Adolf VIII of Berg

Adolf VIII of Berg (also referred to as Adolf V) (c. 1240 – 28 September 1296) was the eldest son of Count Adolf VII of Berg and Margaret of Hochstaden.

In 1259, Adolf became Count of Berg after his father. King Rudolph I of Germany allowed Adolf to move his mint to Wipperfürth in 1275. In 1276 Adolf gave city rights to Ratingen and in 1282 to Wipperfürth. Adolf wanted his brother Conrad, Provost of Cologne, to become Archbishop of Cologne after the death of Engelbert II of Falkenstein in 1274, but Siegfried II of Westerburg was chosen instead.

In 1279 Adolf's uncle Waleran IV, Duke of Limburg died. He left one daughter, Ermengarde, who was married to Reginald I, Count of Guelders. When she died in 1280 without children, her husband claimed the Duchy of Limburg. Adolf also had a claim, but he could not prove it. In 1283 he sold his right to Duke John I of Brabant. This led to the Battle of Worringen in 1288. Adolf supported the victorious Brabant side. Archbishop Siegfried was captured and kept in Schloss Burg for 13 months. Because of the victory, Adolf was able to make Düsseldorf a city. Later, Archbishop Siegfried tricked Adolf and kept him in prison until he died on 28 September 1296.

In 1249, Adolf was promised in marriage to Elisabeth of Guelders, daughter of Otto II, Count of Guelders and half-sister of Reginald I, his rival for the Duchy of Limburg. Elisabeth died 31 March 1315 and is buried with her husband in the Church of Solingen-Gräfrath. Adolf and Elisabeth had no children, so Adolf's brother William I of Berg became Count of Berg after him.