William IV, Lord of Egmont

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William IV of Egmont

William II of Egmont (or Egmond) (January 26, 1412 – January 19, 1483) was Lord of Egmont, IJsselstein, Schoonderwoerd and Haastrecht and Stadtholder of Guelders.

Biography

William was a son of John II, Lord of Egmond and Maria van Arkel, and a younger brother of Arnold, Duke of Gelderland.
He travelled with his brothers to the Holy Land (1458–1464) and was received in Rome by Pope Pius II.

William stayed most of the time in Guelders, where he supported his brother against his nephew Adolf of Egmond. After the incarceration of his brother, William led the pro-Burgundy party.

When Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy took over power in Guelders in 1473, he made William Stadtholder. In 1477 Mary of Burgundy included William in her Great Council of Mechelen and made him Knight in the order of the Golden Fleece one year later.

Egmond coat of arms

Marriage and Children

William married on January 22, 1437 with Walburga of Meurs and had 4 daughters and 3 sons:

• John III of Egmont, stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland and West-Friesland;
• Frederik of Egmont, count of Buren;
• William of Egmont jr., stadtholder of Guelders.
• Anna, married Bernard van Bentheim
• Elisabeth, married Gijsbrecht van Bronckhorst
• Walburgia, a nun
• Margeretha, married Jan van Merode