Land van Arkel
Encyclopedia
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 Lek. Present day towns in the territory include Leerdam
, Arkel
, Heukelum
, Asperen
, Hagestein
, Haastrecht
and Gorinchem
.
in order to settle there. He was the founder of the house of Arkel. He left the lordship Ter Leede (presumably located just south of modern Leerdam) to his younger brother. His son Jan II is named as vassal of the Count of Holland
in a 1253 chronicle. Jan II was assigned a somewhat larger territory, stretching all the way to the river Merwede.
In 1260 the lords of Arkel gained possession of Bergambacht
, but they were at a disadvantage because their properties were scattered. In 1272, the port of Gorinchem was bought from the lord of Bentheim
, which allowed for toll
collection on the Lek and Merwede rivers. There was a flourishing trade from which the lords of Arkel were able to profit considerably. Several castles were built, the most famous in Asperen
, Haastrecht
and Gorinchem
(1267). The lords stayed mostly in this last castle in Gorinchem. In 1290, Jan II of Arkel dedicated his castle at Gorinchem to his feudal liege, Floris V, count of Holland, in deference to his authority.
After Jan II van der Lede died without offspring in 1305, Jan III van Arkel inherited the lordship Ter Leede. In 1351 the lands around the Lek river were added to their possessions. Haastrecht
was also added. Otto van Arkel gave Gorinchem, Hagestein and Leerdam
city rights in 1382. The power of the Lords of Arkel was at its highest at the end of the 14th century; the fortress on the eastern bank of the city of Gorinchem becoming known as The Imperial Castle.
The Duchy of Gelderland, the County of Holland
and the Bishopric of Utrecht watched grudgingly as the economic and military powers of the fiefdom grew. What followed were the Arkel Wars (1401-1412), which broke out after a dispute with the Count of Holland, Albert I of Bavaria
. Jan V managed to maintain his position until 1412, when he was driven to Vuren
, where he was captured. He spent the rest of his life in Gouda
and Leerdam
. His son Willem van Arkel led a revolt in 1417, but was killed. The power of dynasty thus came to an end, although the descendants of Maria van Arkel
, a daughter of John V, would eventually acquire major political powers in Gelre.
The castle of Gorinchem was demolished in 1413. A new castle was built for the Counts of Holland, south of the city walls. This castle was known as the Blue Tower.
Count of Holland
The Counts of Holland ruled over the County of Holland in the Low Countries between the 10th and the 16th century.-House of Holland:The first count of Holland, Dirk I, was the son or foster-son of Gerolf, Count in Frisia...
, and was managed by the Lords of Arkel until 1412. The territory was bordered by the river Merwede
Merwede
The Merwede is the name of several interconnected stretches of river in The Netherlands, all part of the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta. The Meuse river joins the Waal at Woudrichem to form the Boven Merwede...
on the south, and the river 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...
on the east. The northern border might have reached as far as Everdingen
Everdingen
Everdingen is a former municipality in the Netherlands. Together with Zijderveld and Hagestein, it has been part of Vianen municipality since 1986. It enjoys a strategic position on the Lekdijk to the south of the river Lek. The eastern limits of Everdingen are marked by the Diefdijk, which also...
, and the western border to the river Lek. Present day towns in the territory include 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...
, 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....
, Heukelum
Heukelum
Heukelum is a town in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is a part of the municipality of Lingewaal, and lies about 8 km northeast of Gorinchem. It received city rights in 1391.In 2001, the town of Heukelum had 1967 inhabitants...
, Asperen
Asperen
Asperen is a village in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is a part of the municipality of Lingewaal, and lies about 10 km east of Gorinchem on the river Linge. It received city rights in 1313....
, Hagestein
Hagestein
Hagestein is a small city in the municipality of Vianen, Utrecht, Netherlands, on the Lek River, about 2 km east of Vianen. It received city rights in 1382....
, Haastrecht
Haastrecht
Haastrecht is a town on the Hollandse IJssel river in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Vlist, and lies about 5 km east of Gouda.In 2001, the town of Haastrecht had 3302 inhabitants...
and 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...
.
History
Around 1234-1240, Herbaren II, lord of Ter Leede, is supposed to have moved to ArkelArkel
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....
in order to settle there. He was the founder of the house of Arkel. He left the lordship Ter Leede (presumably located just south of modern Leerdam) to his younger brother. His son Jan II is named as vassal of the Count of Holland
Count of Holland
The Counts of Holland ruled over the County of Holland in the Low Countries between the 10th and the 16th century.-House of Holland:The first count of Holland, Dirk I, was the son or foster-son of Gerolf, Count in Frisia...
in a 1253 chronicle. Jan II was assigned a somewhat larger territory, stretching all the way to the river Merwede.
In 1260 the lords of Arkel gained possession of Bergambacht
Bergambacht
Bergambacht is a village in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 38.05 km² of which 2.96 km² is water....
, but they were at a disadvantage because their properties were scattered. In 1272, the port of Gorinchem was bought from the lord of Bentheim
Bentheim
County of Bentheim is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by the Dutch provinces of Overijssel and Drenthe, the district of Emsland, and the districts of Steinfurt and Borken in North Rhine-Westphalia.- History :The District has roughly the same territory as the County of...
, which allowed for toll
Toll
The word toll has several meanings.Road transportation infrastructure* "Toll" is sometimes used as a synonym for tariff** Toll road, a road for which road usage tolls are charged...
collection on the Lek and Merwede rivers. There was a flourishing trade from which the lords of Arkel were able to profit considerably. Several castles were built, the most famous in Asperen
Asperen
Asperen is a village in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is a part of the municipality of Lingewaal, and lies about 10 km east of Gorinchem on the river Linge. It received city rights in 1313....
, Haastrecht
Haastrecht
Haastrecht is a town on the Hollandse IJssel river in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Vlist, and lies about 5 km east of Gouda.In 2001, the town of Haastrecht had 3302 inhabitants...
and 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...
(1267). The lords stayed mostly in this last castle in Gorinchem. In 1290, Jan II of Arkel dedicated his castle at Gorinchem to his feudal liege, Floris V, count of Holland, in deference to his authority.
After Jan II van der Lede died without offspring in 1305, Jan III van Arkel inherited the lordship Ter Leede. In 1351 the lands around the Lek river were added to their possessions. Haastrecht
Haastrecht
Haastrecht is a town on the Hollandse IJssel river in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Vlist, and lies about 5 km east of Gouda.In 2001, the town of Haastrecht had 3302 inhabitants...
was also added. Otto van Arkel gave Gorinchem, Hagestein and 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...
city rights in 1382. The power of the Lords of Arkel was at its highest at the end of the 14th century; the fortress on the eastern bank of the city of Gorinchem becoming known as The Imperial Castle.
The Duchy of Gelderland, the County of Holland
County of Holland
The County of Holland was a county in the Holy Roman Empire and from 1482 part of the Habsburg Netherlands in what is now the Netherlands. It covered an area roughly corresponding to the current Dutch provinces of North-Holland and South-Holland, as well as the islands of Terschelling, Vlieland,...
and the Bishopric of Utrecht watched grudgingly as the economic and military powers of the fiefdom grew. What followed were the Arkel Wars (1401-1412), which broke out after a dispute with the Count of Holland, Albert I of Bavaria
Albert I, Duke of Bavaria
Duke Albert I or Albrecht KG was a feudal ruler of the counties of Holland, Hainaut, and Zeeland in the Low Countries...
. Jan V managed to maintain his position until 1412, when he was driven to Vuren
Vuren
Vuren is a village in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is a part of the municipality of Lingewaal, and is located about 5 km east of Gorinchem....
, where he was captured. He spent the rest of his life in Gouda
Gouda
Gouda is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. Gouda, which was granted city rights in 1272, is famous for its Gouda cheese, smoking pipes, and 15th-century city hall....
and 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...
. His son Willem van Arkel led a revolt in 1417, but was killed. The power of dynasty thus came to an end, although the descendants of Maria van Arkel
Maria van Arkel
Maria van Arkel was the only daughter and heiress of Count John XII of Arkel and Joanna of Jülich. She inherited the title to Gelderland from her maternal uncle, Duke Reginald IV, and her son became Arnold, Duke of Gelderland...
, a daughter of John V, would eventually acquire major political powers in Gelre.
The castle of Gorinchem was demolished in 1413. A new castle was built for the Counts of Holland, south of the city walls. This castle was known as the Blue Tower.
Lords of Arkel
- Herbaren II van der Lede (ca.1200 - 1257), received possession of the lordship Arkel (Arcelo, Arclo)
- Jan I van Arkel, (1233–1272), nicknamed The Strong
- Jan II van Arkel, (1269–1296)
- Nicolas van Arkel, regent (died in 1345)
- Jan III van Arkel, (1280–1324)
- Jan IV van Arkel, (1305–1360)
- Otto van Arkel (1330–1396)
- Jan V van Arkel, (1362–1428), nicknamed The Stadtholder.
- Willem van Arkel, successor and son of Jan V, but the lordshipwas confiscated by the Count of Holland
- Maria van ArkelMaria van ArkelMaria van Arkel was the only daughter and heiress of Count John XII of Arkel and Joanna of Jülich. She inherited the title to Gelderland from her maternal uncle, Duke Reginald IV, and her son became Arnold, Duke of Gelderland...
, daughter of Jan V, married to Jan II van Egmont