Duchy of Cleves

The first count to take the name of Cleves did so in 1092. His county covered territory between the present cities of Kleve (the German rendition of Cleves) and Kalkar. Over the next 400 years, the county gradually accumulated the territory it held in 1521, when the database starts. (Some of those territories are now in the Netherlands. The database includes only those that are now in Germany.)

 

In 1368, the Cleves line died out and Markian rulers took over, ultimately resulting in a personal union between the two countries in 1391. Cleves (but not Mark) was raised to a duchy in 1417. Throughout this period, Cleves was in conflict with the Electorate of Cologne, which considered itself sovereign over Cleves. The sovereignty issue was formally settled in favor of Cleves in 1449, although the archbishopric persisted in making unsuccessful territorial claims thereafter. In 1510, the duke’s son married the daughter of the Duke of Jülich-Berg (pursuant to a 1496 contract entered into while the principals were still minors). Thus, when both of the contracting dukes were dead (1521), Cleves-Mark entered into a personal union with Jülich-Berg (and Ravensberg). I start the database for Cleves at that point. Historians occasionally treat the five-way personal union as a distinct country called the United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg, but I treat all five entities as separate countries.

 

The Markian line died out in 1609, resulting in a succession dispute between the houses of Hohenzollern and Wittelsbach. In 1614, Cleves (and Mark and Ravensberg) were assigned to the Hohenzollerns, entering into a personal union with the Electorate of Brandenburg, while Jülich and Berg were assigned to the Wittelsbachs. Thus, when the Elector of Brandenburg established the Kingdom of Prussia in 1701, Cleves became a subdivision thereof. (Keep in mind that my convention is to recognize the Kingdom of Prussia as a nation, not a country. Thus, Cleves retains its status as a country after 1701.)

 

As it accumulated territory, the County/Duchy of Cleves formed Ämter as subdivisions. Some of those were further subdivided into smaller units called “Richterämter” (judicial offices). Even many places that had been granted city status (Städte), and thus were largely autonomous, were recognized as belonging to those Ämter and Richterämter. However, there remained places outside of the Ämter. Such places were part of hereditary jurisdictions called “Herrlichkeiten”. Some of those existed in 1521 when the database begins, but others were formed later, particularly in the mid-1600s. In 1753, the Prussians imposed a local government reform in which the Richterämter were abolished (although some were promoted to full-fledged Ämter), and the Ämter and Herrlichkeiten (but not the Städte) were assigned to one of three higher-level subdivisions called “Kreise”.