Dietrich VII, Count of Cleves

Dietrich VII was Count of Cleves from 1275 through 1305.

The County of Cleves (German: Grafschaft Kleve; Dutch: Graafschap Kleef) was a comital polity of the Holy Roman Empire in present Germany (part of North Rhine-Westphalia) and the Netherlands (parts of Limburg, Noord-Brabant and Gelderland). Its rulers, called counts, had a special and privileged standing in the Empire. The County of Cleves was first mentioned in the 11th century. In 1417, the county became a duchy (German: Herzogtum Kleve; Dutch: Hertogdom Kleef) and its rulers were raised to the status of Dukes.

Its history is closely related to that of its neighbours: the Duchies of Jülich, Berg and Guelders and the County of Mark. In 1368, Cleves and Mark were united. In 1521 Jülich, Berg, Cleves and Mark formed the United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg. The territory was situated on both sides of the river Rhine, around its capital Cleves and roughly covering today's districts of Cleves, Wesel and the city of Duisburg.

Family

Dietrich VII of Cleves was the son of Dietrich VI, Count of Cleves and his wife Margareta of Gelre. He was the younger brother of Otto, Count of Cleves.

Dietrich VII married Margaret of Habsburg, daughter of Eberhard I of Habsburg and his wife Anna of Kyburg. They had one son and three daughters:^[1]

• Margareta of Cleves (died after 18 Sep 1348). Married Adolph II of the Marck
• Elisabeth of Cleves (1307-Spangenberg 13 Nov 1382). Married 1: Viscount Gerard of Voorne , 2) Landgrave Otto II of Hessen.
• Maria of Cleves (died after 20 Aug 1333).
• Dietrich VIII married Margareta of Gelre, daughter of Reinoud I, Count of Guelders and his second wife Marguerite of Flandres.

After the death of Margareta of Gelre, Dietrich VIII of Cleves married Maria of Jülich, the widow of Henry II, Count of Virneburg, and daughter of Gerard V, Count of Jülich and Elisabeth of Brabant. There were no children from this second marriage.

References

1. ^ Medieval Lands

Preceded by Dietrich VI

Count of Cleves 1275–1305

Succeeded by Otto