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Vredenburg (castle)
Encyclopedia
Vredenburg or Vredeborch was a 16th-century castle built by Habsburg
emperor Charles V
in the city of Utrecht
in the Netherlands
. Some remains of the castle, which stood for only 50 years, are still visible on what is now Vredenburg square in Utrecht.
The Holy Roman Empire
in 1528 annexed the Bishopric of Utrecht, and Emperor Charles V immediately ordered the construction of a castle in Utrecht, not only to protect the domain from invasion by the duke of Guelders
, but also to retain control over the city's unruly population. Construction was begun in 1529 and completed in 1532.
After the Pacification of Ghent
was signed on November 8, 1576, the Eighty Years' War broke out and the castle's Spanish garrison prepared to be besieged by the Dutch rebels, turning the castle's cannons towards the city itself.
By December, the siege was underway and fighting broke out between the Spanish and Dutch. However, the garrison abandoned the castle on February 11, 1577, following negotiations between garrison commander Francesco Fernando d'Avila and Maximilien de Hénin-Liétard
, the count of Bossu, who served as temporary Dutch stadholder.
The citizens of Utrecht demanded that the castle be demolished to prevent the Spanish or other foreign powers from dominating the city again in future. However, the city government opposed demolishment, so as not to offend the emperor. On May 2, the population took the matter into their own hands. According to legend, a group of local women led by Trijn van Leemput stormed the castle and Trijn gave the signal for the castle to be destroyed by removing the first bricks from the castle walls. Despite doubts about the historical accuracy of this tale, a statue of Trijn van Leemput was erected on the Zandburg bridge in Utrecht in 1955.
The demolishment of the castle lasted until 1581. The two western towers remained standing, as they were part of the outer city walls. However, they were also demolished piece by piece in the following centuries; by 1919 they had completely disappeared. The foundations of Vredenburg castle were uncovered during archeological excavations in 1976 and 1978.
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
emperor Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
in the city of Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
in the Netherlands
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...
. Some remains of the castle, which stood for only 50 years, are still visible on what is now Vredenburg square in Utrecht.
The Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
in 1528 annexed the Bishopric of Utrecht, and Emperor Charles V immediately ordered the construction of a castle in Utrecht, not only to protect the domain from invasion by the duke of Guelders
Guelders
Guelders or Gueldres is the name of a historical county, later duchy of the Holy Roman Empire, located in the Low Countries.-Geography:...
, but also to retain control over the city's unruly population. Construction was begun in 1529 and completed in 1532.
After the Pacification of Ghent
Pacification of Ghent
The Pacification of Ghent, signed on November 8, 1576, was an alliance of the provinces of the Habsburg Netherlands for the purpose of driving mutinying Spanish mercenary troops from the country, and at the same time a peace treaty with the rebelling provinces Holland and Zeeland.-Background:In...
was signed on November 8, 1576, the Eighty Years' War broke out and the castle's Spanish garrison prepared to be besieged by the Dutch rebels, turning the castle's cannons towards the city itself.
By December, the siege was underway and fighting broke out between the Spanish and Dutch. However, the garrison abandoned the castle on February 11, 1577, following negotiations between garrison commander Francesco Fernando d'Avila and Maximilien de Hénin-Liétard
Maximilien de Hénin-Liétard
Maximilien de Hénin-Liétard, Count of Boussu was a soldier and statesman from the Habsburg Netherlands. During the Eighty Years' War he was the royalist stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland and Utrecht from 1567 until he was made a prisoner of war during the Battle on the Zuiderzee in 1573...
, the count of Bossu, who served as temporary Dutch stadholder.
The citizens of Utrecht demanded that the castle be demolished to prevent the Spanish or other foreign powers from dominating the city again in future. However, the city government opposed demolishment, so as not to offend the emperor. On May 2, the population took the matter into their own hands. According to legend, a group of local women led by Trijn van Leemput stormed the castle and Trijn gave the signal for the castle to be destroyed by removing the first bricks from the castle walls. Despite doubts about the historical accuracy of this tale, a statue of Trijn van Leemput was erected on the Zandburg bridge in Utrecht in 1955.
The demolishment of the castle lasted until 1581. The two western towers remained standing, as they were part of the outer city walls. However, they were also demolished piece by piece in the following centuries; by 1919 they had completely disappeared. The foundations of Vredenburg castle were uncovered during archeological excavations in 1976 and 1978.
Sources
- Kastelen in Utrecht (Dutch)
- De Dom Digitaal (Dutch)