Dirk III van Wassenaer | |
|---|---|
| Lord of Wassenaar | |
 Arms of Dirk III van Wassenaer | |
| Predecessor | Philips III van Wassenaer |
| Successor | Philips IV van Wassenaer |
| Born | c. 1325 |
| Died | 1391 |
Dirk III van Wassenaar (c. 1325 - 1391 or 92) was Heer van (Lord of) Wassenaar and burggraaf (burgrave) of Leiden.
Dirk III van Wassenaer belonged to the main branch of the Van Wassenaer family. He was the son of Philips III van Wassenaer (1307- c. 1345) and Elisabeth van der Dussen. From his three marriages, Philips left Dirk with a half-sister Heylwig, married to Willem van Duvenvoorde, two other half-sisters, and a brother Hendrik. Philips had crowned his career by becoming Burgrave of Leiden in 1339. [1]
It's tempting to assume that the Burgrave of Leiden lived in the well known ancient Burcht van Leiden, but this was not a habitable castle. Therefore, the burgraves generally resided somewhere else. In 1300 the Burgrave office became connected to the lordship (ambachtsheerlijkheid) of Valckenburg and Katwijk. [2] In 1340 Philips took up residence at 't Zand Castle in Katwijk. [2]
It's probable that after his father died, Dirk continued to live at 't Sant. In the late fourteenth century Dirk would build Paddenpoel Castle as his new residence.
The Hook and Cod wars started in earnest in February 1351. At that time Dirk would have been about 25 years old. He is on the September 1350 list of members of the Hook Alliance. Here he is mentioned first in the list of squires that signed the alliance. The obvious reason is that he had not yet been made a knight. His office as burgrave of Leiden is explicitly mentioned. [3]
It is not that clear what happened to Dirk III during the Hook and Cod Wars. He is not on the list of the enemies of the Cod Alliance, which dates either from 1350 or from 1351. In June 1352 he was on a list of nobles that would have to besiege the Hook stronghold Groot Poelgeest Castle in case Gerard of Poelgeest would not surrender to the count. Caution is required, because the reference is to the 'Burgrave of Leiden'. With 20 men he would have to deliver the largest number of soldiers for the possible siege. [4]
It therefore seems that Dirk III might have been a reluctant Hook, or chose to come to terms early. In June 1355 Dirk van Wassenaer, Burgrave of Leiden declared that the citizens of Delft did not have to pay toll in his territories. [5] Nevertheless, in September 1357 the count declared that Dirk van Wassenaer had been restored in all rights as burgrave of Leiden. [6] It therefore seems that Dirk did not get away without punishment.
During his office as burgrave, Dirk would struggle with the city over all kinds of privileges. [7] In 1315 a charter instituted 8 schepenen and a schout for the city government. In 1351 the city chose four councilors to govern the city. These four would later be called mayors. [8] It is obvious that in the year 1351 the city profited from the political situation. In November 1355 Dirk again lost a lot a whole bunch of rights to the city, which had the Cod count on its side. [9]
One of the causes for the serious arguments and eternal squabbles was in geography. In time, the Burcht van Leiden was absorbed into the city. The burgraves then insisted on their authority over that part of the city, which used to be their land. On the contrary, the city government understandably refused to acknowledge legal exceptions within the city limits. [8]
The position of Dirk III became better after count William V of Holland was locked up because of insanity. In February 1358 William's younger brother Albert of Bavaria became regent of Holland, Zeeland and Hainaut. Within a year Albert was fighting against the Cod lords, and the city of Delft. However, the long term trend of the rising cities could not be undone by incidental success. The struggle between the city and the burgraves would result in a total defeat for the latter in 1420. [10]
Dirk began to be replaced by his son Philip from about 1380. [11] On 5 May 1392 Philips IV became the legal successor to his deceased father. [12] In September 1392 Filips became implicated in the murder of Aleid van Poelgeest.
Dirk III married Machteld Oem, daughter of Gilles Oem, Lord of Barendrecht [13] and had:
The Hook and Cod wars comprise a series of wars and battles in the County of Holland between 1350 and 1490. Most of these wars were ostensibly fought over who should hold the title of "Count of Holland", but some have argued that the underlying reason was a power struggle conducted by the bourgeois in the cities against the ruling nobility.
The Battle of Zwartewaal was a decisive naval battle during the Hook and Cod wars.
Dirk III van Brederode was lord of Brederode.
The Cod Alliance Treaty was a 1350 or 1351 treaty by which a number of nobles and cities allied with William V of Holland against his mother Margaret II, Countess of Hainaut and her allies. It was signed in the first phase of the Hook and Cod wars.
The Hook Alliance Treaty was signed during the first phase of the Hook and Cod wars in the County of Holland. By this treaty the Hook faction promised to support Margaret II, Countess of Hainaut against her rebellious son William of Bavaria.
The Battle of Veere was a small naval battle that took place in late May 1351 during the Hook and Cod wars.
Philips III van Wassenaer was an oldest son of the main branch of the Dutch noble family Van Wassenaer.
Gerard (III) van Heemskerk, Lord of Heemskerk was a leader of the Cod Alliance during the opening phases of the Hook and Cod wars
Machteld van Voorne was Lady of Voorne, Monschau and Valkenburg, and burgrave of Zeeland. During the Hook and Cod wars she was an important ally of Count William V of Holland.
Wolfert III van Borselen was Lord of Veere and Zandenburg.
Floris I van Haamstede was Lord of Haamstede Castle on Schouwen, and of several other areas in Zeeland, Netherlands.
Marquette Castle is an 18th-century manor house in Heemskerk, Netherlands, occupying the site of the previous 13th century Heemkskerk Castle, or Huis te Heemskerk.
Jan II van Haamstede was lord of Haamstede and Haamstede Castle.
Wolfert II van Borselen was lord of Veere and Zandenburg.
Moermond Castle is a castle in Renesse on Schouwen-Duiveland.
Wolfert I van Borselen was lord of Zandenburg and Polsbroek and regent for John I, Count of Holland.
Nicolas, Claes or Klaas van Borselen was a younger son of Wolfert I van Borselen. He founded the Van Borselen branch later known as Van Brigdamme.
Floris I van BorselenFlorens de Bersalia was lord of Sint-Maartensdijk and Sint-Maartensdijk Castle, the count's lieutenant in Zeeland and keeper of the seal of Holland.
Geertruidenberg Castle was a major medieval castle in Geertruidenberg, then part of County of Holland now in North-Brabant, Netherlands
The Siege of Geertruidenberg (1351-1352) was a long siege of Geertruidenberg Castle during the first of the Hook and Cod wars.
