Arnold, Duke of Guelders

Arnold of Egmond (14 July 1410 – 23 February 1473) was Duke of Guelders, Count of Zutphen.

Arnold, Duke of Guelders
Arnold, Duke of Guelders
Born	(1410-07-10)10 July 1410 Egmond-Binnen
Died	23 February 1473(1473-02-23) (aged 62) Grave
Noble family	Egmont
Spouse(s)	Catherine of Cleves
Issue Mary, Queen of Scotland William Margaret, Countess of Palatine-Simmern Adolf, Duke of Guelders Catherine
Father	John II, Count of Egmond
Mother	Maria van Arkel

Arnold was born in Egmond-Binnen, North Holland, the son of John II of Egmond and Maria van Arkel.

Egmond coat of arms

On 11 July 1423, Arnold, still a boy, succeeded Duke Reinald IV. Arnold was the grandson of Reinald's sister, Johanna. Although the Emperor Sigismund had invested the Duke of Berg with the duchy of Gelders, Arnold retained the confidence of the Estates by enlarging their privileges, and enjoyed the support of Duke Philip of Burgundy. Arnold was betrothed, and afterwards united in marriage to Catherine of Cleves, a niece of Philip of Burgundy. Subsequently, however, Duke Arnold fell out with his ally as to the succession to the see of Utrecht, whereupon Philip joined with the four chief towns of Guelders[1] in the successful attempt of Arnold's son Adolf to substitute his own for his father's authority. Arnold gave up his claim on Jűlich only after his defeat in 1444 by Gerhard VII, Duke of Jülich-Berg.[2]

When Charles the Bold became Duke of Burgundy in 1467, after rejecting a compromise, Adolph was thrown into prison. Arnold, against the will of the towns and the law of the land, pledged his duchy to Charles for 300,000 Rhenish florins (1471). [2] Upon Arnold's death two years later at Grave, Charles took possession of the duchy, starting a series of wars that would last more than 70 years.