Acquoy
Encyclopedia
Acquoy is a village in the Dutch
province of Gelderland
, it is pronounced "Akkooi". It is a part of the municipality of Geldermalsen
, and lies about 12 km east of Gorinchem
.
In 2001, the village of Acquoy had 278 inhabitants. The built-up area of the village was 0.079 km², and contained 115 residences.
The statistical area "Acquoy", which also can include the peripheral parts of the village, as well as the surrounding countryside, has a population of around 520. In January 2006 Acquoy had 617 inhabitants.
According to popular legend a "Jan van Arkel" was the first to have settled the village of Acquoy, when he returned from the crusades in 1133. However, this is highly unlikely, because there were no crusades in the period around 1133. The first crusade was from 1096–99 and the second one was from 1147-49. Some sources report that the Jan van Arkel mentioned was in fact Jan I van Arkel. However, he lived a century later and had the nickname "de Sterke", which means "the strong".
In 1305 Acquoy is mentioned as part of the property of the lords of Voorne. In 1364 Catherina van Voornenburgh rented her house together with the stronghold of Acquoy to Otto van Arkel for a period of 10 years and later he bought it. From that moment on, Acquoy, like Arkel
itself and Gellicum, belonged to the Lordship of Arkel
. After Acquoy changed hands several times, it was bought by Floris van Egmond, Count of Buren, in 1513.
Through the marriage of Willem of Orange
with the granddaughter of Floris van Egmond, Anna van Egmond in 1551, Acquoy, together with Leerdam
, became property of the House of Orange. The shire
of Acquoy was made a barony in that time. Acquoy remained property of the House of Orange until 1795, when it became part of Holland, together with Leerdam
. At this time the title of Baron
of Acquoy disappeared. However, this did happen without protest of the local population. In 1820 it became part of the province Gelderland
, because it became part of the municipality of Beesd
. The shield of the Barony of Acquoy can nowadays still be viewed in the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam
.
Acquoy is located at the old turn of the river the Linge
, which was diverted, so it nowadays lies at a dead-end U-formed side arm of the river. The village got its typical long stretched form, parallel to the river, because people used to build their houses on, or directly behind, the Linge dike.
The name Acquoy is mentioned in scripts dating back to 1311, but there is some uncertainty where the name arises from. Some say that the name isfrom the Germanic *agaza, magpie, and “ooi”, low soggy land. “Ooi” is also found in other names; Wadenoijen, Poederoyen and Ammerzoden (= Ammerzoyen). According to the same theory the name “Rhenoy” is a combination of “Rhenus” (=Rijn, Rhine river) followed again by “ooi”. Others point out that “Acquoy” is mentioned in old scripts as Eckoy or Echoy and this would mean that is was the lowland of lord Akko or Ekko. This was supposed to be a Friesian, but this is very uncertain.
Acquoy is famous as the birthplace of Cornelius Jansensius (Jansen), bishop of Ypres (=Ieper), whose theological views brought forth the movement called Jansenism
.]
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
province of Gelderland
Gelderland
Gelderland is the largest province of the Netherlands, located in the central eastern part of the country. The capital city is Arnhem. The two other major cities, Nijmegen and Apeldoorn have more inhabitants. Other major regional centers in Gelderland are Ede, Doetinchem, Zutphen, Tiel, Wijchen,...
, it is pronounced "Akkooi". It is a part of the municipality of Geldermalsen
Geldermalsen
Geldermalsen is a municipality and a town in the western Netherlands. The municipality of Geldermalsen was formed on the 1st of January 1978 when former municipalities Beesd, Buurmalsen, Deil and Geldermalsen were joined. The new municipality with approximately 10.173 hectares is one of the...
, and lies about 12 km east of Gorinchem
Gorinchem
Gorinchem , also called Gorkum , is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 21.99 km² of which 3.03 km² is water...
.
In 2001, the village of Acquoy had 278 inhabitants. The built-up area of the village was 0.079 km², and contained 115 residences.
The statistical area "Acquoy", which also can include the peripheral parts of the village, as well as the surrounding countryside, has a population of around 520. In January 2006 Acquoy had 617 inhabitants.
According to popular legend a "Jan van Arkel" was the first to have settled the village of Acquoy, when he returned from the crusades in 1133. However, this is highly unlikely, because there were no crusades in the period around 1133. The first crusade was from 1096–99 and the second one was from 1147-49. Some sources report that the Jan van Arkel mentioned was in fact Jan I van Arkel. However, he lived a century later and had the nickname "de Sterke", which means "the strong".
In 1305 Acquoy is mentioned as part of the property of the lords of Voorne. In 1364 Catherina van Voornenburgh rented her house together with the stronghold of Acquoy to Otto van Arkel for a period of 10 years and later he bought it. From that moment on, Acquoy, like Arkel
Arkel
Arkel is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Giessenlanden, and lies about 3 km north of Gorinchem.Arkel is a former municipality. In 1986 it became part of Giessenlanden....
itself and Gellicum, belonged to the Lordship of Arkel
Land van Arkel
The Land van Arkel was a fief of the Counts of Holland, and was managed by the Lords of Arkel until 1412. The territory was bordered by the river Merwede on the south, and the river Linge on the east. The northern border might have reached as far as Everdingen, and the western border to the river...
. After Acquoy changed hands several times, it was bought by Floris van Egmond, Count of Buren, in 1513.
Through the marriage of Willem of Orange
William the Silent
William I, Prince of Orange , also widely known as William the Silent , or simply William of Orange , was the main leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish that set off the Eighty Years' War and resulted in the formal independence of the United Provinces in 1648. He was born in the House of...
with the granddaughter of Floris van Egmond, Anna van Egmond in 1551, Acquoy, together with Leerdam
Leerdam
Leerdam is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland.The municipality covers an area of 34.32 km² of which 0.53 km² is water. It comprises the town of Leerdam, the rural villages Kedichem, Schoonrewoerd and Oosterwijk. The south border of the...
, became property of the House of Orange. The shire
Shire
A shire is a traditional term for a division of land, found in the United Kingdom and in Australia. In parts of Australia, a shire is an administrative unit, but it is not synonymous with "county" there, which is a land registration unit. Individually, or as a suffix in Scotland and in the far...
of Acquoy was made a barony in that time. Acquoy remained property of the House of Orange until 1795, when it became part of Holland, together with Leerdam
Leerdam
Leerdam is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland.The municipality covers an area of 34.32 km² of which 0.53 km² is water. It comprises the town of Leerdam, the rural villages Kedichem, Schoonrewoerd and Oosterwijk. The south border of the...
. At this time the title of Baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
of Acquoy disappeared. However, this did happen without protest of the local population. In 1820 it became part of the province Gelderland
Gelderland
Gelderland is the largest province of the Netherlands, located in the central eastern part of the country. The capital city is Arnhem. The two other major cities, Nijmegen and Apeldoorn have more inhabitants. Other major regional centers in Gelderland are Ede, Doetinchem, Zutphen, Tiel, Wijchen,...
, because it became part of the municipality of Beesd
Beesd
Beesd is a town in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is a part of the municipality of Geldermalsen, and lies about 16 km west of Tiel. It is situated near the river Linge and has a railway station on the railway from Dordrecht to Geldermalsen....
. The shield of the Barony of Acquoy can nowadays still be viewed in the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
.
Acquoy is located at the old turn of the river the Linge
Linge
Linge is a river in the Betuwe that is over 100 km long, which makes it one of the longest rivers that flow entirely within the Netherlands.It starts near the village Doornenburg near the German border. A legend tells us that if there will be no more pigs grazing at the castle of Doornenburg, the...
, which was diverted, so it nowadays lies at a dead-end U-formed side arm of the river. The village got its typical long stretched form, parallel to the river, because people used to build their houses on, or directly behind, the Linge dike.
The name Acquoy is mentioned in scripts dating back to 1311, but there is some uncertainty where the name arises from. Some say that the name isfrom the Germanic *agaza, magpie, and “ooi”, low soggy land. “Ooi” is also found in other names; Wadenoijen, Poederoyen and Ammerzoden (= Ammerzoyen). According to the same theory the name “Rhenoy” is a combination of “Rhenus” (=Rijn, Rhine river) followed again by “ooi”. Others point out that “Acquoy” is mentioned in old scripts as Eckoy or Echoy and this would mean that is was the lowland of lord Akko or Ekko. This was supposed to be a Friesian, but this is very uncertain.
Acquoy is famous as the birthplace of Cornelius Jansensius (Jansen), bishop of Ypres (=Ieper), whose theological views brought forth the movement called Jansenism
Jansenism
Jansenism was a Christian theological movement, primarily in France, that emphasized original sin, human depravity, the necessity of divine grace, and predestination. The movement originated from the posthumously published work of the Dutch theologian Cornelius Otto Jansen, who died in 1638...
.]