Gooswijn van der Lawick or Goosen van der Lauwick (Diepenheim, ca. 1547 – Bredevoort, June 23, 1629) was a captain, Lord of Geldermalsen, vassal of ter Hegge and ten Velde, bailiff of Bredevoort, and a member of the knighthood of Zutphen and Nijmegen.
Gooswijn was a son of Goossen van der Lawick, Lord of Geldermalsen and bailiff of Buren, and Anna van Asperen van Vueren. He married the widow of Floris van Buckhorst, Joanna Bentinck, and was consequently enfeoffed with the castle and lordship of Buckhorst near Zalk in Overijssel. Two of his sons, Christoffel and Georg Nicolaas, would later also become bailiffs of Bredevoort.
Service to the States
Gooswijn van der Lawick became famous during the siege and relief of Bredevoort in 1606. After the Spaniards managed to overrun Bredevoort, the citizens and garrison were able to flee to Bredevoort Castle to continue the defense of the city while awaiting relief from surrounding States’ armies. However, the Spaniards had no powder and shot. These had coincidentally been brought into the castle by Gooswijn van der Lawick the day before. As a result, the Spaniards failed to take the town; they ran out of ammunition. In 1629, as commander, Van der Lawick also participated in the Capture of Wesel, together with Wolf Mislich.
Captain Wolf Misslich was the commander of the States’ garrison in Bredevoort during the early 17th century. In 1629, he participated in the capture of Wesel, for which he was rewarded by the States-General. Later that same year, he was appointed governor of the Lordship of Bredevoort. His substantial legacy to the poor established him as one of the greatest benefactors in the history of the town.
Misslich and his troops captured two Spanish redoubts on the Lippe. For his services, he received a gold medal valued at one hundred rijksdaalders from the States-General.1
Following these military successes, Misslich was appointed governor of Bredevoort, a strategically located fortified town in the east of Gelderland.
Family, legacy, and charity
In a deed dated June 27, 1629, Misslich is referred to as “van Paterborn” (Paderborn), indicating his place of origin.2 He was initially married to Catharina van Jeveren; from this marriage, a daughter, Anna Margaretha, was born. Anna Margaretha married Captain Robert van Giffen; they had a daughter named Catharina. Both Anna Margaretha and her daughter passed away in the summer of 1639, shortly before Misslich himself. After the death of his first wife, Misslich remarried his maidservant, Nelleke Servaes.3
In a will dated December 26, 1628, Misslich already demonstrated his philanthropic nature. In it, he bequeathed, among other things, 500 Carolus guilders to the poor of Emmerich; he named his daughter Anna Margaretha as the heir to the rest of his estate and also left five hundred guilders to his nephew (his namesake, Sergeant Wolf Misslich), three hundred guilders to his—then—maidservant Nelleken, and twenty rijksdaalders and a cloak to his servant Jurrien. 4
His charitable work took further shape in the following years. In 1637, he purchased a house with a barn, garden, and appurtenances within the town of Bredevoort from the Deputies of the County of Zutphen, with the provision that the property would pass to the poor after his death.5 On July 13, 1639, he bequeathed 6,000 Carolus guilders to the New Orphanage in Zutphen and 100 rijksdaalders to the poor of Lochem.6
The house of Misslich (Agnietenhuis)
However, the most well-known part of his legacy went to the poor of Bredevoort. According to his will, he left his house, garden, and associated lands to the city’s poor relief—a donation later estimated at 15,000 guilders, an exceptionally large sum for that time. This gift gave rise to the local saying: “The poor of Bredevoort are rich.”7
Misslich’s house was likely located near the Ambthuis. The rental income from the property was entirely dedicated to poor relief. Until the nineteenth century, the fund resulting from his legacy was still managed by the church’s deacons and provisors. In 1808, the fund still represented a value of over 6,000 guilders.
One of the properties that passed to the poor of Bredevoort was the Erff und Guedt Lenckhoff in Aalten, which Misslich had purchased in 1638 from Count Georg Ernst van Limburg Stirum.8 This estate was situated in the area between the current Bodenvoor, Bredevoortsestraat, and Haartsestraat (later known as Lankhaverstegge) and extended to the Smees. The Lankhofstraat is named after it.
Death
Saint George’s Church in the 19th century (illustrative image)
On August 1, 1639, Misslich transferred part of his assets to his son-in-law Robert van Giffen, including an estate in Nieuw Vossemeer near Steenbergen and significant annuities in the Veluwe and Emmerich.9
Shortly thereafter, Misslich passed away; on August 17, 1639, his will was opened.10 He was buried in Saint George’s Church in Bredevoort.11
In 1661, he is still mentioned in the archives as “the stern and valiant governor” in connection with the sale of a house “for the benefit of the poor”.12
Wolf Misslich was not only a capable military officer and administrator but also a man with a profound social conscience. His generous donations ensured that the poor of Bredevoort received support for generations. Nearly four centuries after his death, his name lives on in the history of the town he served.
Tijdens de tachtigjarige oorlog werd de Oostgelderse bevolking regelmatig geteisterd door rondtrekkende legers. Plundering, brandschatting en verkrachting dreef de boeren en dorpsbewoners tot wanhoop. Jan Holstein was destijds Voogd van Aalten en al stond hij vrij machteloos, hij sprong wel in de bres voor de Aaltense bevolking en deed zijn best om de plunderingen te laten stoppen.
In 1588 waren er vredesonderhandelingen gaande tussen de hertog van Parma en koningin Elisabeth van Engeland, welke laatste ook de Staten daarin tracht te betrekken. Daarop doelend schreef Holstein aan Gotfried Gerardi, raadsman van de pandvrouwe van Anholt: “Ik hoop maar, dat de vurig gewenschte vrede tot stand kome; dan zouden deze arme schapen weer moed kunnen vatten. Ze ploegen meerendeels met koeien, die ze nog overhielden, het land en arbeiden als muilezels. Wij steken diep in de schulden en kunnen geen geld meer krijgen; ook mijn crediet is ten einde. Moge God ons nog voor den oogst uitkomst geven, opdat het koren veilig binnengehaald kan worden. Anders zou ik geen raad weten.“
G.H. Rots schreef in 1938 hoe Jan Holstein om het leven kwam:
Havezathe ‘t Walfort, Jan de Beijer, 1743
“De Voogd van Aalten, Jan of Johan Holstein, die voor de Aaltensche bevolking herhaaldelijk in de bres sprong, is op een eigenaardige manier omgekomen. Wij lezen daarvan in “Het Oude Kerspel Winterswijk” dat op den 11en Juni 1589 ten huize van een zekeren Grevink op ‘t Walfort bij Aalten een doopfeest werd gehouden, waar ook de Voogd van Aalten aanwezig was, nog wel als peetoom der kleine. Ook waren aanwezig de Heeren van ‘t Walfort en Lintelo, (de heeren van Lintelo waren ook eigenaar van ‘t Walfort).
De Voogd van Aalten had promotie gemaakt, hij was na het overlijden van ‘Hendrik van den Bungard’ Landschrijver geworden van de Heerlijkheid Bredevoort. Dit nu schijnt een doorn in het oog der heeren van Lintelo te zijn geweest, althans men begon daarover een twistgesprek, waarbij Holstein wel merkte dat de gebroeders van Lintelo geen gemakkelijke heeren waren.
Holstein probeerde ongemerkt den feestdisch te verlaten en liet zich ongemerkt onder de tafel glijden. Hij kroop op handen en voeten naar de deur en maakte zich snel uit de voeten. Maar Diederik van Lintelo had dat in de gaten, liep Holstein na en wierp hem allerlei hatelijkheden naar het hoofd. De twist werd erger. Holstein beweerde dat de Pandvrouw het recht had Landschrijvers te benoemen en Diederik van Lintelo kende dat recht toe aan de Edelen in de Heerlijkheid. Het gevolg was dat er handtastelijkheden ontstonden, waarbij Diederik van Lintelo een korte degen trok en Holstein hiermede verwondde. De verwonding was zoo erg, dat de Voogd drie dagen later overleed.
Deze zaak kwam voor het Bredevoortsch gerecht op 5 Augustus van dat jaar. De beklaagde was niet aanwezig. Hij was naar Bocholt gevlucht en hield zich daar schuil. Bij verstek werd hij ter dood veroordeeld en betaling van 1000 gulden boete aan de Pandvrouwe. En om nu dat geld te krijgen werd aan de pachters van Diederik van Lintelo medegedeeld, dat zij de pacht aan den rentmeester der Pandvrouwe moesten betalen zoolang tot de som der boete bijeen was.
Die pachters waren ‘Ruwenhoeven’, Hendrik Penmenger, ‘Winkelhorstinck’, ‘Swijtinck’, ‘Lanckhof’, ‘den Herinck’ en ‘den Poll’. Door bemiddeling van eenige invloedrijke personen o.a. den Prior van Klooster Schaer, Johanna van Dort, Hendrik en Clara van Lintelo, werden pogingen aangewend voor gratie. Die gratie is verleend, maar de boete moest hij betalen.
Als voogd van Aalten werd benoemd de voogd van Dinxperlo Herman Poelhuis. Het schijnt dat deze tijdelijk benoemd is geweest want in 1605 wordt als voogd van Aalten genoemd Lubbert Spaltman.”
Bronnen
Het oude kerspel Winterswijk, door B. Stegeman, 1927 (Delpher)
‘Uit Aalten’s verleden’, door G.H. Rots, Aaltensche Courant, 4 maart 1938 (Delpher)
In 1964, during excavation work for the construction of a new workshop on the premises of the Klein Nibbelink smithy, various items were discovered, including remnants of walls, moat fill, wooden posts, and an iron fire grate. However, the most impressive find was a Spanish sword from the Eighty Years’ War, bearing the inscription ‘Tholeta’, the Latin name for the city of Toledo in Spain.
Johan Klein Nibbelink currently has the sword in his possession and tells about it in the video below.
Nieuwe Winterswijksche Courant, 12 October 1964
Sources
Nieuwe Winterswijksche Courant, 12 October 1964 (Delpher)
In earlier centuries, the population of Aalten regularly suffered from forced contributions. A forced contribution (brandschatting) is a (usually high) sum of money that a village or region had to pay to passing troops to prevent them from looting and burning the village or region.
The soldiers in question usually received irregular pay and were primarily paid from these forced contributions. If the amounts could not be raised, the troops felt entitled to looting and other misconduct. Since multiple armies often passed through a region during wartime, the imposition of this ‘war tax’ usually led to bitter poverty. Additionally, the population often suffered from roaming, dismissed mercenaries.
This practice plagued many areas not only in the Middle Ages, but also during various wars in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. In the peripheral areas of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands, for example, such as North Brabant, Limburg, and the eastern border regions, it led to a major economic and demographic decline during these centuries.
Looting, forced contributions, and rape by Spanish soldiers, by C. van der Burght (Source: Zeeland Archives)
Historical Description
In 1938, G.H. Rots wrote a series of articles in the Aaltensche Courant about the history of the municipality of Aalten. He wrote the following about forced contributions in Aalten:
“In the years before 1597, the year of the conquest of Bredevoort by Prince Maurice, Bredevoort had regularly been in the possession of the Spaniards. However, one should not think that there was peace and quiet in the Ambt of Bredevoort at that time. Troops regularly passed through and stayed in Bredevoort and the associated districts. The village of Aalten suffered particularly from these passing troops. There was little dispute over property rights. The soldiers simply took whatever they liked, and the Ambt of Aalten was repeatedly levied for forced contributions, i.e., ordered to hand over a number of horses, cows, or money to the passing troops.
One could also strike a deal with the marauding bands and prevent the seizure of livestock and horses by paying a sum of money. As evidence of how Aalten suffered under these repeated raids and robberies, the following is mentioned in that regard.
On March 2, 1582, English horsemen arrived in Aalten and took 16 people prisoner. These prisoners were released after paying a ransom of 2,000 guilders.
An honorable citizen named Hondarp, however, was transported to Zutphen but was later released for a ransom of 200 dalers. The son of the aforementioned Hondarp was taken prisoner on October 17 while he was in Doetinchem. He had ridden to Doetinchem on horseback, and it seems his appearance suggested he did not lack means, as he was able to regain his freedom upon payment of 100 dalers and the surrender of his horse.
On December 1 of that year, soldiers from Lochem arrived and demanded 100 dalers to prevent looting. Things did not go well for Hondarp, as on January 15, 1583, he was taken prisoner along with his wife and son. They could only extract 60 dalers from him, for which they finally regained their freedom. In March of that year, another group of soldiers from Doetinchem arrived and stole a number of horses ‘at the Pas’. The owners were able to buy them back for 51 dalers, except for the best horse, which the soldiers took with them.
On May 29, the people from Doetinchem returned and stole a horse and a cow, but this time no ransom was paid, probably with the thought: if they get no money, they won’t return so quickly. But the next day it was the same story again; 3 horses were stolen. The ransom decreased, as they only had to pay 9 dalers, with which the soldiers were satisfied.
However, looting was in the blood of the garrison at Doetinchem, as they repeatedly came to Aalten. On June 18, they stole three horses; the ransom was 13½ dalers.
On the 10th, they were back again, and now they demanded 3 horses, 2 cows, 2 heifers, and 3 bulls. The heifers were slaughtered and valued at 10 dalers. The rest were bought back for 10 imperial guilders and the bulls for 10 dalers.
On June 14, one horse was stolen, which was bought back for 3 dalers and 18 stuivers. It would get even worse, for only two days later, soldiers from Bergh, Doetinchem, and Nijmegen arrived and stole 41 horses, 4 oxen, 33 cows, and 37 head of barren cattle. Only a portion of these could be bought back for 674 dalers.
And now more robberies followed. On July 19, 20 horses were taken by soldiers from Bronckhorst. On August 11, another 6 horses. On September 14, soldiers from Ulft stole 3 cows, for which a ransom of 15 dalers was paid by the owner.
On September 17, a company of soldiers led by a certain Stael arrived and seized 11 cows, 40 horses, 40 head of large cattle, and 12 oxen. They took the best livestock with them, and the rest was bought back for 419 dalers. Until now, it had always been livestock, but on December 15, soldiers from Lochem arrived and demanded 8 horses and 2 carts of buckwheat. On March 15 of the following year, a carter with a wagon of rye, drawn by 2 horses, drove through the IJzerlo field. Some horsemen from Bergh and Doetinchem seized everything, and the carter saw his property taken away.
Now they began taking heads of households prisoner again. They were released for a ransom or in exchange for other prisoners languishing in the dungeon at Bredevoort. Immediately after Whitsun, a large raid was undertaken, and many horses and cows were seized and partially bought back. Subsequently, on June 9, June 20, and June 24, there were repeated raids and thefts of horses and livestock.
And the measure was not yet full. The population of Aalten had a hard time, for on July 13 and 14, 1584, 15 people were taken prisoner in the municipality of Aalten and 600 head of cattle and horses were stolen. The prisoners were released for a ransom of 1,100 guilders. Who can fathom the sorrow of the population in those days?
Because of all these mentioned raids, people became fearful. They hardly dared to go outside with a horse, ox, or other animal; danger lurked from all sides. Soldiers were stationed in all the surrounding fortresses, and whenever they needed something, they went out looting. It was in the middle of harvest time, but the farmers left the grain in the fields; why should they harvest? Soon the enemy and also the State soldiers would come—for in this regard it was ‘six of one and half a dozen of the other’—and steal their possessions.
There were also farmers who fled and tried to find a living in regions further to the east. Those who remained here complained to the village authorities, but what could they do! In those years, a certain Jan Holstein was the advocate (voogd) of Aalten. He addressed petitions to the Lady of Anholt. It seems, however, that she was also powerless to end the situation. It was wartime, and the soldiers, mostly mercenaries and volunteers, demanded money, food, and drink on time. And when the army leadership could not provide that on time, the soldiers tried to obtain it themselves through looting and robbery. The population became the victim.”
Billeting
“Added to all that misery was the fact that garrisons were relieved of soldiers by billeting them with farmers and village residents. The people themselves had almost nothing to eat, and when soldiers were billeted, they would act out if they did not receive enough food. If people had provisions, they were largely hidden, otherwise everything would be seized. To make matters worse, an extra tax was imposed on the population. The Lady of Anholt needed money, and the Stewards traveled around to collect the funds; but everywhere there was poverty and want.
Then it would seem as if peace would return, and nothing would be heard for a year. But suddenly it would flare up again. As in the summer of 1586, the looting began once more. The Aalten farmers then pursued the looters as far as Enschede and Oldenzaal. They wanted their stolen cattle back. They had to return empty-handed, and the suffering was almost unbearable.
One of the worst afflictions was when the soldiers brought their wives and children with them. Then they also had to be given something to eat. In January 1587, such a troop was to be partially billeted in Aalten. Fear struck the hearts of the population. It was heard that they were mercenaries from Wallonia in Belgium, who were notorious for their ferocity and cruelty. Outposts had already been sent out because it was suspected that Geuzen soldiers were in the vicinity. On a Sunday morning, such an outpost troop of 20 men arrived in Aalten, led by the landdrost Thieseling. They moved on to Bocholt, where a Spanish cavalry unit had arrived under the command of Colonel Taxis.
Reconnaissance had determined that no State or Geuzen soldiers were to be seen, and so it was agreed to ride back to Groenlo and then carry out the billeting. But between Aalten and Bocholt, they were suddenly ambushed by the Geuzen soldiers, and a fierce battle broke out. The Geuzen were victorious, and the fear remained. The dreaded billeting did not happen.
Near Bredevoort, there seem to have been fertile meadows in addition to marshes. Specifically, there was a town meadow at the Swanebroek and several private grazing lands. But in 1587, everything had been grazed bare by the enemies’ horses, the meadows were completely ruined by riding, and afterwards a period of rain came and everything was flooded, so that no hay could be harvested that year. While they had been spared billeting in the spring, in December of that year a large number of horsemen suddenly arrived from Groenlo and stole horses, cows, and pigs. Sixty molders of rye and buckwheat were also to their liking, along with 43 wagonloads of unthreshed grain.
On March 26, 1588, it was a number of State soldiers who looted in Aalten. Thus, the population was bitten first by the cat and then by the tomcat. The advocate of Aalten, Jan Holstein, wrote a letter on June 9, 1588, to Godfried Gerardi, advisor to the Lady of Anholt, in which he recalls the situation in Aalten. The harvest cannot be safely brought in. Citizens of Aalten have been taken prisoner and are being held hostage elsewhere. There is no money to ransom these people.
On July 4, 1588, an army of 2,000 infantrymen (foot soldiers) and 300 horsemen approached Aalten. They entered the village, and the residents fled fearfully into their houses. What would happen to them now? The command was held by the Spanish governor and field commander Verdugo and Count Herman van den Berg. It appeared, however, that they were just passing through towards Bocholt-Recklinghausen, so Aalten was spared billeting or robberies this time.
The Lady of Anholt considered ways to end the robberies. She needed money to pay the soldiers’ wages and therefore decided to introduce an extra levy (extra tax). But of course, you can’t pluck feathers from a frog. Aalten had to provide an extra 70 dalers, and the advocate of Aalten wrote to the Lady that he did not know how he would collect this sum, which had been easy to pay in the past, at this time. The population is starving, horses and cows are almost non-existent, and what remains is being stolen.
Yes, my readers, who can fathom the depth of misery of the unfortunate population, for not only the mentioned afflictions hit the people. It is as if everything conspired to complete the system of destruction, for while the crops promised somewhat of a good harvest, a violent storm arose accompanied by heavy hail and destroyed all the crops standing in the fields. How deeply our ancestors had to drain the cup of misery is indescribable and cannot be understood by us, who do complain about bad times.
For even more atrocities were to occur. The hordes of soldiers who roamed about and often indulged in strong drink threatened women and daughters with dishonor if they were not given what they demanded. In 1597, Bredevoort was taken by Prince Maurice. The change in government had come, but it did not bring the protection of home and property. It remained restless in the Ambt of Bredevoort. The fortunes of war fluctuated, but soldiers were soldiers; one group might be slightly better than the other, but on average they could all be painted with the same brush.”
Twelve Years’ Truce
“Only in 1609, when the Twelve Years’ Truce was made, could the population catch its breath again. With the changing fortunes of war, religious disputes had also flared up. As long as the Spanish domination existed, the Reformers could not show themselves openly. No sooner had the tide of war turned than the change in the churches also took place. The victors took measures against the vanquished that, in hindsight, are indefensible.
After the Twelve Years’ Truce, the conflict began to flare up again. In Groenlo, there was still a garrison of Spanish soldiers. That was a breeding ground for bad elements. They roamed the rural districts and again stole everything they could. The new Lord of this municipality, Prince Maurice and later Frederick Henry, was constantly petitioned for protection. Finally, on July 17, 1627, Frederick Henry decided to rush to the aid of his subjects in the County. A significant military force of 55 squadrons of cavalry, 168 companies of foot soldiers, and 75 cannons entered the County, coming from the direction of Emmerich. The siege of Groenlo was laid, and a fierce battle erupted there between besiegers and besieged.
After the siege had lasted a month, Frederick Henry took the city and thereby established the rule in the County. For thirty days, Frederick Henry stayed in Groenlo and visited the surrounding places. Aalten also received an official visit from Frederick Henry. He encouraged the population. Since then, a member of the House of Orange has never made an official visit to Aalten. If a street or square in Aalten ever needs to be named again, it might well be named after this liberator of Aalten territory. For afterwards, peace returned, except for small robberies compared to the past, until the peace was signed in 1648, ending the Eighty Years’ War.”
The Capture of Bredevoort in 1572 was the conquest of the fortified town of Bredevoort by a Sea Beggar (Geuzen) army led by William van den Bergh during the Eighty Years’ War. The siege lasted from 9 June to 20 June and resulted in the successful seizure of the town by the besieging forces. This operation was part of William of Orange’s second invasion, aimed at opposing the ‘Spanish’ Army of Flanders.
Throughout the Eighty Years’ War, Bredevoort remained under Spanish control. However, from the autumn of 1570, rumours circulated in the Achterhoek of an imminent attack by insurgents, known as the Geuzen. Until 1572, this remained merely a threat. Following the Capture of Brielle on 1 April 1572, Count William van den Bergh, the brother-in-law of William of Orange, assembled an army of approximately 5,000 men in Wesel. His objective was to undertake a campaign through the Achterhoek and along the IJssel. This campaign was marked by the plundering of churches and monasteries, among other targets.
Siege
On 9 June, a trumpeter appeared before the city gate to demand the town’s surrender on behalf of William of Orange. The choice was simple: swear an oath of allegiance to the Prince, or face battle. The demand was accompanied by harsh warnings; should they choose to fight, the town would face an assault in which neither property nor life would be spared. The Drost (Bailiff), Jasper van Broeckhuijsen, replied that they first wished to await the opinion of the pandheer (mortgage holder), Dirk van Bronkhorst-Batenburg.
Meanwhile, William van den Bergh captured the city of Zutphen the following day and sent letters to the towns that had not yet been conquered, inviting them to Zutphen to swear the oath to the Prince. The Bailiff of Bredevoort advised the citizens to go, but this advice was not followed.
Van Broeckhuijsen eventually managed to convince the pandheer in Anholt that Bredevoort was incapable of defending itself against such superior numbers. Van Broeckhuijsen then travelled to Zutphen to negotiate. On 19 June, a treaty was concluded in which the house, town, and lordship were surrendered to the Prince, though the pandheer would retain his rights.
Capture
On 20 June, Bredevoort was captured and occupied by Gisbert van Heerde and his regiment of French troops. Jasper van Broeckhuijsen and all officials of the lordship were dismissed, and Jacob van der Capellen was subsequently installed as the new Bailiff. The remainder of the army advanced westward to capture Doetinchem. However, peace was short-lived.
In the meantime, Don Frederick was approaching with a large army for a punitive campaign, and by November, Bredevoort was once again a theatre of conflict. On 20 November, Jacob van Bronkhorst, son of the Lord of Anholt, retook the town for the pro-Spanish forces of the Duke of Alba and his son Don Frederick. A month later, the Geuzen plundered Bredevoort Castle, the Schaer Monastery, St George’s Church, and the St James’s Church (Jacobskerk) in Winterswijk.
Following the Massacre of Zutphen, Van den Bergh fled to Germany, accompanied by the Geuzen who had been stationed in Bredevoort. They took five cannons and ammunition from the town. The pandheer Dirk van Bronkhorst-Batenburg now openly declared his Spanish sympathies. Bredevoort would remain under the Spanish flag until the siege of 1597 by Maurice of Nassau, the future Prince of Orange.
Illustration by Jan de Beijer from 1743, featuring the Ossenkop bastion in the foreground and the Aalterpoort to its left
The fortified town of Bredevoort has a history dating back to (at least) the year 945. At that time, Bredevoort was nothing more than a passable crossing amidst a largely impenetrable swamp. It was, however, a very important passage, as Bredevoort was situated on the major trade route from Bocholt to Zutphen.
In the 13th and 14th centuries, Bredevoort developed further into an important fortified town. In 1350, Bredevoort was granted minting rights, and in 1388, it even officially received city rights, marking the first mention of the city of Bredevoort: ‘onse borch, huys ende stat tot Bredervoert‘ (our castle, house, and city at Bredevoort).
During the Eighty Years’ War (1568-1648), Bredevoort became involved in the fighting between the States and Spanish troops and was besieged and captured several times. After the siege by Maurice of Nassau (the later Prince of Orange) in 1597, a strong States garrison was stationed in the town. The bond with the Dutch Royal House has remained consistently strong over time. King Willem-Alexander still holds the official title ‘Lord of Bredevoort’.
Bastions of Bredevoort, map: hisgis.nl
The garrison town of Bredevoort became part of the eastern line of defense, and plans were subsequently made to reinforce the city. The fortress was strengthened and enlarged; a wide moat was constructed around the six bastions: Vreesniet, Treurniet, Onversaegt, Stoltenborg, Welgemoed, and Ossenkop.
The remains of the fortifications on the north-western side of Bredevoort were designated as a National Monument in 1967 (numbers 6874 and 6875).
Historical Description
In 1938, G.H. Rots wrote a series of articles in the Aaltensche Courant regarding the history of the municipality of Aalten. He wrote the following about the Bredevoort fortress:
“The historian Sloet mentions that ‘Breitenfurt’ was already spoken of in 945. In old documents, one also reads of ‘Breitenfurt’, ‘Breyden-Oort’, ‘Bredevoorde’, or ‘Breevoort’. In daily conversation, it is still sometimes called ‘Brevoort’. The word itself indicates a connection of higher grounds over low grounds, water, marshes, etc. For all around Bredevoort was low land, full of reeds and rushes, which was passable during very dry summers, and even then only on the highest parts. And there, between those marshes, was a raised mound upon which the strong fortress ‘Breevoort’ was built in earlier times. In diameter, it was approximately 300 meters, or about 10,000 m2. But a great deal has transpired on that small spot over the centuries.”
In the year just mentioned, 945, the town had to pay eight ounces of silver annually to the monastery in Fulda. Because the fortress was surrounded by marshes, it was one of the strongest strongholds and nearly impossible to capture. There were two access roads: the ‘Aalterpoort‘ on the north-west side, roughly where the Roman Catholic school stands today. The road through the Koppele was only constructed in the last century. Before then, one always had to take the detour around the Koppele. In the east was the ‘Misterpoort‘. Some writers also refer to it as the ‘Münsterpoort’.
The Lordship of Bredevoort included the jurisdictions of Aalten, Winterswijk, and Dinxperlo and was originally the possession of the bishops of Utrecht. One of the bishops, named Godefroy van Rhenen, founded the castle at Bredevoort, which stood on the site where ‘t Zand is now located. To this castle or court belonged several manorial estates, including the Havezate de Pol near Aalten. Several contributions regarding this manorial system and related matters have appeared, including in Mr. J. A. Nijhof’s book ‘Bijdrage tot de Vaderlandsche Geschiedenis’ (Contribution to National History), and it is also discussed at length in B. Stegeman’s well-known book ‘Het kerspel Winterswijk’. Anyone wishing to know more should consult that book in the library of the Gebr. de Boer company.
In 1238, the Counts of Loon came into possession of the Lordship. One of those counts, Herman van Loon, transferred the property as a fief in 1246 to Otto van Nassau, Count of Gelre and Zutphen. In the Battle of Tekelenburg in 1276, Herman van Loon was victorious; he captured his opponent, Count Engelbert van der Mark, and took him to the castle at Bredevoort.
That Count van der Mark soon met his end there; he died of boredom and homesickness. His son, however, Everhard van der Mark, took revenge and captured Bredevoort in 1278, destroying the castle and subsequently transporting his father’s body to Kappenberg. Through the intervention of the Bishop of Münster, Everhard, a peace treaty was soon established between Count Everhard van der Mark and Herman van Loon, in which the Count of Loon pledged not to rebuild the castle until he had made a two-year journey to the Holy Land (the days of the Crusades).
A short time later, another transaction seems to have taken place, for in 1284 the owner was Baldewinn van Steinfurt, who sold half of the property—namely the northern part of the castle with the associated lands in Aalten—to Bishop Everhard of Münster. However, the lineage of the Counts of Loon became extinct at the beginning of the 14th century, and when the last descendant was carried to the grave, discord arose over the inheritance. The then Bishop of Münster, Ludwig, and Reinald of Gelre both laid claim to the inheritance of the Counts of Loon. It even came to fighting, and both aforementioned potentates brought their armies into battle array, fighting each other to the death.
Reinald of Gelre had his sights set on Bredevoort, and in 1326, he entered the fortress victoriously. Peace was signed at Coesfeld, and by that peace treaty, Bredevoort became the property of Reinald of Gelre. In 1388, the Lordship was transferred as a pledge to Hendrik van Gemen, who had to pay the sum of 3,000 French shields, which was approximately 6,300 guilders in Dutch currency.
Later, with the consent of the States of Gelderland, the pledge was transferred to Jacob van Bronkhorst, Lord of Anholt. Finally, in 1580, the Lordship was transferred as a pledge to Prince William I. His successors continued this possession in the same manner. Finally, in 1732, upon the division of the inheritance of William III between the King of Prussia and William Charles Henry Friso, the Lordship of Bredevoort was awarded to the latter. It then formed part of the domains of the House of Orange-Nassau under the management of a steward, who reported annually to the Prince’s councilors and auditors.
The Prince appointed a drossaard (bailiff), as well as a judge with their deputies. A stadtholder, land scribe, and advocate-fiscal were also appointed. Every fortnight, a court day for civil matters was held in the Lordship for the four jurisdictions mentioned above. The courts consisted of the drossaard or his deputy, the land scribe or secretary, and two assessors or ‘keurnooten’. Furthermore, the government of the city of Bredevoort rested with two mayors.
As we have already noted, Bredevoort was a strong fortress due to its natural location. In addition to the castle, there were very good bastions. (A ‘gabion book’ of the former fortress is still kept in the State Archives depot in Arnhem. Anyone wishing to know more details should go and browse there).
While Bredevoort was a strong fortress due to its natural location, it was not a walled fortress until 1545. The well-known and famous commander Maarten van Rossum ensured that the fortress was further reinforced. Around the aforementioned year, he had the moat dug and a rampart constructed. The portion of the moat that still exists was therefore dug nearly 400 years ago. It must have been incredibly busy around the fortress. A few years ago, to combat unemployment, a large part of the moat was filled in with soil from the raised ramparts. A small piece of the rampart has been preserved as a historical site.
Inside the gates, the situation was also different than it is today. There were narrow streets and alleys. In the cellars of many houses, there were escape or shelter tunnels. During the demolition of an old cellar a few years ago, such a shelter tunnel was revealed. It is also claimed that there was an underground passage from ‘t Walfort Castle to Bredevoort. During previous excavations at ‘t Zand, such a passage is said to have been discovered. However, people did not dare to venture far into it due to the foul or toxic air present. It would be worthwhile to pay attention to this when digging sewers. That there were underground shelters is certain, but we doubt the existence of a connecting road as mentioned above.
The noise of war and military activity echoed within the fortress for centuries. Even into the 18th century, three companies of infantry were garrisoned in Bredevoort under the command of a commander, who had a major under him. Especially during the Eighty Years’ War, things were intense in and around Bredevoort. In the late sixteenth century, the Spanish held the fortress. On the first of October 1597, Prince Maurice arrived before Bredevoort with his army. He summoned the garrison, which consisted of only two banners of infantry, to surrender. But they replied that they would keep their weapons for God and the King until their final breath. The Spanish relied on the natural strength of the fortress. Prince Maurice then laid siege to Bredevoort.
As mentioned, there were two access dikes to Bredevoort, but Prince Maurice had a third access road constructed through the Koppele. That road through the marsh was made with sand and brushwood. The sand was brought in bags by the soldiers. In just 8 days, that road, 500 paces in length, was completed. It was then possible to take a height across the moat, suitable for placing 20 pieces of artillery. A murderous fire was then opened upon the fortress. But the besieged defended themselves bravely, and many attackers were killed.
The fortress walls suffered greatly from the cannon fire, and several cracks and breaches had already appeared, yet the garrison still did not surrender. The moat was an obstacle to bringing troops to the front of the ramparts and walls. But Prince Maurice was resourceful, and he had his men build a floating bridge, a kind of cork or rush bridge. This was placed in the moat, providing access to the rampart and creating two points of attack. Count Solms led that attack on the eastern side, from the direction of the Broek. But the resistance was not yet broken. The besieged returned the enemy fire with cannon and muskets. The besiegers were also pelted with stones, and many stormers bit the dust. But it could not last much longer; the attacks became increasingly fierce until finally, a drummer from the city appeared on the wall and gave a signal that they wished to negotiate. But an enemy bullet struck him, and the drummer, who came with peaceful intentions, was killed by a bullet.
The inhabitants of the fortress renewed the attempt to negotiate. They held up sticks with hats, but the besiegers paid no attention to this. Then the women went onto the ramparts to testify to the will to surrender. It is incomprehensible that the besiegers still paid no heed to this. Did they fear a trap, or was it the cruelty of that era that demanded blood? In any case, Maurice’s sailors stormed the stone bastion, entered the fortress, and immediately killed 70 people. The survivors fled to the castle, which was immediately surrendered unconditionally by treaty on October 9th. Prince Maurice spared the lives of all, but stipulated a sum of money for his troops, which was later waived.
Except for the castle and 20 houses, all buildings, including the church, had burned down. The Spanish commander Domiaan Gardot was granted mercy, although he was initially to be executed. During the Spanish occupation, this Gardot had made himself hated by the citizenry.
Prince Maurice, who had entered the gates of Bredevoort victoriously, stayed in Bredevoort for only a few days. He moved further north. A few months earlier, he had taken Groenlo, and now he went via Groenlo to the Overijssel region to make conquests there. Bredevoort kept a small garrison, and the population worked with all their might to rebuild the burned houses. But hardly had the building begun when fire broke out again, and of the approximately 20 houses that had been spared during the siege, 14 burned down, leaving only 6 houses.
There was bitter suffering then. The church had to be rebuilt, but the means were lacking, and letters of appeal were sent to sister congregations for support. However, they did not lose heart. They began rebuilding the church and the burned houses, and gradually the town had habitable houses again. But it was and remained wartime, and dangers threatened from all sides.
In 1606, the Spanish appeared before the city again. It was Shrove Tuesday, and people wanted to celebrate in the city. The soldiers, in particular, were out on the town. There was celebration and merriment, and the soldiers drank heavily. And while they were having fun, the enemy crept up. The Spanish commander Du Terrail arrived quietly from Oldenzaal with 1,200 men and appeared before the city gates in the evening. The guard was on duty, and they were told that the newcomers were soldiers of Prince Maurice being pursued by the Spanish. They lied to the guard and even claimed they had captured a Spanish lieutenant. They requested permission to stay under the protection of the fortress. The guard sent a message to headquarters, and while deliberations were taking place there, it was realized they had been deceived. The population was already fleeing to the castle, and the Spanish were already storming the gates, blowing them up, and before anyone fully realized what was happening, the enemy army was already entering the town.
The Shrove Tuesday joy was cruelly disrupted. The Spanish soldiers killed everyone they encountered, including many women. The minister’s wife also fell victim to the killers. The castle, however, offered a safe refuge for the citizens and soldiers who had fled there. The bridge over the moat surrounding the castle was destroyed, making it temporarily safe within the thick walls. The Spanish were fired upon from the castle, and help also arrived from outside. Count Henry of Nassau appeared with an army from Zutphen and other fortresses, and on March 22nd, the Spanish were forced to surrender. The Spanish commander Du Terrail negotiated a free retreat, which was granted to him provided he returned the booty and prisoners that had already been transported to Oldenzaal. The Spanish did not show themselves again, and the worst suffering was over.
The year 1646 was another year of disaster for Bredevoort. It was July 12th, and an oppressive heat hung over the city. Dark clouds gathered, and everything indicated that a heavy thunderstorm was imminent. And indeed, lightning soon cleaved the sky, followed by heavy claps of thunder. And suddenly, a tremendous blast, followed by a terrible sound. Lightning had struck the gunpowder tower, causing the stored gunpowder (320 tons) to explode. The entire tower was blown apart, as was the nearby Administrative House (Ambthuis); tiles were ripped off almost all houses, and windows were blown in by the air pressure. The number of deaths in that disaster was 19 at the castle and the Administrative House alone. There were also numerous deaths in other houses in the city.
The year was 1672. War had broken out with the Bishop of Münster and Cologne, England, and France. The general-watchmaster of the Bishop of Münster crossed the borders with 2,000 men and laid siege to Bredevoort. The garrison consisted of 500 men, and 20 pieces of artillery stood on the ramparts. In the warehouse was a stock of 20 lasts of rye and 1,800 barrels of gunpowder. The commander of the garrison, Adriaan van Keppel, had repeatedly asked the Deputies of the County of Zutphen for reinforcements of supplies, but in vain. From June 13th to 18th, the fortress was bombarded. The garrison began to mutiny. The women in the city also began to grumble. Rumors spread that the Prince of Orange had been defeated with his army. Fear took hold of the garrison, and on June 18th, the city surrendered, although according to experts, this had not been necessary. The garrison marched away, and fortunately, no looting occurred.”
‘From Aalten’s Past’, by G.H. Rots, Aaltensche Courant, February 11 & 18, 1938 (via Delpher: part XVI & part XVII)
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