Margaret's father Otto had no sons so at his death in 1328, the County of Ravensberg went to his brother Bernhard.

Then, when Margaret's uncle, Count Adolf IX of Berg, died in 1348 without issue, Margaret also inherited Berg by right of her mother.

Gerhard completed several ineffective protective alliances and stood against the Archbishop of Cologne.

He won Hardenberg, Neviges, Langenberg, Remangen and Kaiserswerth, among others.

Gerhard died 18 May 1360 in a tournament in Düsseldorf and is buried with his wife in the Altenberg Abbey.