Catherine (German: Katharina) was the Countess of Neuenahr. Catherine was the daughter of Count William III. She was first mentioned in 1353, but she had married Count John III of Saffenberg in 1351. After the death of her father without male heirs, Catherine was declared the legal heiress. Female succession was very rare in Germany during this period, and the succession was contested by John IV of the Neuenahr-Rösberg line. The two sides fought constantly and Neuenahr changed hands several times, but by 1370 John of Rösberg was in firm control of Neuenahr and Catherine was reduced to continuing the war from Saffenberg. In 1372 the citizens of Ahrweiler captured John of Rösberg due to his actions as a robber-baron and only released him after he paid them money, but John quickly reverted to