

In 1794, the Duchy of Jülich was occupied by France, and it became part of the French département of the Roer. 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.

Dukes since 1356

– 1393-1423 in Union with Geldern, since 1423 with Berg, since 1437 with Ravensberg –

• 1356-1361 William I. (before Count of Jülich)
• 1362-1393 William II.
• 1393-1402 William III.
• 1402-1423 Rainald
• 1423–1437 Adolf
• 1437–1475 Gerhard
• 1475–1511 William IV.

House Mark, Dukes

– since 1521 a part of the Jülich-Cleves-Berg –

• 1511–1539 Johann
• 1539–1592 William V.
• 1592–1609 Johann Wilhelm I.

House of Wittelsbach, Dukes

– in union with Berg und Palatinate-Neuburg, since 1690 also with the Electoral Palatinate, since 1777 also with Bavaria–

• 1614–1653 Wolfgang Wilhelm
• 1653–1679 Phillip Wilhelm
• 1679–1716 Johann Wilhelm II.
• 1716–1742 Karl Phillip
• 1742–1794 Karl Theodor

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

v • d • e Lower Rhenish–Westphalian Circle (1500–1806) of the Holy Roman Empire Ecclesiastical Cambrai · Corvey1 · Liège · Minden2 · Münster · Stavelot–Malmedy1 · Osnabrück · Paderborn · Utrecht (until 1548) · Verden (until 1648) Prelates Corvey2 · Essen · Herford · Kornelimünster · Stavelot–Malmedy2 · Thorn · Werden Secular Cleves with Mark · East Frisia1 · Jülich–Berg · Guelders (until 1548) · Minden1 · Moers1 · Nassau-Dillenburg1 · Verden1 Counts Lords from 1500 Bentheim · Bronkhorst (until 1719) · Diepholz · East Frisia (until 1667) · Horne3 (until 1614) · Hoya · Lingen3 · Lippe · Manderscheid (until 1546) · Moers (until 1541) · Nassau-Dillenburg (until 1664) · Oldenburg (until 1777) · Pyrmont · Ravensberg3 · Reichenstein · Rietberg · Salm-Reifferscheid · Sayn · Schaumburg · Tecklenburg · Virneburg · Wied · Winneburg and Beilstein · Zimerauff from 1792 Anholt · Blankenheim and Gerolstein · Gemen · Gimborn · Gronsfeld · Hallermund · Holzapfel · Kerpen-Lommersum · Myllendonk · Reckheim · Schleiden · Wickrath · Wittem status uncertain Delmenhorst · Fagnolle · Nassau (Diez · Hadamar) · Schaumburg (Hesse · Lippe) · Spiegelberg · Steinfurt Cities Aachen · Cologne · Dortmund · Duisburg? · Herford? · Verden (from 1648) · Warburg? 1 from 1792.   2 until 1792.   3 without Reichstag seat.   ? status uncertain.