For the present province also called "Guelders" in English, see Gelderland.

Guelders (Dutch: Gelre, German: Geldern) is the name of a historical duchy in the Low Countries. The present province of Gelderland (English also Guelders) in the Netherlands occupies most of the area of the former duchy. The duchy was named after the town of Geldern, which is now in Germany.

Guelders was often at war with the county of Holland and the bishopric of Utrecht, until the dukes of Burgundy acquired the whole area. The duchy was divided into four quarters:

• the quarter of Arnhem, also called the Veluwe
• the quarter of Nijmegen, also called the Betuwe
• the quarter of Zutphen
• the quarter of Roermond (now in the province of Limburg), also called the Upper Quarter of Guelders (Overkwartier. The actual centre was Montfort)

When the northern Netherlands revolted against Philip II of Spain, the three northern quarters became part of the United Provinces, while the Upper Quarter remained a part of the Spanish Southern Netherlands.

At the Treaty of Utrecht, ending the War of the Spanish Succession in 1713, the Spanish Upper Quarter was divided between Prussia (a.o. Geldern, Viersen, Horst, Venray), the United Provinces (a.o. Venlo, Montfort, Echt), Austria (a.o. Roermond, Niederkrüchten, Weert) and the duchy of Jülich (Erkelenz).

Counts and Dukes of Guelders

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House of Wassenberg

The first count of Guelders was Count Gerard IV of Wassenberg. For Guelders, he was of course numbered Gerard I. During Reinoud III's reign, the county of Guelders became a duchy.

• before 1096–about 1129 : Gerard I.
• about 1129–about 1131 : Gerard II "the tall", son of previous.
• about 1131–1182 : Henry I, son of previous.
• about 1160–about 1181 regent: Gerard, eldest son of Henry I.
• 1182–1207 : Otto I, youngest son of Henry I.
• 1207–1229 : Gerard III, son of previous.
• 1229–1271 : Otto II "the lame", son of previous.
• 1271–1318 : Reinoud I, son of previous.
• 1318–1343 : Reinoud II "the black", son of previous.
• 1343–1361 : Reinoud III "the fat", son of previous.
• 1343–1344 regent: Eleonor, daughter of Edward III of England, wife of Reinoud II.
• 1361–1371 : Edward, younger brother of Reinoud III.
• 1371 : Reinoud III "the fat"

House of Jülich-Hengebach

• 1371–1402 : William I, nephew of Reinoud III and Edward.
• 1371–1377 regent: William II of Jülich, William's father.
• 1402–1423 : Reinoud IV, brother of William I.

House of Egmond

• 1423–1465 : Arnold of Egmond, grandson of Reinoud IV's sister.
• 1423–1436 regent: John II of Egmond, Arnold's father.
• 1465–1471 : Adolf of Egmond, son of Arnold.
• 1471–1473 : Arnold of Egmond (again)

House of Valois

• 1473–1477 : Charles the Bold
• 1478–1482 : Mary of Burgundy

House of Habsburg

• 1482–1492 regent: Maximillian I

House of Egmond

Charles the Bold had forced Arnold of Egmond to sell him the duchy of Guelders. He was recognized by the emperor as duke of Guelders, but the Egmonds had not abandoned their own claims. Adolf's son Charles of Egmond conquered the duchy in 1492. He remained in power with support of the French king. Only in 1543 did the Habsburg emperor Charles V gained control of Guelders again.

• 1492–1538 : Charles of Egmond, son of Adolf.

House of Cleves

• 1538–1543 : William "the rich"

House of Habsburg

• 1543–1555 : Charles V
• 1555–1598 : Philip II of Spain

External links

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• Geldern-Heinsberg
• House of Egmont
• Map of Upper Guelders in 1789 - Northern Part
• Map of Upper Guelders in 1789 - Southern Part

Dukes of Guelders | States of the Holy Roman Empire | Seventeen Provinces

Gelre | Hertugdømmet Geldern | Herzogtum Geldern | Duché de Gueldre | Hertogdom Gelre | Geldern (kraina historyczna)