Hamaland, Twente, Bentheim, Munster

Hamaland

Hamaland roughly covers the old tribal lands of the German tribe of the Chamaven later the pagus is known as Islo/Hisloa, referring to a key feature of the region, the river Ijssel. Currently it is the province of Gelderland.

In 794, Everhard son of Brunharius is mentioned as Count.

The County started to show up for the first time in the 9^th century. It was wedged between the bishoprics of Utrecht and Munster, which borders were drown in the 8^th century and the county therefore has a rather odd shape

In 797 the manors  (hoven) of Mander and Hezinge (both near Ootmarsum) are mentioned in an official Charter from Oodhelm whereby he donated the manors to the Church of Wichmond near Zutphen.

A ‘hof’ was a well defined property in the capitulare issued during Carolingian times,  it  had a farm on it also often had a wooden or stone tower that functioned as the living quarters and a range of farming and trade buildings and depending on the geography sometimes  also a watermill.  The tower and main building resembles the set up of the court of the tribal chiefs.  The Frankish hof also had a list of plants that needed to be grown here that would be exploited by the lord of the manor. This also a rather revolutionary effect on the way agriculture was conducted. A few of the ‘hofs’  also grow into proper courts.

Wichmond is most probably also the earliest centre of the Counts of Hamaland. The earliest rulers here were the Meginharden. Wrachari is mention in 794 however he did at that time not yet have the title of Count. This happened around 800.

Lutgard of Hamaland daughter of Wichmond (Wichmann) IV and Luitgard of Flanders (daughter of Arnulf I) marries around 1000, Diederik I of Hainault (Count of de Betuwe). Their son Rutger I becomes Count of Cleve and Zutphen. Their other son Gerhard I married Bava of Hamaland; their son Gerhard II became the first count of Gelre (see: Gelre).

The family played a key role in the regional power plays. A few examples that are further detailed elsewhere include:

• Dirk II of Holland was possibly married to Gerberga van Hamaland. Their (possible) son became Wichmann IV of Gent, one of the first nobles in what would later become Brabant. (mid 10^th century)
• Godfrey I of Verdun was married to Averada (died in 961) the daughter of Erverhard Saxo Meginharden.

County of Twente (Bishopric Utrecht)

While not a separate regional county or duchy it was a separate legal entity within the Bishopric of Utrecht. It is also covered here as this region is where parts of my roots are coming from.

During Roman times Twente was part of (independent) Frissia. The local people the Tubanti formed a separate tribe within this larger tribal structure. After the Frankish conquest it became a pagi of this new empire and as the current region of Twente it is most probably still very similar to that original tribal area.

After the Frisii were defeated by Charles Martel in 719 part of  this region was added to the newly founded  Bishopric Utrecht.

However,  the Tubanti on the eastern border of the emerging Carolingian empire remained largely independent. They now became incorporated in the supra tribe of the Saxons. These Tubanti  lived in an area north of modern Twente, now Germany, known as Niedergrafschaft Bentheim (see below). The full Grafschaft (County) of Bentheim also includes Nordhorn and Wietmarschen. Culturally the Grafschaft is closely linked to the Netherlands. Until very recent (2009) we did find the Budde family being present  on both sides of the border. Currently only the Budde family in Wietmarschen still lives here.

It was not until Charlemagne conquered the Saxons during the 8^th and 9^th century that the region became a more permanent part of the Empire. During this period missionaries (such as: Lebuinus, Marchelm and Plechelmus) were sometimes able to convert people and built wooden churches just to see them destroyed again as soon as the Frankish soldiers had left. However, there are indications that the Frankish influence in Twente was established earlier and more firmly than in the Saxon region north of the river Eems.

Several place names in Twente indicate Frankish influence such as Oldenzaal (sale), De Lutte , Ootmarsheim, Deninchem (Denekamp) , Rothem (Rossum).

After the death in 828 of Rixfridus the 7^th prince bishop of Utrecht also the Count of Twente and Kleve, Twente gets divided in three regions.

• The eastern part, under Wolfgang, later became the County of Bentheim (the castle of Bentheim was first mentioned in 1116),
• His brother Balderik receives the middle part with the capital Oldenzaal.
• The remainder (Goor and Almelo) remained under direct control of Utrecht. From 1054 Goor became the official seat of the Count of Twente. He was one of the key vassals of the Bishop. In 1248 Goor was officially donated by the Duke of Goor to the bishop, or the Bishop purchased Goor in that year.

Separately there were at least initially a few small counties that could stay independent:

• Almelo,
• Diepenheim, sold to the Bishop in 1331,
• Blankenburg (Haaksbergen), sold to the Bishop between 1449 and 1452
• Enschede sold to the Bishop in 1331 and
• Lage 1346 sold – by Herman van Lage – to Bishop Jan van Arkel.

In the 9th century the Monastery of Werden had 45 properties in Twente they included: De Lutte (Monninkhof and Elfterheurne), Denekamp, Beuningen, Zenderen, Mander, Rossum, Lemselo, Lonneker, Albergen, Neuenhaus and Nordhorn. The properties were all approx 10 kilometers apart and connected with good roads.

In the 11th century Twente had 9 juridical regions (richterambt – a title specific to Twente, similar to that of a bailiff): Ootmarsum (main court), Oldenzaal, Enschede, Borne, Delden, Diepenheim, Haaksbergen, Kedingen and Almelo. The early parishes here followed roughly the same secular boundaries.

Oldenzaal was the most important parish in Twente. It most likely received his name from Aldensele (named in documents from the Prüm Abby in 893) and refers to Alde Sala (Old domain) dating back to the 4^th century. It had an immunity along those established in Merovingian and Carolingian times, perhaps it was part of the properties that Pippin III donated to the monastery in 762. If that is the case it most probably had a manor as well as  a small wooden church. Oldenzaal became the central court for the administration of the Prüm properties in this region, which greatly assisted the development of the city that started to form around the immunity.   The monastery enjoyed toll freedom throught the Empire and that assisted Oldenzaal in obtaining an important market function.

Bishop Balderik rebuild the immunity in 954 and  also added  a deanery and a charter to it. He also organised the relics of Plechelmus to be brought to Oldenzaal. The patron name of the parish changed from St Silvester (closely linked to Prüm) to Plechelmus, perhaps also indicating the emerging power of the bishopric and the reduced influence of Prüm; this was part of a northwest-European development, where the official church structure started to replace the mainly monastery based structures that had existed over the past 300 years. Perhaps as early as 970 but certainly before 1049 Prüm handed over its immunity in Oldenzaal to the bishop of Utrecht. However, the central market  function that the city had obtained during the previous period remained as slowly the Hanse trade started to become important for the city (see below).

During the same period also the parish of Ootmarsum – the largest in Twente –  was established by the bishop. Unlike in other parts of the Low Countries the parishes in Twente were founded by the bishop and not by missionaries or monasteries working with the local communities. Bishops issued the rights of baptism and burial to the parishes as well as rights of income from certainn agriculture and pastoral properties in order to be able to manage and maintain the parish. There is frequent dealing and wheeling taking place of these rights between the various clerical and secular powers within the region.

Already in the 9th century the bishop established the first castles (hill fortresses) at the edges of his territory, the first ones most probably being those in Weerselo, 15 km north of Ootmarsum, and Almelo. As a result of the increased secular powers  received from the Holy Roman Emperors during the 12^th century, the bishop extended its military defence castle near Weerselo,  that became known as ‘Walstad’ (hill fortress) and later called  Hunenborg. Ootmarsum (and also Oldenzaal) were strategically situated at the border of his territory, on the important overland Hanse trading route between Antwerp – Bruges- Ghent – Brussels – Utrecht– and Bremen – Hamburg – Lübeck – Prussia.

There were in all 68 annual markets in Twente, the largest was Ootmarsum with 17 annual markets followed by Oldenzaal with 13.  In the mid 15th century toll records kept by the castle of Waardenburg (Holten) indicate that annually between 3.500 and 8.900 carts and wagons passed this point on this road, this surely would have included some of the large Hessenwagons, the long haul transport innovation of the Late Middle Ages. This was partly stimulated by looking for alternative transport when the Gulik and Jülich Rhine tolls became outrageously expensive during the 15th century. A shipper sailing from Köln to Dordrecht faced at least ten tolls apart from that many cities had the right to inspect the ships, which of course created delays and further increased costs.

The importance of the road was also the reason that the Commandery of the Teutonic Order also established a castle in Ootmarsum just outside the city. They were the crusaders fighting the pagans in Prussia and the Baltics. So many crusader armies from Flanders, Brabant and Holland would have traveled over this same road. Originally this castle hosted the ministeriales and the knights of the bishop. The Counts of Bentheim were amongst the first the commanders of the Order in Ootmarsum and as such wielded significant interests in Ootmarsum, they stimulated the trade of the famous Bentheimer sandstones. ¹ In 1420 the control of the commandery was moved the to the Prince-Bishop of Münster.

Around 1250 the bishop had 6 mansions (hoven) six in Ootmarsum (the main mansion), Oldenzaal, Borne, Delden, Wiene and Goor. Later on Kagelink in Diepenheim and Lintelo in Haaksbergen were added to it.

The centre of secular power in Twente was Goor and increasingly the powers of the bishop were challenged by the Lords of Goor, who wanted to increase their own power and wealth in the region. They evolved from the ministeriales nobilities – the early wardens  of the bishop throughout his realm. After Rudolf van Goor revolted against the Bishop in 1248 the vassalage of Twente was downgraded. Twente received a drost (bailiff) this was a non hereditary function, however these officials were able to generate a good income and were rather well off and as such stood on-par with the nobility. While they resided in Goor they also had properties elsewhere. In Ootmarsum his residence is still one of the most important historic monuments. Diepenheim was another centre of secular power.

We also see similar developments in Drenthe (The Lords of Coevorden) and in Holland for example with the Lords van Amstel. Other important secular rulers (ministeriales) were: Grimberg (Almelo, Rijssen), Weleveld (Zenderen), Herinckhave (Tubbergen), van Steinfurt (e.g. Fleringen), van  Bentheim (see below), Saterslo (Saarselo), ten Thye (Goor), van Dahl (Diepenheim), van der Mark and  and van Heijden ( Commandery Ootmarsum).

Apart from Ootmarsum there were two other regions that had their own Bailiff Offices; Salland and the Land of Vollenhove. The influence of these  Baillifs , at least during the Middel Ages, was rather limited; that situation only started to change after Overijssel became part of the Dutch Republic.

 

Wigbold Rights

Ootmarsum as well as Oldenzaal and also other towns in Overijssel, Gelderland and Westphalia received so called Wigbolds Rights. The Frankish name Wig or Wik (Wic, wijk) means domain – an area (farm) surrounded by a wicker fence and most probably is related to the Manor system and pre dates City Privileges. Place names and surnames ending with -ig, -igger, -ik often can be traced back to such places. These ‘manor rights’ were similar in nature to city rights provided elsewhere, to towns that had not developed from a manor that developed under clerical systems, but didn’t necessarily include the right of defense systems such as  city walls; the area was marked by so called Wigbold stones.  Such stones have also been excavated in Oldenzaal.

Wigbold rights mainly developed in the eastern part of the Low Countries to deep into Germany. Initially at least, wigbold rights did not apply to the area of the original immunity, in case there was such an area, as in Oldenzaal. Civil buildings such as a town house or Guild house were always situated outside the area of the immunity, which made the layout of the centre of these town different from other cities.

Officially Ootmarsum already had these rights before 1314 and those of Oldenzaal date from before 1296 (perhaps from around 1220). However, it is likely that some of these rights at least in practice had been around for several centuries. In exchange for these privileges the city had to provide knights in harness and with horses, citizens were also obliged to provide town watch services per district , the city was divided in 12 rotten  (districts) and the civil defense service was known as the men of St Martin. Key to these rights was the freedom of the citizens as they were not  subject tot he obligations under the serf system.

In 1397 Ootmarsum received the rights to establish fortifications with three walls, two moats and two city gates.

After the Middel Ages, the smaller cities started to see some of their privileges taken away from them by the regional nobility (hunting and fishing rights, some commercial rights regarding measurements and it was the Bailiff (Drost) who became in charge of the administration and jurisdiction of these rights. Ootmarsum also hosted the Mayoral Court of Appeal of Twente, from here a range of feudal and servitude rights were managed by the drosts. This ‘hated’ system of serfdom was finally dismantled in 1795 ².

Twente also suffered from the Gelre Wars but not as bad as in Oss. Already in 1336 Overijssel had be provided in fief to the Duke of Gelre and for the next 200 years there would be more or less a permanent war between the Bishops of Utrecht and the Dukes of Gelre. Often so called robber knights, joined Gelre and used this situation for hit and run attacks on the various castles, towns and villages. They operated from so called robber castles: Eerde, Schuilenberg (Almelo), Azoelen, Saterslo and Lage.

Amongst the most notorious were the rebellious knights of Saterslo (near Saasveld, not far from Ootmarsum).

At other times (1365) the region was attacked by Westphalians such as the Knights of Velen and Broeckhuysen. Again in 1349 it were knights from Münster and Steinfurt who created havoc. Other attacks continued with more serious ones in 1391 and 1394, this time in relations to disputes between the bishop and the Lords of Coevorden. In such dispute complex alliances through marriage and otherwise were drawn into the conflict, which created a much larger theater of war than just in and around the disputed area.

In 1418 Ootmarsum gets ransacked by the Duke of Bentheim  Everwyn van Guterswick. It looks like the city got caught up in a dispute Everwyn had with the Bishop still in relation to Coevorden. The following year the Bishop fights back and defeats him. Dinkelrode and the township of Uelsen had to put in pawn to repay for retribution and damages. Ootmarsum receives 2000 guilders to repair its damage.

The Bishops tried to get the upper hand of the ongoing wars and attacks by taking over some of the independent counties that still existed in Twente (see list above).

The region again suffered badly after Albrecht of Saxony (see Friesland) abandoned his troops known as the Grote Garde. In 1498 they pilferaged throughout Twente and ransacked Goor.

Charles, Duke of Gelre attacked the region in 1504 and 1510, in that last year Ootmarsum was able to prevent plunder by paying a high ransom. The conflict regarding the payment of this ransom still continued in a court case which took place in 1532.

In 1514 the people of Ootmarsum brought goods to Nordhorn in order to protect them from yet another assault from Gelre. A court case in 1531 shows that these goods ‘disappeared’ and finally Nordhorn was forced to pay 70 guilders (half of the claim) to Ootmarsum.

Duke Charles of Gelre regularly returns plundering the region between 1517 and 1527.

In 1513 troops from Twente united to defend themselves against Rudolf van Munster.

In 1528 Oversticht (incl. Overijssel) was finally (permanently) conquered by the Holy Roman Empire Charles V. However, peace didn’t last all that long; less than half a century later the 80 year war started, which later on coincided with the devastating 30 year war in the German states.

The slow decline of the Hanse also had its effect on the hinterland. New north-south trading routes developed between central and South German and north Italy. The emerging economies of Poland and Hungary started to leave the sluggish systems in Prussia and north Germany behind and this also led to a decline of the Ijssel cities and places such as Ootmarsum and Oldenzaal.

County of Bentheim

As mentioned above the northern part of Twente was split of its larger original pagi in 828, this included Bentheim, its castle was first mentioned in 1116. The counts also had significant properties along the rivers across the Low Countries and we do see family relationships (through marriage) with the Counts of Holland, the Lords of Arkel, the Lords of Cuyk and the Lords of Heeswijk.

In 1120 Otto II von Bentheim and Rheineck married to Getrude von Northeim. Countess Gertrude donates in 1152 land to Count Hugo van Buren to build a Monastery in Wietmarschen. Later on the Budde family establish their farm when the Monastery reclaimed more lands in the Bourtanger moor for farm land. Nordhorn where, around 1770, also Budde’s settled was also part of the County.

Otto’s daughter Sophie von Rheineck, heiress of the Country, married Dirk VI Count of Holland. She died in 1157.

In 1144 Otto III, probably because of a vassalage issue, rampaged through Twente. Bishop Heribert of Utrecht assembled his forces and the two armies met at a fortification of the bishop,  Walstad (Hunenborg) 15 kms north of Ootmarsum where the Count was captured by the Bishop and taken to Utrecht.

Two years earlier Bishop Heribert had donated the income of the church of Weerslo to Hugo van Buren and his cousin Hugo van Goor to establish here a Benedict Abbey (Stift Weerselo).  In 1154 Bishop Herman van Hoorn  ordained Hildebrand as the Abt of both Monasteries in Wietmarschen and Weerselo.

After robber knights from Saterslo raided the monastery, the Bishop granted, in 1162 the income of the church of Ootmarsum to the Monastery of Weerselo. Because of the ongoing havoc, there were plans to move the monastery to Ootmarsum but this never eventuated. I visited this beautiful spot in 2007.

As mentioned above the Counts of Bentheim became involved in a range of military campaigns between the Bishop of Utrecht and the Count of Coevorden, the fact that they twice received Coevorden in fief indicates the importance of their participation in these campaigns.

Bentheim had an excellent export product ‘sandstone’ and it has been suggested that already in 1050 Bentheimer sandstone was used to built churches ³.  Records indicate that in 1160 sandstones were transported over the river Vechte. It was the largest ‘company’ in Germany during the Middle Ages. The revenues from this trade allowed the counts to built up a strong County wedged between the powerful Bishoprics of Utrecht and Münster.

The bishops often challenged the Count. In 1374 and 1381 the Prince-bishop of Münster advanced all the way to the castle in Bentheim.

Walraven van Bentheim , a son of Count Otto II, marries Agnes van Heeswijk (Brabant) a daughter of Dirk van Heeswijk, whose brother Richold most likely fought in the Battle of Woeringen (1288) on the side of the Duke of Brabant.

Otto’s younger son Egbert I becomes the new count of Bentheim and his son, Johan II of Bentheim founded in 1290 the castle of Dinkelrode near Neuenhaus. The site was strategically positioned on the important trade route Münster-Amsterdam crossed the river Vechte.

In 1312 the castle in Uelsen, which until that time formed part of Twente,  came in the possession of the Count of Bentheim.

Johann was followed by Simon I and he in turn by Otto III.

In order to protect its sandstone trade Nordhorn received its city privileges (Wigbold Rights) from Count Bernd I(son of Otto III)  in 1379, at that point the place most likely already has its castle on the ‘Burginsel’, further rights were further confirmed or issued in that year.

While he started of as another robber knight Everwijn van Guterwick – in 1421 -  successfully claimed the title as Duke of Bentheim. He was a grandson of Hadwig the sister of Bernard I of Bentheim. In 1516, his successor Everwijn II buys the castle Singraven near Denekamp. His brother Bernard II married Anna van Egmond, he became the Stadtholder of Friesland.

After this branch of the family died out in 1530, the counties of Bentheim and Steinfurt were united under Arnold II of  Bentheim-Steinfurt. He also converted in 1544 convert the county to Lutheranism. The churches in Uelsen, Veldhausen and Neuhenhaus were also converted.

Prince-Bishopric of Münster

As we saw in the chapter Missionaries and Monasteries the Frisian missionary Liudger became – in 804 – the first bishop of Münster.

The territory of the Diocese of Münster was bounded in the west, south, and north-west by the dioceses of Cologne and Utrecht, on the east and north-east by Osnabrück.

The 12th century was marked by a considerable growth of the bishops’ secular power. In 1220, during the episcopate of Dietrich III of Isenberg-Altena (1218–26), the position of the bishop as a prince of the empire was formally acknowledged by Emperor Frederick II. Hermann II was the last bishop directly appointed by the emperor.

The most important accession was in 1252, when the see purchased the County of Vechta and the district of Meppen. The area between these new districts was acquired later; in 1403 the districts of Cloppenburg and Oyte were added.

By the early 14^th century Munster had became one of the most powerful prince-bishoprics in Western Europe. It was in reality totally independent, both from a secular and a clerical point of view. The Prince-Bishops were appointed by a small group of local aristocrats. They enriched themselves, often through high taxes on the local population and ongoing warfare. Monks and clerics were also enable to enrich themselves through lucrative trade and handicraft privileges. Within the Prince-Bishopric all members of the clergy were tax exempt.

Often the Bishop was a secular Lord who wasn’t even ordained and also did not necessarily reside in the town itself.

In order to keep Rome on its side vast sums of money were send to Rome each time a new bishop was elected. Of course it was the local population who had to cough up that money through the tax system.

Not surprisingly, during all those years the City of Münster itself, struggled to become independent of the bishop.

Conditions were at their worst during what is known as the Münster Diocesan Feud (1450–57). The arbitrary conduct of Bishop Henry II of Moers (1424–50) had aroused a very bitter feeling in the city. After his death the majority of the city’s cathedral chapter elected Walram of Moers, brother of Henry and also Archbishop of Cologne, while the city and a minority of the chapter demanded the election of Eric of Hoya, brother of Count John of Hoya. Although the election of Walram was confirmed by the pope, open war for the possession of the see broke out, and Walram was unable to gain possession of the city of Münster. In 1457, after his death, a compact was made by which Eric of Hoya received a life income, and the privileges of the city were confirmed, while both parties recognized the new bishop appointed by the pope, John II, Count Palatine of Simmern (1457–66).

Obviously this was fertile ground for local uprising, which finally happened as part of the Peasant War.

Under the indolent and thoroughly worldly Frederick III (1522–32), brother of the Archbishop of Cologne, Hermann of Wied, Lutheranism spread rapidly after 1524, especially in the city. Scarcely any opposition to the innovation was made by the next bishop, Franz of Waldeck (1532–53), who from the beginning planned to aid the Reformation in his three dioceses of Münster, Minden, and Osnabrück, in order to form out of these three a secular principality for himself. He was obliged, indeed, for the sake of his endangered authority, to proceed against the Anabaptists in the city of Münster; but he did little for the restoration of the Faith.

Münster the new Jerusalem

The new cult of Anabaptists sat somewhere between Lutheranism and Catholicism, with prophets predicting a New Millennium and Münster as the new Jerusalem. In February 1534 the opportunistic Anabaptist leader from Leyden Jan Bockelszoon rapidly positioned himself as the absolute leader and demanded the wealth from its followers and also established a free sex society around him. He was able to take over control and ruled the town through shear terror.

The confiscated money was used to raise an army of mercenaries – mainly from the Low Countries. This also fuelled the Anabaptism movement in places such as Utrecht. Amsterdam and Groningen.

In 1534, the zealots were able to get 300o people from West Friesland to sell all their possessions and  embark on dozens of  ships to cross the Zuiderzee  and then to walk from here to Münster. Many of these people had fell victim to a severe flood in 1530, which had swept away 72 villages in the region, at the same time Holland was at war with Denmark and famine was widespread, ideal circumstances for zealots to do their work.   This campaign ended in utter disaster when they were met in Genemuiden  (north of Kampen) by soldiers who stopped the ‘procession of the children of Israel’. While most were let free a large number drowned, were prosecuted and several were killed.The situation in Münster had created panic in Holland as there were rumours that these ‘heretics’ also wanted to turm Amsterdam into a “New Münster’. This resulted in a widespread persecution of these anabaptists.

Finally in 1535 the Bishop, with the assistance of the Duke of Gelre, was able to stop the movement from expanding their control. He also put a blockade in place which starved a large portion of the population. In June that year the Bishop regained control again and ended the occupation of the city by the Anabaptists. The leaders were tortured and suspended in iron cages from the church tower, where these cages can still be seen today.

Bishop John William of Cleves (1574–85), inherited the Duchy of Cleves in 1575, married, and gave up the administration of the diocese. A long diplomatic battle as to his successor arose between the Catholic and Protestant powers, during which the diocese was administered by Cleves.

The western part of the Frisian district – which originally was under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of Münster,  was transferred in 1569, to the newly-founded bishoprics of Groningen and Deventer. With the rival of the Reformation, the ecclesiastic rule over this regions disappeared.

‘Berendken van Goalen’  in Ootmarsum

Christoph Bernhard of Galen (1650–78) was equally efficient both as bishop and as secular ruler; he forced the refractory city of Münster, after a long siege, to acknowledge his sovereign rights, succeeded in freeing his territory from foreign troops, gained parts of the Archdiocese of Bremen and of the Diocese of Verden in a war with Sweden, restored church discipline, and established a school system for his territory.

He attacked the Dutch Republic both in the Third Anglo-Dutch War and in the Franco-Dutch War.

The reason why I include him in this overview is that my grandfather Theo Budde mentioned him in one of the poems he wrote in Twents dialect. As history has it, the Bishop during one of his campaigns apparently rested in the house where later my grandfather lived in Ootmarsum.