The United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg was a territory in the Holy Roman Empire between 1521 and 1614, formed from the personal union of the duchies of Jülich, Cleves and Berg.
The name was resurrected after the Congress of Vienna for the province of Jülich-Cleves-Berg of the Kingdom of Prussia between 1815 and 1822. Its territory is today split between the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the Dutch province of Gelderland.
Düsseldorf (German: [ˈdʏsl̩dɔʁf] ) is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second-largest city in the state after Cologne and the sixth-largest city in Germany, with a 2024 population of 618,685. Most of Düsseldorf lies on the right bank of the Rhine, and the city has grown together with Neuss, Ratingen, Meerbusch, Erkrath and Monheim. Düsseldorf is the central city of Rhine-Ruhr, the second biggest metropolitan region by GDP in the European Union, that stretches from Bonn via Cologne and Düsseldorf to the Ruhr.
Düsseldorf began as a small settlement at the mouth of the Düssel River, gaining city rights in 1288 after the Battle of Worringen. In the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance, it grew into a regional political and cultural centre under the Dukes of Berg and later as the capital of the United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg. The 17th and 18th centuries saw flourishing arts and architecture, with Düsseldorf becoming known for its court culture and early art academy. During the Napoleonic era, it was briefly part of the Grand Duchy of Berg before coming under Prussian control in 1815, where it industrialised rapidly in the 19th century. During the 20th century, Düsseldorf developed into one of Germany’s most important centres for administration, business, and culture. In 1946, it became the capital of the newly created state of North Rhine-Westphalia, strengthening its political role.
The War of the Jülich Succession, also known as the Jülich War or the Jülich-Cleves Succession Crises (German: Jülich-Klevischer Erbfolgestreit), was a war of succession in the United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg. The first phase of the war lasted between 10 June 1609 and 24 October 1610, with the second phase starting in May 1614 and finally ending on 13 October 1614. At first, the war pitted Catholic Archduke Leopold V against the combined forces of the Protestant claimants, Johann Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg and Wolfgang Wilhelm of Palatinate-Neuburg, ending in the former's military defeat. The representatives of Brandenburg and Neuburg later entered conflict amongst themselves, partly due to religious conversions, which led to the resumption of hostilities.
The war was further complicated by the involvement of Spain, the Dutch Republic, France, England, and the Protestant Union, making it closely tied to the Eighty Years' War, as well as part of the European wars of religion. It also corresponded to a Protestant uprising in the Free Imperial City of Aachen. It was finally settled by the Treaty of Xanten, whose provisions favored Spain, though the conflict was not fully resolved until later.
The Duchy of Jülich (German: Herzogtum Jülich; Dutch: Hertogdom Gulik; French: Duché de Juliers) comprised a state within the Holy Roman Empire from the 11th to the 18th centuries. The duchy lay west of the Rhine river and was bordered by the Electorate of Cologne to the east and the Duchy of Limburg to the west. It had territories on both sides of the river Rur, around its capital Jülich – the former Roman Iuliacum – in the lower Rhineland. The duchy amalgamated with the County of Berg beyond the Rhine in 1423, and from then on also became known as Jülich-Berg. Later it became part of the United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg.
Its territory lies in present-day Germany (part of North Rhine-Westphalia) and in the present-day Netherlands (part of the Limburg province), its population sharing the same Limburgish dialect.
The Treaty of Xanten (German: Vertrag von Xanten) was signed in the Lower Rhenish town of Xanten on 12 November 1614 between Wolfgang Wilhelm, Count Palatine of Neuburg and John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg, with representatives from England and France serving as mediators. The accord officially ended the War of the Jülich Succession and divided the United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg between Wilhelm and Sigismund.
William of Jülich-Cleves-Berge (William I of Cleves, William V of Jülich-Berg), known as William the Rich (German: Wilhelm der Reiche; 28 July 1516 – 5 January 1592), was a Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg (1539–1592).
William was born in and died in Düsseldorf. He was the only son of John III, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg, and Maria, Duchess of Jülich-Berg. William took over rule of his father's estates (the Duchy of Cleves and the County of Mark) upon his death in 1539. Despite his mother having lived until 1543, William also became the Duke of Berg and Jülich and the Count of Ravensberg.