Dietrich V, Count of Cleves

Dietrich V was Count of Cleves from 1201 through 1260. Possibly Dietrich V succeeded in 1198, under regency of Arnold II.

The County of Cleves (German: Grafschaft Kleve; Dutch: Graafschap Kleef) was a comital polity of the Holy Roman Empire in present Germany (part of North Rhine-Westphalia) and the Netherlands (parts of Limburg, Noord-Brabant and Gelderland). Its rulers, called counts, had a special and privileged standing in the Empire. The County of Cleves was first mentioned in the 11th century. In 1417, the county became a duchy (German: Herzogtum Kleve; Dutch: Hertogdom Kleef) and its rulers were raised to the status of Dukes.

Its history is closely related to that of its neighbours: the Duchies of Jülich, Berg and Guelders and the County of Mark. In 1368, Cleves and Mark were united. In 1521 Jülich, Berg, Cleves and Mark formed the United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg. The territory was situated on both sides of the river Rhine, around its capital Cleves and roughly covering today's districts of Cleves, Wesel and the city of Duisburg.

Dietrich was born about 1195 and married Mathilda van Dinslaken in about 1215. Mathilda died about 1226 and he married Hedwig of Meissen (d.1249).

Children (with Mathilda):

• Dietrich primogeniti of Cleves (c.1216)
• Margaretha of Cleves (c.1218)

Children (with Hedwig):

• Dietrich VI of Cleves (c. 1226)
• Dietruch Luf I of Cleves (c. 1228)
• Agnes of Cleves (c. 1230)
• Jutta of Cleves (c. 1232)