William II, Duke of Jülich

Who was William II, Duke of Jülich?

William II, Duke of Jülich was the second Duke of Jülich and the sixth William in the House of Jülich. He was the second son of William I of Jülich and Joanna of Hainaut.

William was co-ruler from 1343. He quarreled greatly with his father and imprisoned him from 1349-1351. He tried for many years in Holland-Zeeland to enforce claims against the House of Wittelsbach but failed. When his father died in 1361, William became the second Duke of Jülich, his elder brother Gerhard having predeceased their father. He led the traditional feuds of the House of Jülich and lost Kaiserswerth and Zülpich, among others. William intervened in favor of Edward in the catastrophic war of succession between his brothers-in-law Reinald and Edward for control of the Duchy of Guelders. He took part in the 1371 Battle of Baesweiler and captured Wenceslaus I, Duke of Luxembourg. His brother-in-law Reinald died later in 1371 and as neither Reinald nor Edward left heirs, another fight for the succession of Guelders arose between William and his wife Maria and Maria's sister Mathilde, wife of John II, Count of Blois.