Dietrich VIII, Count of Cleves

Dietrich VIII was Count of Cleves from 1310 through 1347.

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.

Dietrich VIII married

• Margaret of Guelders (-1333), daughter of Reginald I of Guelders, in 1308
• Maria of van Jülich (-1353), daughter of Gerhard V of Jülich, in 1340

He had two daughters:

• Margaret (-1341), married in 1332 Adolph II of the Marck (-1347), had issue.
• Elisabeth (1307-1382), married Gerard van Voorne and Otto II of Hesse.

He was succeeded by his brother John.
When his brother also died without a son, the County of Cleves went to his nephew and so to the Counts of Marck.

Preceded by Otto

Count of Cleves 1310–1347

Succeeded by Johann