Origins

Adolph was the second son of Count Adolph II of the Marck and Margaret of Cleves.

Reign

On 16 November 1357 Pope Innocent VI appointed him the Bishop of Münster. In 1362 he signed a contract with his uncle Bishop Engelbert III of the Marck of Liège whereby he would inherit Cleves in the likely event Count John of Cleves died childless. On 13 June 1363 he was appointed the Archbishop of Cologne against the favourite John of Virneburg, but by the end of the year had resigned from the position to focus on the County of Cleves, despite the fact that his short tenure was scandalous and ridden with controversy.

In 1368 he succeeded his uncle John of Cleves and could maintain his rule there through the support of Liège.

Marriage and issue

Arms of Cleves (c. 1380)

Arms of the Mark

In 1369 he married Margaret of Jülich, daughter of Gerhard VI of Jülich, Count of Berg and Ravensberg and had fourteen children, at least five of whom did not survive infancy.

• Adolph (1373–1448), his successor in Cleves and later also in Marck.
• Dietrich (1374–1398), his successor in Marck.
• Gerhard († 1461), de facto Count of the Marck, but not allowed to use the title.
• Margaret (1375–1411), married in 1394 Albert I, Duke of Bavaria († 1404)
• Elisabeth (1378–1439), married Reinold of Valkenburg († 1396) and Stephen III, Duke of Bavaria
• Engelberta († 1458), married Friedrich IV of Moers.

Later life and death

After his brother Engelbert III of the Marck died without heirs in 1391, Adolph inherited the Marck too. However, he gave Marck to his son Dietrich in 1393.

Adolph died in 1394 and was succeeded in Cleves by another of his sons, Adolph.

Cleves and Marck were reunited again four years later, when Dietrich died and was succeeded by Adolph IV.