Adolf I, Count of Nassau-Siegen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Adolf I, Count of Nassau-Siegen
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Adolf I, Count of Nassau-Siegen
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| Native name | Adolf I. Graf von Nassau-Siegen |
| Born | 1362 |
| Died | 12 June 1420 |
| Noble family | House of Nassau-Siegen |
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Jutta |
| Father | John I of Nassau-Siegen |
| Mother | Margaret of the Mark |
Adolf I of Nassau-Siegen (born 1362 – died 12 June 1420) was an important count in medieval Germany. He became the Count of Diez in 1384 through his first marriage. Later, in 1416, he and his brothers took over as Counts of Nassau-Siegen, a part of the County of Nassau. In 1417, he also inherited the County of Vianden. Adolf belonged to the House of Nassau, a powerful noble family.
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Life of Count Adolf I
Adolf was born in 1362. His father was Count John I of Nassau-Siegen, and his mother was Countess Margaret of the Mark. Adolf was their oldest son.
Becoming Count of Diez
In 1376, a special agreement was made for Adolf to marry Jutta, the only daughter of Count Gerhard VII of Diez. The Diez family was about to run out of male heirs. This meant that Jutta, who was very young, would inherit the County of Diez. The agreement stated that if Gerhard died without sons, Adolf would become the Count of Diez through his marriage to Jutta.
Adolf officially became the Count of Diez before 1384. The Roman King Wenceslaus made this official in 1384.
Challenges and Conflicts
When Adolf first became count, times were tough. There was a big war called the Hattstein War. Cities and their allies fought against the nobles, including Adolf's father-in-law. This war caused a lot of damage.
Adolf had ongoing conflicts with the city of Frankfurt until 1412. This was because Frankfurt and its allies had caused much destruction in his lands. To protect his county, Adolf made an alliance with Archbishop Werner of Trier in 1388.
In 1394, Adolf built Ardeck Castle. This castle helped protect his territory from the counts of Katzenelnbogen.
Sharing Power with Brothers
In 1409, Adolf and his brothers, John II, Engelbert I, and John III, made an agreement. They decided to rule the County of Nassau-Siegen together after their father passed away. They promised not to fight each other for power.
When their father died in 1416, the brothers took over the government together. They didn't divide the land right away. This was because Adolf had no sons, the elder John was not married, and the younger John was a clergyman. It seemed likely that the land would stay together. The brothers also worked together to buy back the other half of the city of Siegen from the Electorate of Cologne.
Inheriting Vianden
In 1417, Elisabeth of Sponheim-Kreuznach, the Countess of Vianden, died without children. Adolf and his three brothers inherited the County of Vianden. This included other important areas like St. Vith, Bütgenbach, Dasburg, and Grimbergen. They inherited these lands because they were grandsons of Adelaide of Vianden, Elisabeth's great-aunt.
Adolf's Final Years
Adolf passed away on 12 June 1420. Before his death, he made some agreements about his lands. After he died, his son-in-law, Lord Godfrey VII of Eppstein-Münzenberg, became Count of one half of Diez. Adolf's brothers inherited the other half of Diez, and they also became the Counts of Nassau-Siegen and Vianden.
Marriages and Family
Adolf was married twice.
First Marriage
Adolf married Countess Jutta of Diez. Their marriage agreement was made on 30 November 1376. Jutta was the daughter of Count Gerhard VII of Diez and Countess Gertrud of Westerburg. Jutta died on 14 August 1397.
Adolf and Jutta were related, so they needed special permission from the church to marry.
Adolf and Jutta had one daughter:
- Jutta (died 2 August 1424). She married Lord Godfrey VII of Eppstein-Münzenberg in 1401. Godfrey later became Count of half of Diez in 1420.
Second Marriage
Adolf married Kunigunde of Isenburg-Limburg in 1402. Kunigunde was the daughter of John II of Isenburg, Lord of Limburg. She died on 15 March 1403. Adolf and Kunigunde did not have any children.
Images for kids
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Diez Castle. Photo: Peter Klassen, 2006.
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Ardeck Castle. Photo: Johannes Robalotoff, 2009.
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Siegen Castle, 2011.
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Vianden Castle. Photo: Vincent de Groot, 2004.
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