Gerhard VI, Count of Oldenburg

Gerhard VI "the Quarrelsome"
Count of Oldenburg
Coat of arms of Gerhard VI
Born	1430
Died	22 February 1500 (aged 69–70)
Noble family	House of Oldenburg
Spouse(s)	Adelheid of Tecklenburg
Issue	Gerhard of Oldenburg Dietrich of Oldenburg Adolph, Count of Oldenburg-Delmenhorst Christian of Oldenburg John V, Count of Oldenburg Otto of Oldenburg Elisabeth of Oldenburg Anna of Oldenburg Irmgard von Esens, Countess of Harlingerland Hedwig of Oldenburg Adelheid of Oldenburg
Father	Dietrich of Oldenburg
Mother	Helvig of Schauenburg

Gerhard VI "the Quarrelsome", Count of Oldenburg (German: Gerhard (Gerd) der Mutige von Oldenburg; 1430 – 22 February 1500) was a Count of Oldenburg and regent of Bad Zwischenahn in 1440–1482.

Gerhard was the third son of Dietrich of Oldenburg and his wife, Helvig of Schauenburg. His eldest brother succeeded their father as Christian VII but was elected King Christian I of Denmark in 1448, therefore passing on the county to his brothers in 1450. In 1440–1463 Gerhard VI ruled in Delmenhorst as regent and in 1464–1482 (after the death of his brother Maurice) as the guardian of his nephew Jakob. He was constantly at war with Gerhard III, Prince-Archbishop of Bremen, and Frisians. In 1483 Gerhard was compelled to abdicate in favor of his sons, and he died whilst on a pilgrimage in the Rhône valley.

Family and children

In 1453 he married with Adelheid of Tecklenburg (c. 1435 – 2 March 1477), daughter of Otto VII, Count of Tecklenburg. They had eleven children:

• Gerhard of Oldenburg (1454–1470)
• Dietrich of Oldenburg (c. 1456 – 1463)
• Adolph, Count of Oldenburg-Delmenhorst (1458 – 17 February 1500)
• Christian of Oldenburg (1459 – 27 May 1492)
• John V, Count of Oldenburg (1460 – 10 February 1526)
• Otto of Oldenburg (d. 17 February 1500), a canon of Bremen Cathedral Chapter
• Elisabeth of Oldenburg (1468 – 12 September 1505)
• Anna of Oldenburg (1469 – 26 September 1505)
• Irmgard of Oldenburg; married Hero Oomkens von Esens, Earl of Harlingerland.
• Hedwig of Oldenburg (d. 22 February 1502); married in 1498 Edo Wimken II of Jever (1468 - 19 April 1511); had issue, including Maria of Jever.
• Adelheid of Oldenburg (d. 1513); married in 1503 Dietrich III of Plesse.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Gerhard VI, Count of Oldenburg

16. John II, Count of Oldenburg 8. Conrad I, Count of Oldenburg 17. Hedwig of Diepholz 4. Christian V, Count of Oldenburg 18. Gerhard IV, Count of Holstein-Plön 9. Ingeborg of Itzehoe 19. Anastasia of Wittenberg 2. Dietrich, Count of Oldenburg 20. Dietrich III, Count of Hohnstein-Klettenberg 10. Dietrich V, Count of Hohnstein-Heringen 21. Elisabeth of Waldeck 5. Agnes of Hohnstein-Heringen 22. Magnus I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (=28) 11. Sophie of Brunswick 23. Sophia of Brandenburg-Stendal (=29) 1. Gerhard VI, Count of Oldenburg 24. Gerhard III, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg 12. Henry II, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg 25. Sophie of Mecklenburg-Werle 6. Gerhard VI, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg 26. Albert II, Duke of Mecklenburg 13. Ingeborg of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 27. Euphemia of Sweden 3. Helvig of Schauenburg 28. Magnus I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (=22) 14. Magnus II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg 29. Sophia of Brandenburg-Stendal (=23) 7. Catherine Elisabeth of Brunswick-Lüneburg 30. Bernhard III, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg 15. Catherine of Anhalt-Bernburg 31. Agnes of Saxe-Wittebberg