Adolf I of Altena

Adolf I. Count of the Mark (c. 1194 – 28 June 1249), until 1226 a.k.a. Adolf I. Count of Altena-Mark, son of Frederick of Berg-Altena and Alveradis of Krickenbeck, daughter of Reiner of Krieckenbeck-Millendonk. Adolf belonged to the line of Berg-Altena and was founder of the new noble branch of the Counts of the Mark. Following the year 1226, he reunited the lands of the Counts of Berg-Altena, which had been in possession of various sidelines of ... more

Adolf I. Count of the Mark (c. 1194 – 28 June 1249), until 1226 a.k.a. Adolf I. Count of Altena-Mark, son of Frederick of Berg-Altena and Alveradis of Krickenbeck, daughter of Reiner of Krieckenbeck-Millendonk. Adolf belonged to the line of Berg-Altena and was founder of the new noble branch of the Counts of the Mark. Following the year 1226, he reunited the lands of the Counts of Berg-Altena, which had been in possession of various sidelines of the family ever since the dividing of their heritage in 1180, thereby forming the county of Mark with its capital city of Hamm. Moreover, Adolf I. was reeve of the monasteries Cappenberg and Werden. Adolf's date of birth is unclear. Commonly accepted is the year 1194, though sometimes an earlier date has been assumed.. In his book Die Landstände der Grafschaft Mark bis zum Jahre 1510: Mit Urkundlichen Beilagen, Rudolf Schulze determined Adolf's date of birth to be in 1164. This assertion does not tie with his parents' life data. Referring to... less