Charles was the son of
Adolf of Egmond and
Catherine of Bourbon. He born either at
Arnhem or at
Grave, Charles was supported by the French King, but in 1505, Guelders was regained by King Maximilian's son
Philip the Handsome. Charles had to accompany Philip to
Spain to attend Philip's coronation as King of Castile but at
Antwerp, Charles managed to escape. Shortly afterwards, Philip died in Spain and by July 1513 Charles had regained control over the whole of Guelders. In his conflict with the Habsburgs, Charles also became a major player behind the scenes of the
Frisian peasant rebellion and at first financially supported the rebel leader
Pier Gerlofs Donia. After the tides turned against the rebels, Charles stopped his support and switched sides together with his military commander
Maarten van Rossum. In the
Treaty of Gorinchem (1528),
Emperor Charles, son of Philip the Handsome, proposed to recognize Charles of Egmond as Duke of Guelders under the condition that he would inherit the Duchy should the Duke die without issue. The Duke, who at the time did not have any children, delayed signing the treaty. Another battle ensued, after which the passage was removed from the treaty. In 1536 there was finally peace between Guelders and Burgundy with the
Treaty of Grave. In 1531, Charles II turned against his former ally, the
County of East Frisia. The Lutheran counts of East Frisia were locked in a struggle with
Balthasar Oomkens, the lord of
Esens, Stedesdorf, and Wittmund. Balthasar was driven from his territory by
Enno II of East Frisia and turned to the Catholic Charles II for help. Balthasar ceded his territory to the duke in exchange for aid against the East Frisians. Thus, in 1531, the
Guelderian Feud broke out when
Meindert von Hamme, the Guelderian army commander, invaded East Frisia and wreaked havoc. Count Enno II and
Johan I were no match for this overwhelming force and accepted their defeat in 1534. Balthasar's rule was thus secured. Charles died at Arnhem, and is buried in the St. Eusebius Church there. ==Family==