Duchy of Jülich

Jülichgau was a subdivision of the Duchy of Lower Lorraine within the Carolingian Empire. By the mid 12th century, the Duchy had dissolved and the County of Jülich emerged. In 1346, Jülich entered into a personal union with the County of Ravensburg and then, two years later, with the county of Berg. In 1380, the combined county of Jülich-Berg (but not Ravensburg) was elevated to a duchy and the seat was moved to Düsseldorf.

 

In 1521, the Jülich line died out and Jülich-Berg (and Ravensburg) entered into a personal union with the Duchy of Cleves, which itself had entered into a personal union with the County of Mark in 1362, making the combined entity part of Markian Germany. I start the database at that point. (Some sources treat all of Markian Germany as a unified country under the name of the United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg. I treat each duchy or county as a separate country within the Markian nation.)

 

In 1609, the Markian line died out and a succession dispute followed. In 1614, it was agreed that the Duchy of Jülich-Berg would enter into a personal union with the Principality of Palatinate-Neuburg and become part of Wittelsbachian Germany. (Cleves and Mark joined Hohenzollern Germany and later, the Kingdom of Prussia. The partition underwent a variety of adjustments—which I ignore—until 1666, when it was finally stabilized.) Because the principality was of lower rank than the duchy, I do not note the personal union in the full country name–I simply call it the Duchy of Jülich. However, the Neuburg branch of the Wittelsbachs inherited the Palatinate Electorate in 1690 and Bavaria in 1777. Those entities outranked the duchy, so I note the personal unions in the full country names—e.g., the Duchy of Jülich (in personal union with the Palatinate Electorate). Within Wittelsbachian Germany, however, I do not use hyphenated simplified names to signal personal unions.

 

From the time I start the database in 1521, the Duchy of Jülich underwent three significant boundary adjustments.

  • 1546—acquired the County of Neuenahr.
  • 1659—participated in a three-way trade with one of the co-lords of Landskron and the Archbishop of Trier (who was acting on behalf of the Lordship of Leyen-Adendorf). As a result, Jülich gave up the Dingstühle of Adendorf, Eckendorf, and Vilip in exchange for an interest in the villages of Lohrsdorf, Schalkenbach, and Vinxt. I characterize those villages as a Landskron-Jülich condominium.
  • 1710—acquired the Lordships of Kerpen and Lommersum. They became autonomous two years later (simplified country name: Jülich-Kerpen) and fully independent (together) in 1786.

 

The list of subdivisions below includes only those that were both under Jülich sovereignty and administration. Subdivisions that were administered by entities not subject to the Jülich dukes or that were administered by Jülich but not under its sovereignty can be found here.

 

 

Subdivisions of the Duchy of Jülich
  • Amt Bergheim
  • Amt Born
    • Hauptgericht Sittard (part) 1521 - 1794
    • Netherlandic portion (excluded) 1521 - 1794
  • Amt Millen
    • Gericht Gangelt 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Waldfeucht 1521 - 1794
  • Amt Boslar
    • Stadt Linnich 1521 - 1794
    • Dingstuhl Boslar 1521 - 1794
    • Dingstuhl Körrenzig 1521 - 1790
    • Herrschaft Breitenbend 1521 - 1794
    • Herrlichkeit Tetz 1521 - 1794
  • Amt Brüggen
    • Brachter Ort 1521 - 1794
    • Dülkener Ort 1521 - 1794
    • Süchteler Ort 1521 - 1794
    • Waldnieler Ort 1521 - 1794
    • Dahlener Ort 1521 - 1794
  • Amt Düren 1521 - 1794
  • -
  • Amt Euskirchen
    • Quasi-Gericht Euskirchen 1521 - 1794
    • Herrlichkeit Groß Büllesheim 1521 - 1794
    • Herrlichkeit Roitzheim 1521 - 1794
    • Herrlichkeit Vernich 1521 - 1794
  • Amt Geilenkirchen 1521 - 1794
  • -
  • Amt Grevenbroich
    • Stadt or Gericht Gladbach 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Hardt 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Grevenbroich 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Königshoven 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Otzenrath 1521 - 1794
    • Herrlichkeit Neurath 1521 - 1794
    • Herrlichkeit Rheydt 1521 - 1794
  • Amt Heimbach 1521 - 1794
  • -
  • Amt Heinsberg
    • Heinsberger Bank 1521 - 1794
    • Dremmener Back 1521 - 1794
    • Haagbank 1521 - 1794
    • Karkener Bank 1521 - 1794
    • Kempener Bank 1521 - 1794
    • Kirchhovener Bank 1521 - 1794
    • Waldenrather Bank 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Brachelen 1521 - 1794
  • Oberamt Jülich
  • Stadt Kaiserswerth 1772 - 1806
  • -
  • Amt Kaster
    • Gericht Holzweiler 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Jüchen 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Kaster 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Kirchherten 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Lövenich 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Oberembt 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Paffendorf 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Rödingen 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Wanlo 1521 - 1794
  • Amt Montjoie 1521 - 1794
  • -
  • Amt Münstereifel
    • Gericht Arloff 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Bleibuir 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Elsig 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Hostel 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Keldenich 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Kuchenheim 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Münstereifel 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Schoch 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Schönau 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Tondorf 1521 - 1794
    • Pfandschaft Effelsberg 1521 - 1794
    • Herrlichkeit Pesch 1521 - 1794
    • Herrlichkeit Schweinheim 1521 - 1794
    • Herrschaft Wachendorf 1521 - 1794
    • Herrschaft Wildenburg 1521 - 1794
    • Herrlichkeit Zievel 1521 - 1794
  • Amt Neuenahr
    • Dingstuhl Bengen 1546 - 1794
    • Dingstuhl Ersdorf 1546 - 1794
    • Dingstuhl Fritzdorf 1546 - 1794
    • Dingstuhl Holzweiler 1546 - 1794
    • Dingstuhl Karweiler 1546 - 1794
    • Dingstuhl Leimersdorf 1546 - 1794
    • Dingstuhl Ramersbach 1546 - 1794
    • Dingstuhl Ramershoven 1546 - 1794
    • Dingstuhl Ringen 1546 - 1794
    • Dingstuhl Villip 1546 - 1659
    • Dingstuhl Wadenheim 1546 - 1794
    • Dingstuhl Wormersdorf 1546 - 1794
    • Herrschaft Gelsdorf 1688 - 1737
  • Amt Nideggen
    • Stadtgebiet or Gericht Nideggen 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Bürvenich 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Froitzheim 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Kalenberg 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Kreutzau 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Vettweiss 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Wollersheim 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Enzen 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Niederberg 1648 - 1794
    • Herrlichkeit Binsfeld 1521 - 1794
    • Herrlichkeit Bollheim 1521 - 1794
    • Herrschaft Dreiborn 1521 - 1794
    • Herrschaft Drove 1521 - 1794
    • Herrlichkeit Euenheim 1521 - 1794
    • Herrlichkeit Maubach 1521 - 1794
    • Herrlichkeit Merzenich 1521 - 1794
    • Herrlichkeit Sinzenich 1521 - 1794
  • Amt Nörvenich
    • Gericht Derichsweiler 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Golzheim 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Hambach 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Isweiler 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Lendersdorf 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Nörvenich 1521 - 1794
    • Herrlichkeit Gladbach 1521 - 1794
    • Herrlichkeit Gürzenich 1521 - 1794
    • Herrlichkeit Merode 1521 - 1794
  • Amt Randerath 1521 - 1794
  • -
  • Amt Schönforst 1521 - 1794
  • -
  • Amt Sinzig und Remagen
    • Dingstuhl Gimmigen 1593 - 1641
    • ___and later 1661 - 1794
    • Dingstuhl Heimersheim 1546 - 1794
    • Dingstuhl Kirchdaun 1593 - 1641
    • ___and later 1661 - 1794
    • Herrschaft Oberwinter 1546 - 1794
    • Dingstuhl Remagen 1546 - 1794
    • Dingstuhl Sinzig 1546 - 1794
    • Dingstuhl Unkelbach 1546 - 1794
    • Herrschaft Ahrenthal 1546 - 1702
  • Wehrmeisterei 1521 - 1794
  • -
  • Amt Wassenberg
    • Gericht Arsbeck 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Beeck 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Doveren 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Klein Gladbach 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Mellich 1521 - 1794
    • Gericht Wassenberg 1521 - 1794
    • Herrlichkeit Tüchenbroich 1521 - 1794
  • Amt Wilhelmstein
    • Quasi-Gericht Wilhelmstein 1521 - 1794
    • Herrlichkeit Freuz 1521 - 1794
    • Herrschaft Heyden 1521 - 1794

 

Master list of countries and subdivisions in the Jülich region