Genealogy
AD 938-1251
Gelre (Wassenberg)
(d'Antoing, Kleve/Cleves,
Heinsberg, Teisterbant, Wassenberg, Zutphen)
Historical notes on Gelre, Genealogical data
For our ancestors in younger generations who are descended from this family:
| see page on | Kleve (Cleves) |
|---|---|
| see page on | Luxembourg |
| see page on | Holland |
| see page on | Flanders |
| see page on | Saffenberg |
| see page on | Namur |
| see page on | Looz |
| see page on | Brabant |
| see page on | Jülich |
In 965, the founder of this family, d'Antoing, who's given name is unknown, married the equally unknown daughter of a man called Gottfried, who ruled over
Gelre which was then only a small fiefdom within the Hattuaria-gau (see the page on Gelre (Pont)). The border area between
present-day Germany and The Netherlands was a chaotic brew of larger and smaller domains ruled by different warlords who were in constant competition with
one another. Around 1000, the infamous Count Balderik, supported by his evil wife Adela wanted to become praefectus, the job of military
commander-in-chief which was created to coordinate the defence against the marauding Vikings. The couple were considered exceptionally ruthless even for
those days. Adela is said to have murdered her own sister, the abbess of Elten, and even her own son. Balderik was indeed appointed praefectus, but
later he and his wife were banished. Their lands were confiscated and were passed on to other families who could lay claims. D'Antoing's descendants became
Counts of some "gouwen" between the Meuse and the Niers rivers: Teisterbant, Wassenberg, the Hamalant-gau and the Hattuaria-gau. The old name Gelre
eventually became the name for the whole area. Otto I was the first to be called Count of Gelre and Zutphen, marking the beginning of what later became a
political entity. In 1339, Count Reinoud II of Gelre was made a Duke, which in those days had become just a honorary title and was not meant to give him
more power.
Nowadays, Gelre still lives on as Geldern, the German town which has grown out of Gottfried's original fortification, and as the Dutch Province of
Gelderland.
Children of
Unknown
and Unknown
(See 34, 33, 32, 31 generations back)
? d'Antoing
(14 times our ancestor, blood-relationship 0,00000040 %)
* 938 x ? of Gelre (965) + 990
Children of
? d'Antoing (938-990)
and ? of Gelre (Pont) (950-after 1000)
(See 33, 32, 31, 30 generations back)
Gerard I d'Antoing
(14 times our ancestor, blood-relationship 0,00000080 %)
* 966 x Unknown + 1024
Children of
Gerard I d'Antoing (966-1024)
and Unknown
(See 32, 31, 30, 29 generations back)
Gerard II "Flamens", Count of Wassenberg
(14 times our ancestor, blood-relationship 0,0000016 %)
* 1000 x Unknown + 1053
The nickname "Flamens", sometimes given as "Flaminius", is supposed to be a reference to Gerard's flaming red hair according to most sources. Around 1050, King Heinrich III of Germany made Gerard Count of Wassenberg, after a castle in "Opper-Gelre", which is now in the Dutch Province of Limburg.
Children of
Gerard II "Flamens" of Wassenberg (1000-1053)
and Unknown
(See 31, 30, 29, 28 generations back)
Dirk (Thierry) "de Rossige" ("the Ruddy") (or "Theodericus Flamens")
(13 times our ancestor, blood-relationship 0,0000034 %)
* 1030 x Unknown + 1082
Dirk is mentioned as Count of Teisterbant in 1053.
Hendrik I of Wassenberg
(1 times our ancestor, blood-relationship 0,00000019 %)
* ? x Unknown + 1082
For his descendants see below
Rutger of Kleve
* ? x Unknown + ?
Children of
Dirk "de Rossige" ("the Ruddy") (or "Theodericus Flamens") (1030-1082)
and Unknown
(See 30, 29, 28, 27 generations back)
Gerard III "Flamens", Count of Wassenberg ("I of Gelre")
(13 times our ancestor, blood-relationship 0,0000061 %)
* ? x I. Hedwig (of Holland)? II. Clémence of Poitou (of Longwy, of Bouzonville, of Aquitaine) (after 1086) + between 24-10-1134 and 24-10-1137
Around 1100, Gerard moved the centre of his administration to Geldern Castle. His first wife may have been a daughter of Floris II, Count of Holland. His second wife Clémence of Poitou had been married before to Conrad I, Count of Luxembourg (between 1070 and 1075). For Clémence's descendants by Conrad I of Luxembourg see the
page on the Counts of Luxembourg.
Children of
Gerard III "Flamens", Count of Wassenberg ("I of Gelre") (?-between 1134 and 1138)
and Clémence of Poitou (of Longwy, of Bouzonville, of Aquitaine) (1055-1142)
(See 29, 28, 27, 26 generations back)
Jutta of Gelre
(4 times our ancestor, blood-relationship 0,0000032 %)
* 1087? x Walram III ("Paganus"), "Duke" of Limburg + 24-6-1151 (Rolduc)
For her descendants see the page on the Counts of Luxembourg
Jolante of Gelre
(3 times our ancestor, blood-relationship 0,0000037 %)
* 1089? x Boudewijn III, Count of Hainaut (around 1107) + 1110?
For her descendants see the page on the Counts of Flanders
Gerard IV/II of Wassenberg, "Count of Gelre"
(6 times our ancestor, blood-relationship 0,0000052 %)
* 1098? x Ermengard of Zutphen + between 1133-1134
For his descendants see below
Child of
Hendrik I of Wassenberg (?-1082)
and Unknown
(See 28 generations back)
Gerard of Wassenberg
(1 times our ancestor, blood-relationship 0,00000037 %)
* 1075 x Oda/Irmingard of Walbeck + ? (after 1128)
Child of
Gerard of Wassenberg (1075-after 1128)
and Oda/Irmingard of Walbeck (1083-?)
(See 27 generations back)
Gozewijn of Heinsberg-Valkenburg
(1 times our ancestor, blood-relationship 0,00000075 %)
* 1090? x Aleidis of Sommerschenburg (1107) + 8-4-1168
Child of
Gozewijn of Heinsberg-Valkenburg (1090?-1168)
and Aleidis of Sommerschenburg (1095/1100-before 1180)
(See 26 generations back)
Godfried of Heinsberg
(1 times our ancestor, blood-relationship 0,000003 %)
* ? x Sophia (Guda) of Looz + ?
Mathilde of Heinsberg (of Wassenberg)
* 1159 x Dedo V ("The Fat") of Röchlitz (of Groitzsch) + 20-11-1189
Child of
Godfried of Heinsberg (?-?)
and Sophia (Guda) of Looz (1145?-?)
(See 25 generations back)
Adelheid of Heinsberg
(1 times our ancestor, blood-relationship 0,000006 %)
* ? (before 1175) x Arnold III of Kleve + ? (between 1203 and 1227)
For her descendants see the page on the Counts of Kleve (Cleves)
Children of
Gerard IV/II of Wassenberg, "Count of Gelre" (1098?-between 1133 and 1134)
and Ermengard of Zutphen (?-?)
(See 27, 26, 25 generations back)
Hendrik "the Younger", Count of Gelre
(5 times our ancestor, blood-relationship 0,0000090 %)
* 1124? x Agnes of Arnstein + 4-12-1182?
Count Hendrik supported the "Staufen" in the German war of succession, and fought against Bischop Boudewijn II of Utrecht and
Count Floris III of Holland over control of the Veluwe, which eventually became part of Gelre.
For his descendants see below
Gerard V of Wassenberg
(1 times our ancestor, blood-relationship 0,0000015 %)
* 1129? x Clementia of Gleiberg (after 1146) + ? (after 1156)
Child of
Gerard V of Wassenberg (1129?-after 1156)
and Clementia of Gleiberg (1125-?)
(See 25 generations back)
Hendrik II of Wassenberg
(1 times our ancestor, blood-relationship 0,000003 %)
* 1147? x Laurette of Upper-Lorraine (1163) + 1182
Hendrik's wife, Laurette of Upper-Lorraine was married to three husbands successively:
Hendrik II of Arlon, "Duke" of Limburg (1150); Henri IV "The Blind" of Namur (1154);
and Hendrik II of Wassenberg (1163).
Children of
Hendrik II of Wassenberg (1147?-1182)
and Laurette of Upper-Lorraine (1130-1175)
(See 24 generations back)
Margaretha of Gelre
(1 times our ancestor, blood-relationship 0,000006 %)
* ? x Engelbert I of Berg + ?
For her descendants see the page on Saffenberg
Children of
Hendrik "the Younger", Count of Gelre (1124?-1182)
and Agnes of Arnstein (1128?-1179)
(See 26, 25, 24 generations back)
Otto I, Count of Gelre and Zutphen
(3 times our ancestor, blood-relationship 0,0000104 %)
* 1150 x Richardis of Scheyern-Wittelsbach (1186) + after 30-4-1207
Otto I was the first to call himself Count of Gelre and Zutphen in 1184. He took part in the Third Crusade (1189-1192).
He fought and lost a battle with Count Dirk VII of Holland on the Grebbeberg in 1196 over who
should become the new Bishop of Utrecht, and who should control the Veluwe area. A few years later, the two Counts became allies in a war with Brabant. The purpose for Dirk VII and Otto I to fight Brabant would have been to win control over the trade-routes along the Rhine, Waal, IJssel and Meuse rivers. Together, they lost the first battle against Duke Hendrik I of Brabant, (also one of our ancestors). In 1202, Otto and his ally Dirk VII were on the offensive again and even plundered Hendrik's city of 's-Hertogenbosch. But their army was beaten on the way back near Heusden.
The two Counts were both taken prisoner, after which they finaly had to accept the dominance of Duke Hendrik in "Lower-Lorraine". After peace was signed in Leuven in 1203, the two Counts were released.
Agnes of Gelre
(1 times our ancestor, blood-relationship 0,0000060 %)
* ? x Henri IV "the Blind" of Namur (1168) + after 1186
For her descendants see the page on the Counts of Namur
Adelheid of Gelre
(1 times our ancestor, blood-relationship 0,0000015 %)
* ? x Gerhard II, Count of Looz and Rieneck (before 1179) + ?
For her descendants see the page on the Counts of Looz
Children of
Otto I, Count of Gelre and Zutphen (1150-after 1206)
and Richardis of Scheyern-Wittelsbach (1173-1231)
(See 25, 24, 23 generations back)
Gerard IV, Count of Gelre and Zutphen
(1 times our ancestor, blood-relationship 0,0000030 %)
* 1185 x Margaretha of Brabant (1206?) + 22-10-1229
Count Gerard became an enemy of the Bishop of Utrecht after 1215, and a supporter of the nobility in Overijssel who had
risen against the Bishop's rule over their areas. Gerard captured the Bishop's possessions of Elst and Odiliënberg. He took part in the battle of Ane in 1227 against Rudolf, kastelein of Coevorden, where he was wounded and taken prisoner. He was released on parole soon afterwards. Gerard's wife Margaretha was a daughter of Duke Hendrik I of Brabant, which of course was no coincidence after the outcome of the short war between the two fathers-in law, see above. Margaretha's task was probably to help guarantee the peace and the status quo, in the interest of Duke Hendrik. Her sister Machteld, the wife of Count Floris IV of Holland, must have had a similar assignment. After the death of Count Gerard IV, Duke Hendrik became guardian for Gerard's young son Otto II of Gelre as further proof of his dominance.
Otto I, Bishop-elect of Utrecht
* ? + 1-9-1215
Otto, a supporter of his brother Count Gerard IV, was elected Bishop against the wishes of his brother-in-law Count Willem I of Holland,
who feared a concentration of powers at his eastern border. Fortunately for Count Willem, Otto died while on his way to
Rome to be consacrated by the Pope. (I am interested to know what caused Otto's death. Was he perhaps murdered on Willem's orders?)
Mechteld of Gelre
* ? x Heinrich "The Rich", Count of Nassau (before 1221) + ? (after 1247)
Aleida of Gelre
(1 times our ancestor, blood-relationship 0,0000060 %)
* 1187? x Willem I, Count of Holland (Stavoren 1197) + 12-2-1218
For her descendants see the page on the Counts of Holland
Irmingard of Gelre
(1 times our ancestor, blood-relationship 0,000012 %)
* ? x Adolf I of Altena (before 1210) + ? (after 1230)
For her descendants see the page on Saffenberg
Children of
Gerard IV, Count of Gelre and Zutphen (1150-after 1206)
and Margaretha of Brabant (1173-1231)
(See 24 generations back)
Otto II "The Lame", Count of Gelre and Zutphen
* 1215 x Philippa of Dammartin + 10-1-1271
Otto, who had succeeded his father in 1229, acquired the city of Nijmegen in 1247.
Margaretha of Gelre
(1 times our ancestor, blood-relationship 0,000006 %)
* 1210? x Wilhelm IV, Count of Jülich (1237) + 1251
For her descendants see the page on Jülich
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