House of Wassenaer
Encyclopedia
Van Wassenaer is the name of an old Dutch noble family. It was first mentioned in the county of Holland
on November 3, 1200. They are one of the few original noble families from Holland that has not died out.
, borrowed from an Arabian
banner that a member of the van Wassenaer family obtained while on a crusade. The lands of the House of Wassenaer include, among others, the town of Wassenaar
and the Kasteel Duivenvoorde
near Voorschoten
. According to some family archives, Wassenaar means Wasser Herren, Sea Lords/Kings, which is a traditional immemorial title which the invading Romans (under Caligula)recognised while they were destituting the family from their also immemorial position of Kings of Batavia (position regained 400 years later for 4 centuries etc...) the crescent was named "Wassenaar" after the family name, and seems to correspond to the southern Crusades time while other brothers took their arms from the northern Crusades in the Baltic (Hermann's Anker cross adopted by the Paets/Paats).
or baron
, which they received in the 19th century.
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,...
on November 3, 1200. They are one of the few original noble families from Holland that has not died out.
Origin of the name
According to family legend, the name may be taken from the crescent (wassende) moon on the family coat of armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
, borrowed from an Arabian
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
banner that a member of the van Wassenaer family obtained while on a crusade. The lands of the House of Wassenaer include, among others, the town of Wassenaar
Wassenaar
Wassenaar is a town in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. A fairly affluent suburb of The Hague, Wassenaar lies 10 km north of that city on the N44 highway near the North Sea coast. It is part of the Haaglanden region...
and the Kasteel Duivenvoorde
Kasteel Duivenvoorde
Duivenvoorde Castle is a castle in the town of Voorschoten, South Holland, in the Netherlands. It was first mentioned in 1226, making it one of the oldest castles in South Holland....
near Voorschoten
Voorschoten
Voorschoten is a village and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. It is a smaller town in the Randstad, enclosed by the cities of Leiden and The Hague. The municipality covers an area of 11.59 km²...
. According to some family archives, Wassenaar means Wasser Herren, Sea Lords/Kings, which is a traditional immemorial title which the invading Romans (under Caligula)recognised while they were destituting the family from their also immemorial position of Kings of Batavia (position regained 400 years later for 4 centuries etc...) the crescent was named "Wassenaar" after the family name, and seems to correspond to the southern Crusades time while other brothers took their arms from the northern Crusades in the Baltic (Hermann's Anker cross adopted by the Paets/Paats).
History of the family
The family van Wassenaar initially also appeared under the name Duivenvorde, the castle that the family owned during much of the late Middle Ages. The earliest ancestor is one Philips van Wassenaer, who lived in the early 13th century, and owned lands in Wassenaar. Members of the family carry the title of countCount
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
or 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"...
, which they received in the 19th century.
Famous scions of the House of Wassenaer
- Filips van Wassenaer, the 15th century HookHook and Cod warsThe 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 fought over the title of count of Holland, but some have argued that the underlying reason was because of the power struggle of the bourgeois in the cities against...
-favouring mayor of Leiden. - Jacob van Wassenaer ObdamJacob van Wassenaer ObdamJacob, Banner Lord of Wassenaer, Lord Obdam, Hensbroek, Spanbroek, Opmeer, Zuidwijk and Kernhem was a Dutch Lieutenant-Admiral, and supreme commander of the confederate Dutch navy. The name Obdam was then also spelled as Opdam...
, the 17th century admiralAdmiralAdmiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
. - Unico Wilhelm van WassenaerUnico Wilhelm van WassenaerUnico Willem van Wassenaer, Count of the Empire, was a Dutch diplomat and composer....
, the 18th century diplomatDiplomatA diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
and composerComposerA composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
.
Literature
- J.C. Kort en R.C. Hol-Wassenaer, de oudste': Het archief van de familie Van Wassenaer van Duvenvoorde in Hollands archiefperspectief. Inventaris van het archief van de familie Van Wassenaer van Duvenvoorde, 1266-1996, 2002.