Gemen

Gemen was an immediate, sovereign lordship of the Holy Roman Empire, in the Lower Rhine region.

It was centered on Gemen, a small town and castle in the present municipality of Borken, western North Rhine-Westphalia.

In 1282, Gemen became a fief of the Counts of Cleves.

In 1640, the immediate lordship of Gemen passed for two centuries to the Counts of Limburg Stirum.

When Ferdinand IV of Limburg Stirum died at the age of 15 in 1800, the line Limburg-Styrum-Styrum failed to inherit Gemen, which then passed to the barons of Boyneburg-Bömelberg for 6 years, until the mediatisation of 1806.

Map of a large region (in white) including all the territory of modern Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands, plus parts of most neighbouring countries, including most of Northern Italy. Some of the northwest part region is highlighted in color, including Münster, most of the Netherlands and parts of modern Belgium.
The Lower Rhenish–Westphalian Circle (red) within the Holy Roman Empire (white) after 1548