The Duchy of Guelders ( Dutch : Gelre , French : Gueldre , German : Geldern ) is a historical duchy , previously county , of the Holy Roman Empire , located in the Low Countries .
57-489: The duchy was named after the town of Geldern ( Gelder ) in present-day Germany . Though the present province of Gelderland (English also Guelders ) in the Netherlands occupies most of the area, the former duchy also comprised parts of the present Dutch province of Limburg as well as those territories in the present-day German state of North Rhine-Westphalia that were acquired by Prussia in 1713, which included
114-545: A street painting contest, which attracts international artists. Geldern has the largest Whitsun (Pentecost) funfair of the lower Rhine, a street party in summer, and a Christmas Market . Several other events are organized in summer. Geldern is served by two nearby airports Weeze Airport (19 km) and Düsseldorf Airport (55 km). The international airport in Amsterdam is 180 km or about 2 hours by auto. The Deutsche Bahn railway station of Geldern lies on
171-629: A few weeks later in Bruges after the latter insurrection. Philip's court can only be described as extravagant. Despite the flourishing bourgeois culture of Burgundy, with which the ducal court kept in close touch, he and the aristocrats who formed most of his inner circle retained a world-view dominated by the ideas and traditions of chivalry . He declined membership in the Order of the Garter in 1422, which would have been considered an act of treason against
228-640: A fire-breathing dragon around 878. They found it under a medlar tree, and one of them stabbed it with his spear . The dying dragon rattled two or three times: Gelre! Gelre! In commemoration of this heroic feat, the Lords of Pont founded the city of Geldern at the confluence of the Niers and the Fleuth. The city of Geldern was first documented around 900. Several versions of the name have been used: Gelre, Gielra, Gellero, Gelera and similar. The probable ancestor of
285-542: A never completed canal from the Rhine near Rheinberg to the Meuse near Venlo . Hiking is possible around the former Schloss Haag , part of which still remains, and is home to Golfclub Schloss Haag e.V. There is a mill tower and the refectory of the 16th century former monastery of Augustinian nuns. There are some wind mills in the vicinity, including one within 1 km of Geldern-Kapellen. Every summer Geldern hosts
342-609: A poor decision in the long term; Charles VII and his successors saw the Burgundian State as a serious impediment to the expansion of royal authority in France, and for this reason they constantly tried to undermine Burgundy, so as to subordinate it to French sovereignty. Philip's defection to the French proved not only catastrophic to the dual monarchy of England and France , but to his own domains as well, subordinating them to
399-641: A portrait of the daughter of King John I , the Infanta Isabella , personally for Philip in advance of their marriage. With help from more experienced Portuguese shipbuilders, Philip established a shipyard in Bruges, which helped commerce flourish. Rogier van der Weyden painted his portrait twice on panel. Only copies survive, but in each he is shown wearing the collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece. The only extant original van der Weyden of Philip
456-605: A powerful centralised Valois monarchy. He then attacked Calais , a strategic possession of the English, but the alliance with Charles was broken in 1439. Philip supported the revolt of the French nobles the following year (an event known as the Praguerie ) and offered shelter to the Dauphin Louis , who had rebelled against his father Charles VII. Philip was generally preoccupied with matters in his own territories and
513-956: A superb miniature known as " Jean Wauquelin presenting his 'Chroniques de Hainaut' to Philip the Good " (above right). The painter Hugo van der Goes of the Early Netherlandish school is credited with paintings for the church where Philip's funeral was held. Philip married his second cousin Michelle of France (1395–1422) in June 1409, when he was 12 and she was 14. She was a daughter of Charles VI, King of France (1368–1422) and his wife and consort, Isabeau of Bavaria ( c. 1370 –1435). They had one daughter, Agnes, who died in infancy , and Michelle died on 8 July 1422. On 30 November 1424 in Moulins-Engelbert , Philip married
570-551: A wedding gift in 1107. The counts of Guelders moved their residence to the castle in Geldern, that was built probably around this date at the crossing of the Niers. The castle and the accompanying medieval settlement were the origin of the present city, and also gave its name to the county and later duchy of Guelders . The settlement was fortified in the 13th century with earth and stone walls and moats. The walls were named after
627-633: Is Count Anthony of Guelders, elder son of Duke Arnold and brother to Adolf "since then happily vanished". Sabatini weaves the historical characters and events of the period through the story. The folk/metalband Heidevolk , based in Gelderland, composed and performs a range of songs about Gelre/Guelders, among them a contemporary anthem " Het Gelders Volklied ". Circles est. 1500: Bavarian , Swabian , Upper Rhenish , Lower Rhenish–Westphalian , Franconian , (Lower) Saxon Geldern Geldern ( Dutch : Gelderen , archaic English: Guelder(s) )
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#1732791420212684-457: Is a city in the federal German state of North Rhine-Westphalia . It is part of the district of Kleve , which is part of the Düsseldorf administrative region . The nearby Dutch province of Gelderland is named after this city. Geldern lies in the plains of the lower, northern Rhineland , west of the Rhine . Its average elevation is 27 m AMSL . The river Niers , a tributary of
741-740: Is not surprising that in 1435 Philip began to style himself the " Grand Duke of the West ". In 1463, Philip gave up some of his territory to Louis XI of France . That year he also created an Estates-General for the Netherlands based on the French model. The first meeting of the Estates-General was to obtain a loan for a war against France and to ensure support for the succession of his son Charles I to his now vast dominions. In 1465 and 1467, Philip crushed two rebellions in Liège before dying
798-578: The County of Holland and the Bishopric of Utrecht . However, its territory grew, not only because of its success in warfare, but also because it thrived in times of peace. For example, the larger part of the Veluwe and the city of Nijmegen were given as collateral to Guelders by their cash-strapped rulers. On separate occasions, in return for loans from the treasury of Guelders, the bishop of Utrecht granted
855-763: The Guelders Wars and expanded his realm further north, to incorporate what is now the Province of Overijssel . He was not simply a man of war, but also a skilled diplomat, and was therefore able to keep his independence. He bequeathed the duchy to Duke William the Rich of Jülich-Cleves-Berg (also known as Wilhelm of Cleves). Following in the footsteps of Charles of Egmond, Duke William formed an alliance with France, an alliance dubiously cemented via his political marriage to French King Francis I 's niece Jeanne d'Albret (who reportedly had to be whipped into submission to
912-518: The House of Egmond , which gained recognition of its title from Emperor Sigismund of Luxembourg , but was unable to escape the political strife and internecine conflict that had so plagued the preceding House of Jülich-Hengebach, and more especially, the pressure brought to bear by the expansionist rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy . The first Egmond Duke, Arnold , suffered the rebellion of his son Adolf and
969-478: The Meuse ( Maas ), flows through Geldern. The stream Gelderner Fleuth flows into the Niers in Geldern. It is close to both Düsseldorf Airport and Airport Weeze , also called Airport Niederrhein (referring to the Lower Rhine region). Geldern is subdivided into the following boroughs : Geldern shares borders with Kevelaer and Sonsbeck to the north, Issum to the east, Kerken and Straelen to
1026-956: The Spanish Crown . When the Netherlands revolted against King Philip II of Spain in the Dutch Revolt , the three northern quarters of Gelderland joined the Union of Utrecht and became part of the United Provinces upon the 1581 Act of Abjuration , while only the Upper Quarter remained a part of the Spanish Netherlands . At the Treaty of Utrecht , ending the War of the Spanish Succession in 1713,
1083-616: The Spanish Upper Quarter was again divided between Prussian Guelders ( Geldern , Viersen , Horst , Venray ), the United Provinces ( Venlo , Montfort , Echt ), Austria (this part continued as the duchy: Roermond , Niederkrüchten , Weert ), and the Duchy of Jülich ( Erkelenz ). In 1795 Guelders was finally conquered and incorporated by the French First Republic , and partitioned between
1140-456: The Treaty of Troyes . In 1423, the marriage of Philip's sister Anne to John, Duke of Bedford , regent for Henry VI of England , strengthened the English alliance. On 23 May 1430, Philip's troops under the Count of Ligny captured Joan of Arc at Compiègne , and later sold her to the English, who orchestrated a heresy trial against her conducted by pro-Burgundian clerics, after which she
1197-442: The War of the Spanish Succession took place. The city was under Prussian siege beginning February 1703, but only surrendered on 21 December. At the end of the war, at the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht , the previously Spanish Upper Quarter of Guelders was divided between four powers: Austria , the United Provinces , Prussia and the Duchy of Jülich . With the larger part of the former Upper Quarter, Geldern fell to Prussia and became
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#17327914202121254-623: The assassination of John the Fearless , his father. Philip accused Charles , the Dauphin of France and Philip's brother-in-law, of planning the murder, which took place during a meeting between John and Charles at Montereau . Because of this, he continued to prosecute the Armagnac–Burgundian Civil War , which in turn became entangled in the larger Hundred Years' War . In 1420, Philip allied himself with Henry V of England under
1311-716: The widow of his late paternal uncle, Philip II, Count of Nevers (1389–1415), Bonne of Artois (1396 – 17 September 1425). She was the daughter of Philip of Artois, Count of Eu (1358–1397) and his wife, Marie of Berry , suo jure Duchess of Auvergne ( c. 1375 –1434). Bonne died within a year of the wedding, and the couple had no children, leaving Philip with no legitimate sons to this point. On 7 January 1430 in Bruges , Philip married his third wife, Infanta Isabella of Portugal (21 February 1397 – 17 December 1471), daughter of John I, King of Portugal (1357–1433) and his wife, Philippa of Lancaster (1360–1415) after
1368-588: The 1430 seizure of Joan of Arc , whom Philip ransomed to the English after his soldiers captured her, resulting in her trial and eventual execution. In political affairs, he alternated between alliances with the English and with the French in an attempt to improve his dynasty 's powerbase. Additionally, as ruler of Flanders , Brabant , Limburg , Artois , Hainaut , Holland , Luxembourg , Zeeland , Friesland and Namur , he played an important role in
1425-597: The Counts of Guelders was Gerhard Flamens, who received Wassenberg as a fief from Emperor Henry II in 1020. His great-grandson Gerhard IV of Wassenberg was the first to call himself Count of Guelders (as Gerhard I), from 1096. The title "count" came from other properties, probably in Teisterbant . From 1125 only the title of Guelders was used. Wassenberg itself was given to the Duke of Limburg (and later to Jülich ) as
1482-511: The County of Zutphen in northern Hamaland by marriage. In the 12th and 13th centuries, Guelders quickly expanded downstream along the sides of the Maas , Rhine , and IJssel rivers and even claimed the succession in the Duchy of Limburg , until it lost the 1288 Battle of Worringen against Berg and Brabant . Guelders was often at war with its neighbours, not only with Brabant, but also with
1539-460: The Fearless"; 1371–1419) and his wife and consort, born Margaret of Bavaria (1363–1424). He was a great-grandson of John II, King of France (1319–1364), and a first cousin once removed of the then-ruling king, Charles VI (1368–1422). His father succeeded Philip's grandfather, Philip II ("Philip the Bold", 1342–1404) as Duke of Burgundy in 1404. On 28 January 1405, at the age of eight, Philip
1596-847: The House of Wassenberg, to the rank of Duke . After the Wassenberg line became extinct in 1371 following the deaths of Reginald II's childless sons Edward II (on 24 August, from wounds suffered in the Battle of Baesweiler ) and Reginald III (on 4 December), the ensuing Guelders War of Succession (1371 to 1379) saw William I of Jülich emerge victorious. William was confirmed in the inheritance of Guelders in 1379, and from 1393 onwards held both duchies in personal union (in Guelders as William I, and in Jülich as William III). In 1423 Guelders passed to
1653-427: The Netherlands, as did other foreign buyers. Philip himself is estimated to have added six hundred manuscripts to the ducal collection, making him by a considerable margin the most important literary patron of the period. Jean Miélot , one of his secretaries, translated into French such works as Giovanni Boccaccio 's Genealogia Deorum Gentilium which is good example of the sophistication of Philip's court. Philip
1710-487: The battlefield of territorial disputes. It was subordinate to Spanish rule from 1543 until 1578, when it was occupied by the Dutch . Geldern returned to Spanish control in 1587, which lasted until 1703. During this period (more exactly between 1662 and 1664) Schloss Haag (first documented in 1337, located 1 km north of Geldern) was expanded. (Since World War II only the outer castle has remained.) From 1701 until 1714
1767-712: The defeat of Jacqueline, Countess of Hainault , in the last episode of the Hook and Cod wars . He inherited the Duchies of Brabant and Limburg and the Margraviate of Antwerp in 1430 on the death of his cousin Philip of Saint-Pol and purchased Luxembourg in 1443 from Elisabeth of Bohemia, Duchess of Luxembourg . In 1456, Philip also managed to ensure his illegitimate son David was elected Bishop of Utrecht and his nephew Louis de Bourbon elected Prince-Bishop of Liège . It
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1824-571: The duchy's capital Geldern . Four parts of the duchy had their own centres, as they were separated by rivers: spatially separated from the Lower Quarters (Gelderland): The county emerged about 1096, when the first documented reference to Gerard III of Wassenberg as "Count of Guelders" occurred. It was then located on the territory of Lower Lorraine , in the area of Geldern and Roermond , with its main stronghold at Montfort (built 1260). Count Gerard's son Gerard II in 1127 acquired
1881-782: The duchy; in 1543, by the terms of the Treaty of Venlo , Duke William conceded the Duchy of Guelders to the Emperor. Emperor Charles V united Guelders with the Seventeen Provinces of the Habsburg Netherlands by the Pragmatic Sanction of 1549 , and Guelders thus lost its independence. Charles abdicated in 1556 and decreed that the territories of the Burgundian Circle should be held by
1938-625: The département of the Roer . In 1802 the monastery of the Carmelites was secularized . In the course of the Prussian reorganization of administration, the district of Geldern was formed on 23 April 1816. It was one of over 40 rural districts of the Province of Jülich-Cleves-Berg , the northern half of the later Rhine Province . In 1863 the railway line Cologne – Krefeld – Geldern – Cleves
1995-512: The départements of Roer and Meuse-Inférieure . The coat of arms of the region changed over time. William Thatcher, the lead character in the 2001 film A Knight's Tale played by Heath Ledger , claimed to be Sir Ulrich von Liechtenstein from Gelderland so as to appear to be of noble birth and thus qualify to participate in jousting. Set in the late 1460s, the main character in Rafael Sabatini's 1929 novel The Romantic Prince
2052-536: The four cardinal directions and had three gates. Geldern received city rights in 1229. It was the residence of the counts and dukes of Guelders until 1343, and capital of the Upper Quarter of Guelders until 1347. The monastery of the Carmelites was built in the early 14th century. The Late Gothic parish church of Mary Magdalene was built between 1400 and 1418. Often in its history, Geldern lay in
2109-540: The history of the Low Countries . He married three times and had three legitimate sons, all from his third marriage; only one legitimate son reached adulthood. Philip had 24 documented mistresses and fathered at least 18 illegitimate children . Philip of Valois-Burgundy was born on 31 July 1396 in Dijon , France as the fourth child and first son of John, Count of Nevers (later Duke of Burgundy known as "John
2166-669: The king of France, his feudal overlord. Instead, he created his own Order of the Golden Fleece , based on the Knights of the Round Table and the myth of Jason , in 1430. In time his order would become the most prestigious and historic of all knightly orders of chivalry in all of Europe. Philip had no fixed capital (seat of government) and moved the court between various palaces, the main urban ones being in Brussels , Bruges , and Lille . He held grand feasts and other festivities, and
2223-663: The knights of his Order frequently travelled throughout his territory to participate in tournaments . In 1454, Philip planned a crusade against the Ottoman Empire , launching it at the Feast of the Pheasant , but this plan never materialized. In a period from 1444 to 1446, he is estimated to have spent a sum equivalent to 2% of Burgundy's main income in the recette génerale , with a single Italian supplier of silk and cloth of gold , Giovanni di Arrigo Arnolfini . Philip's court
2280-660: The line from Cleves to Düsseldorf via Krefeld . There are two trains per hour. Buses are used for public transport in the city and the surrounding area. Geldern is connected to the German Autobahns: motorways A40 ( E 34 ) and A57 ( E 31 ) by the federal roads B9 and B58 . Geldern is twinned with: Philip the Good Philip III the Good ( French : Philippe le Bon ; Dutch : Filips de Goede ; 31 July 1396 – 15 June 1467) ruled as Duke of Burgundy from 1419 until his death in 1467. He
2337-417: The marriage, and later bodily carried to the altar by the Constable of France , Anne de Montmorency ). This alliance emboldened William to challenge Emperor Charles V's claim to Guelders, but the French, mightily engaged on multiple fronts as they were in the long struggle to against the Habsburg "encirclement" of France , proved less reliable than the Duke's ambitions required, and he was unable to hold on to
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2394-448: The reversion (i.e., the right of succession to the throne) from Duke Arnold, who, against the will of the towns and the law of the land, pledged his duchy to Charles for 300,000 Rhenish florins. The bargain was completed in 1472–73, and upon Arnold's death in 1473, Duke Charles added Guelders to the "Low Countries" portion of his Valois Duchy of Burgundy . Upon Charles' defeat and death at the Battle of Nancy in January 1477, Duke Adolf
2451-404: The seat of administration of Prussian Guelders . King Frederick II of Prussia visited Geldern in August 1740. He ordered the demolition of the city fortifications in 1764. Between 1794 and 1814 Geldern was occupied by the French . They disbanded the old structures and created a new, more strict administration. The canton of Geldern was part of the arrondissement of Cleves , which was a part of
2508-1441: The south, and the Dutch municipalities Venlo and Bergen to the west. The first coat of arms of the city of Geldern was a shield with three medlars , referring to an event in the dragon legend. The lion of Guelders , recognizable in the present coat of arms, has been used since the Middle Ages . Francia 812–843 Middle Francia 843–855 Kingdom of Lotharingia 855–959 [REDACTED] Duchy of Lower Lorraine 959–ca. 1096 [REDACTED] County of Guelders ca. 1096–1339 [REDACTED] Duchy of Guelders 1339–1393 [REDACTED] Duchy of Jülich 1393–1423 [REDACTED] Duchy of Guelders 1423–1543 [REDACTED] Habsburg Netherlands 1543–1556 [REDACTED] Spanish Netherlands 1556–1578 [REDACTED] Dutch Republic 1578–1587 [REDACTED] Spanish Netherlands 1587–1713 [REDACTED] Kingdom of Prussia 1713–1794 [REDACTED] French Republic 1794–1804 [REDACTED] French Empire 1804–1814 [REDACTED] Kingdom of Prussia 1815–1871 [REDACTED] German Empire 1871–1918 [REDACTED] Weimar Republic 1919–1933 [REDACTED] Nazi Germany 1933–1945 [REDACTED] Allied-occupied Germany 1945–1949 [REDACTED] West Germany 1949–1990 [REDACTED] Germany 1990–present According to folk legend, local noblemen Wichard and Lupold of Pont fought
2565-437: The taxation and administration of the Veluwe, and William II – Count of both Holland and Zeeland , and who was elected anti-king of the Holy Roman Empire (1248–1256) – similarly granted the same rights over Nijmegen; as neither ruler proved able to repay their debts, these lands became integral parts of Guelders. In 1339 the Emperor Louis IV of Wittelsbach elevated Count Reginald II of Guelders (also styled Rainald), of
2622-411: The territorial reorganization of North Rhine-Westphalia , on 1 July 1969. The municipalities of Kapellen, Vernum, Pont, Veert and Walbeck were incorporated into Geldern. On 1 January 1975 the former districts of Cleves and Geldern and parts of the districts of Moers and Rees were merged to form the new district of Cleves . There is an approx. 60 km long cycle path along the Fossa Eugeniana ,
2679-407: Was burnt at the stake . Despite this action against Joan of Arc, Philip's alliance with England was broken in 1435 when he signed the Treaty of Arras , which completely revoked the Treaty of Troyes and recognised Charles VII as king of France. Philip signed the treaty for a variety of reasons, one of which may have been a desire to be recognised as the preeminent duke in France. This action proved
2736-556: Was raised at the Burgundian court of Charles the Bold and fought for the House of Habsburg in battles against the armies of Charles VIII of France , until being captured in the Battle of Béthune (1487) during the War of the Public Weal (also known as the Mad War ). In 1492, the citizens of Guelders, who had become disenchanted with the rule of Maximilian, ransomed Charles and recognized him as their Duke. Charles, now backed by France , fought Maximilian's grandson Charles of Habsburg (who became Holy Roman Emperor, as Charles V, in 1519) in
2793-619: Was a considerable patron of the visual arts. He commissioned many tapestries (which he tended to prefer over oil paintings), pieces from goldsmiths, jewellery, and other works of art, including numerous mechanical automata and fountains at the Chauteau of Hesdin . It was also during his reign that the Burgundian chapel became the musical centre of Europe, with the activity of the Burgundian School of composers and singers. Esteemed composers such as Gilles Binchois , Robert Morton , and later Guillaume Dufay were all part of Philip's court chapel. In 1428, van Eyck travelled to Portugal to paint
2850-437: Was a member of a cadet line of the Valois dynasty , to which all 15th-century kings of France belonged. During his reign, the Burgundian State reached the apex of its prosperity and prestige, and became a leading centre of the arts. Duke Philip has a reputation for his administrative reforms, for his patronage of Flemish artists (such as Jan van Eyck ) and of Franco-Flemish composers (such as Gilles Binchois ), and for
2907-400: Was created Count of Charolais as an appanage and was probably engaged to his second cousin , nine-year-old Michelle of France (1395–1422), daughter of King Charles VI on the same day. They were married in June 1409. In 1419, at the age of 24, Philip became duke of Burgundy (fief of France ) and count of Flanders (France), Artois (France) and Burgundy ( Holy Roman Empire ) upon
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#17327914202122964-441: Was imprisoned by the latter in 1465. Adolf, who had enjoyed the support of Burgundian Duke Philip III ("the Good") and of the four major cities of Guelders during his rebellion, was unwilling to strike a compromise with his father when this was demanded by Philip's successor, Duke Charles the Bold . Charles had Duke Adolf captured and imprisoned in 1471 and reinstated Arnold on the throne of the Duchy of Guelders. Charles then bought
3021-416: Was opened, and a narrow-gauge local line in 1902 (closed in 1932). In World War II Geldern was bombed several times, at the end of 1944 and on 14 February 1945, which led to devastation in the city centre. Only a few houses were saved, about 82% was destroyed. The parish church was also severely damaged, and the main building of Schloss Haag was completely destroyed. The parish church of Mary Magdalene
3078-412: Was rebuilt in 1952, and redecorated in 2003/2004. The population of Geldern is mostly Roman Catholic . There are several Catholic churches, including the historically important parish church of Mary Magdalene on the market square. There are two Protestant churches: the Holy Spirit church near the market, and one in the borough of Walbeck. The present composition of the city of Geldern was created at
3135-424: Was regarded as the most splendid in Europe by his contemporaries, and it became the accepted leader of taste and fashion, which probably helped the Burgundian economy considerably, as Burgundian (usually Flemish) luxury products became sought by the elites across Europe. During his reign, for example, the richest English commissioners of illuminated manuscripts moved away from English and Parisian products to those of
3192-429: Was released from prison by the Flemish , but died the same year at the head of a Flemish army besieging Tournai , after the States of Guelders had recognized him once more as Duke. Subsequently, Guelders was ruled by Habsburg Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I , husband of Charles the Bold's daughter and heir, Mary . The last independent Duke of Guelders was Adolf's son Charles of Egmond (1467–1538, r. 1492–1538), who
3249-403: Was seldom involved directly in the Hundred Years' War between England and France, although he did play a role during a number of periods, such as the campaign against Compiègne during which his troops captured Joan of Arc. In 1429, he incorporated Namur into Burgundian territory (by purchase, from John III, Marquis of Namur ) and Hainault and Holland , Friesland and Zeeland in 1432 with
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