Arnold, Duke of Gelderland

Arnold of Egmond (1410 – February 23 1473) was Duke of Guelders, Count of Zutphen. He was son of John II of Egmond and Maria van Arkel.

In 1423, on the death of Duke Reinoud IV, the towns raised to the ducal dignity his sister's grandson Arnold of Egmond, who was still a boy in years. Although the Emperor Sigismund had invested the Duke of Berg with the duchy of Gelders, Arnold retained the confidence of the Estates by enlarging their privileges, and enjoyed the support of Duke Philip of Burgundy, to whose niece, the daughter of Duke Adolf of Cleves, he was betrothed, and afterwards united in marriage. Subsequently, however, Duke Arnold fell out with his ally as to the succession to the see of Utrecht; whereupon Philip joined with the four chief towns of Gelderland in the successful attempt of Arnold's son Adolf to substitute his own for his father's authority. But when in 1467 Charles the Bold became Duke of Burgundy, who could not bring himself to befriend a friend of the towns, Adolf after rejecting a compromise was thrown into prison, and his incapable father, against the will of the towns and the law of the land, pledged his duchy to Charles for 300,000 Rhenish florins (1471). Upon Arnold's death two years later, Charles took possession of the duchy.

Family and children

He was married in Cleves on 26 January 1430 to Catherine of Cleves (1417–1479), daughter of Adolph IV, Duke of Cleves and Mary of Burgundy. Their children were:
* Mary (c. 1431–1463), married July 3, 1449 to James II, King of Scots
* William (born c. 1434), died young
* Margaret (c. 1436–1486, Simmern), married on 16 August 1454 to Frederick I, Count of Palatine-Simmern.
* Adolph (1438–1477)
* Catherine (1439 – 1496), Regent of Geldern in 1477–1481. She was married secretly in 1464 to Louis of Bourbon, Bishop of Liège.

He also had numerous illegitimate children.

External links

* [http://www.genealogie-mittelalter.de/geldern_herzoege_von/arnold_von_egmont_herzog_1473/arnold_von_egmont_herzog_von_geldern_+_1473.html|Die Genealogie des Mittelalters]