Reginald III of Guelders

Reginald III of Guelders, known as "The Fat", born May 13, 1333, died December 4, 1371, was Duke of Guelders and Count de Zutphen from 1343 to 1361, and again in 1371. He was the son of Reginald II of Guelders and of Eleanor of Woodstock, daughter of Edward II of England.

With the death of his father in 1343, his mother held the regency until 1344. From 1350, his brother Edward asserted his rights and a quarrel of succession burst out between the two brothers until 1361. Renaud was overcome in Tiel and was imprisoned in the castle of Nijenbeek. There he became so large that he could not have left, even if the door had remained open. Edward died August 22, 1371 in the Battle of Baesweiler and Reginald was released (according to the legend, the walls had to be cut so he could leave), but he held the ducal throne for only a short period, because he died a few months later.

As he did not have a legitimate child, the succession passed to his sisters, who fought between them for the duchy of Guelders.

Marriage and child

He had married in Tervuren on July 1, 1347, to Marie of Brabant (1325 † 1399), lady of Turnhout, daughter of John III, Duke of Brabant and Marie d'Evreux.

They did not have children, but Renaud had an illegitimate daughter, Ponte of Guelders, who married Johan van Groesbeek († 1428), lord of Heumen and Malden.

ources

* this article incorporates material from the French Wikipedia article [http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaud_III_de_Gueldre Renaud III de Gueldre]