Medemblik
Encyclopedia
Medemblik is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands
, in the province of North Holland
and the region of West-Frisia
.
. He built several fortresses to control the region, one of which was Kasteel Radboud in Medemblik, and awarded Medemblik city rights
in 1289. After Floris V had been murdered in 1296, the local Frisian besieged the castle, but in 1297 an army from Holland thwarted their efforts to starve out the inhabitants, which included Medemblik citizens.
Several more attacks took place in the following centuries. The most notorious of these happened in June 1517, when Medemblik was attacked from mainland Frisia by about 4000 pirates known as the Arumer Zwarte Hoop
, led by Pier Gerlofs Donia
and Wijard Jelckama. Many citizens fled to the castle, which the pirates unsuccessfully besieged. Eventually, they took out their fury on the town, which burned to the ground. After this the band continued their marauding path on land throughout present day North Holland
.
Medemblik obtained town walls in 1572, so that the castle lost its roll as a refuge for the citizens, which led to its partially dismantling in 1578. Over the centuries the castle fell into decay, but in 1889 it became property of the crown and was restored to be used as a courthouse, which function it served until 1934. Anticipating the German invasion, the Rijksmuseum
in September 1939 chose the castle as the initial hiding place of Rembrandt's Night Watch
.
On 1 January 2007, Medemblik merged with the municipalities of Noorder-Koggenland
and Wognum
, yet retained its own name in the surviving municipality, even though it was the smallest of the three in population. Again on 1 January 2011 Medemblik merged with Andijk
and Wervershoof
into the municipality Medemblik.
The new cityhall is the former office building of the DSB Bank
in Wognum
.
events. Medemblik further has a picturesque small innercity with many houses from the 17th and 18th century
, two big churches, an old orphanage
, a town hall and, of course, castle Radboud, which is just at the border of the innercity.
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...
, in the province of North Holland
North Holland
North Holland |West Frisian]]: Noard-Holland) is a province situated on the North Sea in the northwest part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is Haarlem and its largest city is Amsterdam.-Geography:...
and the region of West-Frisia
West Friesland (region)
West Friesland is a contemporary region in the northwestern Netherlands, in the province of North Holland.The region covers an area of about , delineated by the Westfriese Omringdijk...
.
History
Medemblik was a prosperous trading town, when, in 1282, Floris V, Count of Holland, successfully invaded West FrieslandWest Friesland (historical region)
West Friesland is a historical region in the northern part of the Netherlands. It was located in parts of what now is Noord-Holland and the Waddenzee. The region was bordered by the rivers Vlie and IJ...
. He built several fortresses to control the region, one of which was Kasteel Radboud in Medemblik, and awarded Medemblik city rights
City rights in the Netherlands
City rights are a medieval phenomenon in the history of the Low Countries. A liegelord, usually a count, duke or similar member of high nobility, granted a settlement he owned certain town privileges that settlements without city rights did not have....
in 1289. After Floris V had been murdered in 1296, the local Frisian besieged the castle, but in 1297 an army from Holland thwarted their efforts to starve out the inhabitants, which included Medemblik citizens.
Several more attacks took place in the following centuries. The most notorious of these happened in June 1517, when Medemblik was attacked from mainland Frisia by about 4000 pirates known as the Arumer Zwarte Hoop
Arumer Zwarte Hoop
The Arumer Zwarte Hoop was an army of peasant rebels in Friesland fighting the Dutch authorities from 1515 to 1523....
, led by Pier Gerlofs Donia
Pier Gerlofs Donia
Pier Gerlofs Donia was a Frisian warrior, pirate, and rebel. He is best known by his West Frisian nickname "Grutte Pier" , or by the Dutch translations "Grote Pier" and "Lange Pier", or, in Latin, "Pierius Magnus", which referred to his legendary size and strength. His life is mostly shrouded in...
and Wijard Jelckama. Many citizens fled to the castle, which the pirates unsuccessfully besieged. Eventually, they took out their fury on the town, which burned to the ground. After this the band continued their marauding path on land throughout present day North Holland
North Holland
North Holland |West Frisian]]: Noard-Holland) is a province situated on the North Sea in the northwest part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is Haarlem and its largest city is Amsterdam.-Geography:...
.
Medemblik obtained town walls in 1572, so that the castle lost its roll as a refuge for the citizens, which led to its partially dismantling in 1578. Over the centuries the castle fell into decay, but in 1889 it became property of the crown and was restored to be used as a courthouse, which function it served until 1934. Anticipating the German invasion, the Rijksmuseum
Rijksmuseum
The Rijksmuseum Amsterdam or simply Rijksmuseum is a Dutch national museum in Amsterdam, located on the Museumplein. The museum is dedicated to arts, crafts, and history. It has a large collection of paintings from the Dutch Golden Age and a substantial collection of Asian art...
in September 1939 chose the castle as the initial hiding place of Rembrandt's Night Watch
Night Watch (painting)
Night Watch or The Night Watch or The Shooting Company of Frans Banning Cocq is the common name of one of the most famous works by Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn....
.
On 1 January 2007, Medemblik merged with the municipalities of Noorder-Koggenland
Noorder-Koggenland
Noorder-Koggenland is a former municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Abbekerk, located in the municipality of Noorder-Koggenland, received city rights in 1414.The municipality merged into Medemblik in 2007.- Population centres :...
and Wognum
Wognum
Wognum is a former municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Wognum received city rights in 1392 but lost them in 1426...
, yet retained its own name in the surviving municipality, even though it was the smallest of the three in population. Again on 1 January 2011 Medemblik merged with Andijk
Andijk
Andijk is a former municipality and a village bordering Lake IJssel in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia. Since 1 January 2011 Andijk has been part of Medemblik municipality....
and Wervershoof
Wervershoof
Wervershoof is a former municipality and a town in the north-western Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia...
into the municipality Medemblik.
The new cityhall is the former office building of the DSB Bank
DSB Bank
DSB Bank was a Dutch bank and insurer. The company was founded in 1975 by Dirk Scheringa, a former police officer. It was originally called Buro Frisia, but in 1998 the DSB Groep was founded which included Buro Frisia...
in Wognum
Wognum
Wognum is a former municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Wognum received city rights in 1392 but lost them in 1426...
.
Tourism
Medemblik is best known in Europe for its sailingSailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
events. Medemblik further has a picturesque small innercity with many houses from the 17th and 18th century
Century
A century is one hundred consecutive years. Centuries are numbered ordinally in English and many other languages .-Start and end in the Gregorian Calendar:...
, two big churches, an old orphanage
Orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
, a town hall and, of course, castle Radboud, which is just at the border of the innercity.
Local government
The municipal council of Medemblik consists of 21 seats, which are divided as follows:- CDAChristian Democratic AppealThe Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
- 7 seats - VVDPeople's Party for Freedom and DemocracyThe People's Party for Freedom and Democracy is a conservative-liberal political party located in the Netherlands. The VVD supports private enterprise in the Netherlands and is often perceived as an economic liberal party in contrast to the social-liberal Democrats 66 alongside which it sits in...
- 4 seats - Gemeentebelangen - 4 seats
- PvdALabour Party (Netherlands)The Labour Party , is a social-democratic political party in the Netherlands. Since the 2003 Dutch General Election, the PvdA has been the second largest political party in the Netherlands. The PvdA was a coalition member in the fourth Balkenende cabinet following 22 February 2007...
- 3 seats - Progressief West Friesland - 2 seats
- Onafhankelijke Westfriese Partij - 1 seat