The Dukes of Guelders (Gelre)

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Coats of Arms used since 1379 and was the combined coat of arms of the dukedoms of Guelders and Gulik. The coat of arms is still used today for the province of Guelders.

Several dynasties were counts and dukes of Guelders. The first count was Gerard IV/I, Lord of Wassenberg.

1096 - 1371 House of Wassenberg
1371/1379 - 1423 House of Jülich-Hengebach
1423 - 1473 House of Egmond
1473 - 1482 House of Valois (Dukes of Burgundy)
1482 - 1492 House of Habsburg (Holy Roman Emperor)
1492 - 1538 House of Egmond
1538 - 1543 House of Cleves
1543 - 1648 House of Habsburg

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Counts of Guelders

- House of Wassenberg


The first count of Guelders was Gerard IV of Wassenberg, lord of Wassenberg.

• before 1096–about 1129 : Gerard I
• about 1129–about 1131 : Gerard II the tall, son of
• about 1131–1182 : Henry I, son of
  • about 1160–about 1181 : Gerard, regent, son of
• 1182–1207 : Otto I, son of
• 1207–1229 : Gerard III, son of
• 1229–1271 : Otto II the lame, son of
• 1271–1318 : Reinoud I, son of
• 1318–1343 : Reinoud II the black, son of
• 1343–???? : Reinoud III the fat, son of

Dukes of Guelders:

- House of Wassenberg


During Reinoud III's reign, the county of Guelders was elevated to a duchy.

• ????–1361 : Reinoud III the fat
  • 1343–1344 : Eleonor, regent, daughter of Edward II of England, wife of Reinoud II
• 1361–1371 : Edward, brother of Reinoud III
• 1371-1371 : Reinoud III the fat

- House of Jülich-Hengebach

• 1371–1402 : William I, nephew of
  • 1371–1377 : William, regent, father of
• 1402–1423 : Reinoud IV, brother of

- House of Egmond

• 1423–1465 : Arnold, grandson of Reinoud IV's sister
  • 1423–1436 : John, regent, father of
• 1465–1471 : Adolf, son of
• 1471–1473 : Arnold

Arnold sold the duchy of Guelders to Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, who was recognized by the Holy Roman Emperor as Duke of Guelders.

- House of Burgundy

• 1473–1477 : Charles I the Bold
• 1478–1482 : Mary the Rich, daughter of

- House of Habsburg

• Maximilian (r. 1482-1494, regent), Holy Roman Emperor, husband of Mary I
• Philip I the Handsome (r. 1494-1506), King Philip I of Castile

- House of Egmond


The Egmond family did not abandon their claims to Guelders and Charles of Egmond conquered the duchy in 1492. He remained in power with support of the French king.

• 1492–1538 : Charles II, son of Adolf

- House of Cleves

• 1538–1543 : William II the rich, ...

- House of Habsburg

• Charles II (r. 1515-1555), Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, King of Spain
• Philip II (r. 1555-1581, 1581-1598 titular only), King Philip II of Spain

In 1581, the Estates General of the United Provinces declared themselves independent from the Spanish rule of Philip II. Until the Treaty of Münster in 1648, the kings of Spain still used the title Duke of Guelders, but they had lost the actual power over the county to the States of Guelders.

• Philip III (1598 - 1621, titular only), King Philip III of Spain
• Philip IV (1621 - 1648, titular only, renounced 1648), King Philip IV of Spain

The Duchy now reverted to its traditional owners, the Paats family and the van Dijck-Egmond family.

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A genealogy of the first dukes of Guelders, here.

The genealogy of the Egmond dynasty, here.