Ducy of Gelre
Reginald III of Guelders (
French:
Rainaud or
Renaud, known as "The Fat") May 13, 1333 was
Duke of Guelders and
Count of Zutphen from 1343 to 1361,. He was the son of
Reginald II of Guelders and of
Eleanor of Woodstock, daughter of
Edward II of
England.
With the death of his father in 1343, his mother held the regency until 1344.
In 1347 William arranged a mariage of his sister, Isabella, with Reinould III of Gelre. This was agreed between one of the two custodians of Reinoud, John of Valken burg. Much to the dismay of Edward III of England (uncle of Reinoud ) and Reinouds mother, his second custodian.
From 1350, his younger brother
Edward (Named after his uncle King Edward II of England) asserted his rights and a brother war of succession burst out between the two brothers which colided with a long bloody rivalry between two factions within the ducality.
The brother war ended in 1361 when Edward imprissioned his older brother Renginald in a room in Caslte Nijenbeek. Although Reginals was maried with he sisiter of Willam IV of Holland he barely received real support. Main reason was that William was occupied with he succession war of Brabant after the death of his father in law Jan III Duke of Brabant, Limburg and Loon.
The Battle of the Three Dukes or the Battle of Beasweiler (22 August 1371),
Attacks on Brabant's commercial interests in the territory of the Duke of Jülich (Gullik) had almost caused war in 1367 and 1369. After mercenaries robbed a number of Brabantine merchants on the territory of
William II, Duke of Jülich(Gullik) in 1371, William refused to pay reparation to William IV Holland, Hainaut the new duke of Brabant and husband of the
Duchess of Brabant, let alone punish the mercenaries, instead William of Julich (Gullik) protecting the mercenaries and even hiring some.
William of Holland prepared his forces and tried to attack the Duke of Jülich. William however sought help from his brother in law,
Edward, Duke of Guelders.
On 20 August, William of Holland and his 16 year old son, led his army from the border town of
Maastricht towards the enemy capital of
Jülich. The army advanced slowly, burning and looting as it went and by the evening of 21 August was encamped near the town of
Baesweiler north of
Aachen.
On 22 August, the Duke of Brabant' army, of 2500 men-at-arms and small number of militia infantry, was confronted by the smaller force of the Duke of Jülich, 1600 men-at-arms and a smaller number of militia infantry.
Two different versions of what happened next are recorded. In one, the army of Jülich attacked in the morning while the Brabant forces were at mass. In the other, the army of Brabant had the best of the fighting until the late appearance of the troops of the Edward Duke of Guelders, perhaps from ambush. The battle ended with the death of the Duke of Brabant and the death of the Duke of Guelders. The Brabantine troops fled the field and Willima fo Avesnes son managed to escape.
Supporters of Reginald of Guelres made use of the sudden death of Edward of Guelres and apointed Reginald back as Duke of Guerles. Only Reginald had become so corpulent that he didn't fit true the door of the room of the catstle, where he was imprissond, hence his nick name ''The Fat''
