Guelders
- For the present province also called "Guelders" in English, see Gelderland.
Guelders (Dutch Gelre, German Geldern) is the name of a historical duchy in the Low Countries.
The present province of Gelderland (English also Guelders) in the Netherlands occupies most of the area of the former duchy.
The duchy was named after the town of Geldern, which is now in Germany.
Guelders was often at war with the county of Holland and the bishopric of Utrecht, until the dukes of Burgundy acquired the whole area.
The duchy was divided into four quarters:
When the northern Netherlands revolted against Philip II of Spain, the three northern quarters became part of the United Provinces, while the Upper Quarter remained a part of the Spanish and later the Austrian Netherlands.
Counts and Dukes of Guelders
House of Wassenberg
The first count of Guelders was Count Gerard IV of Edward III of England, wife of Reinoud II (1343-1344)
- Edward, younger brother of Reinoud III (1361-1371)
- Reinoud III "the fat" (1371)
House of Egmond
- Arnold of Egmond, grandson of Reinoud IV's sister (1423-1465)
- regent: John II of Egmond, Arnold's father (1423-1436)
- Adolf of Egmond, son of Arnold (1465-1471)
- Arnold of Egmond (again; 1471-1473)
House of Valois
House of Habsburg
House of Egmond
Charles the Bold had forced Arnold of Egmond to sell him the duchy of Guelders. He was recognized by the emperor as duke of Guelders, but the Egmonds had not abandoned their own claims.
Adolf's son Charles of Egmond conquered the duchy in 1492. He remained in power with support of the French king. Only in 1543 did the Habsburg emperor Charles V gained control of Guelders again.
House of Cleves
- William "the rich" 1538-1543
House of Habsburg
