William II, Duke of Jülich
Encyclopedia
William II, Duke of Jülich (c. 1327 – 13 December 1393) was the second Duke of Jülich
and the sixth William in the House of Jülich. He was the second son of William I of Jülich
and Joanna of Hainaut
.
William was Mitregent from 1343. He quarreled greatly with his father and imprison him from 1349-1351. He tried for many years in Holland-Zeeland to enforce claims against the House of Wittelsbach but failed. When his father died in 1361, William became the second Duke of Jülich, his elder brother Gerhard
having predeceased their father. He led the traditional feuds of the House of Jülich and lost Kaiserswerth and Zülpich, among others. William intervened in favor of Edward in the catastrophic war of succession between his brothers-in-law Reinald and Edward
for control of the Duchy of Guelders. He took part in the 1371 Battle of Baesweiler
(in which Edward was mortally wounded) and captured Wenceslaus I, Duke of Luxembourg
. His brother-in-law Reinald died later in 1371 and as neither Reinald nor Edward left heirs, another fight for the succession of Guelders arose between William and his wife Maria (sister to Reinald and Edward) and Maria's sister Mathilde, wife of John II, Count of Blois
. In 1377, Emperor Charles IV
granted Guelders to William's son William but the title wasn't secured until 1379. William acquired among other things Monschau-Montjoie, Randerath and Linnich.
Duchy of Jülich
The Duchy of Jülich comprised a state within the Holy Roman Empire from the 11th to the 18th centuries. The duchy lay left of the Rhine river between the Electorate of Cologne in the east and the Duchy of Limburg in the west. It had territories on both sides of the river Rur, around its capital...
and the sixth William in the House of Jülich. He was the second son of William I of Jülich
William V, Duke of Jülich
William V, Duke of Jülich , the first Duke of Jülich, was the eldest son of Gerhard V of Jülich and Elisabeth of Brabant-Aarschot, daughter of Godfrey of Brabant....
and Joanna of Hainaut
Joanna of Hainaut
Joanna of Hainault was the third daughter of William I, Count of Hainaut and Joanna of Valois. She was a younger sister of Philippa of Hainault, Queen of England, and Margaret II of Hainault...
.
William was Mitregent from 1343. He quarreled greatly with his father and imprison him from 1349-1351. He tried for many years in Holland-Zeeland to enforce claims against the House of Wittelsbach but failed. When his father died in 1361, William became the second Duke of Jülich, his elder brother Gerhard
Gerhard VI of Jülich, Count of Berg and Ravensberg
Gerhard VI of Jülich, Count of Berg and Ravensberg was the son of William V, Duke of Jülich and Joanna of Hainaut.Gerhard was betrothed in 1333 to Margaret of Guelders, daughter of Rainald II of Guelders and Sophia Betrout. However, this marriage was never consummated, likely due either to...
having predeceased their father. He led the traditional feuds of the House of Jülich and lost Kaiserswerth and Zülpich, among others. William intervened in favor of Edward in the catastrophic war of succession between his brothers-in-law Reinald and Edward
Edward, Duke of Guelders
Edward, Duke of Guelders , Duke of Guelders and Count of Zutphen was the youngest son of Rainald II of Guelders and his second wife, Eleanor of Woodstock, daughter of Edward II of England....
for control of the Duchy of Guelders. He took part in the 1371 Battle of Baesweiler
Battle of Baesweiler
The Battle of Baesweiler was a conflict between the dukes of Brabant and Jülich.During this time, large groups of mercenaries roamed the lands of western Europe, bringing death wherever they came...
(in which Edward was mortally wounded) and captured Wenceslaus I, Duke of Luxembourg
Wenceslaus I, Duke of Luxembourg
Wenceslaus I was the first Duke of Luxembourg from 1355...
. His brother-in-law Reinald died later in 1371 and as neither Reinald nor Edward left heirs, another fight for the succession of Guelders arose between William and his wife Maria (sister to Reinald and Edward) and Maria's sister Mathilde, wife of John II, Count of Blois
John II, Count of Blois
John II of Châtillon , second son of Louis I of Châtillon and Jeanne of Avesnes, was count of Blois and lord of Avesnes from 1372 to 1381....
. In 1377, Emperor Charles IV
Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles IV , born Wenceslaus , was the second king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and the first king of Bohemia to also become Holy Roman Emperor....
granted Guelders to William's son William but the title wasn't secured until 1379. William acquired among other things Monschau-Montjoie, Randerath and Linnich.
Family and children
William married in December 1362 to Maria of Guelders (c.1328 - November 1397), daughter of Reinald II of Guelders. They had three children:- William (1364 - 1402)
- ReinaldReinald IV, Duke of Guelders and JülichReinald IV, Duke of Guelders and Jülich aka Reginald IV was the son of William II, Duke of Jülich and Maria of Guelders, daughter of Reinald II, Duke of Guelders....
(c.1365 - 1423) - Johanna, married John XII, Count of Arkel, grandmother of Arnold, Duke of GueldersArnold, Duke of GueldersArnold of Egmond was Duke of Guelders, Count of Zutphen. He was son of John II of Egmond and Maria van Arkel....
who succeeded her brother Reinald as Duke of Guelders