Amsterdam Castle Muiderslot

Amsterdam Castle Muiderslot
Experience seven centuries of history
Annick Huijbrechts & Yvonne Molenaar
Amsterdam Castle Muiderslot
Experience seven centuries of history
Annick Huijbrechts & Yvonne Molenaar
© 2013 Stichting Rijksmuseum Muiderslot
Credits
Principal:Bert Boer (director)
Author: Annick Huijbrechts (Turtle Art)
Copy and illustrations: Yvonne Molenaar
Editor: Ida Schuurman
Projectmanagement: Corry Gorter and Ben Reef
Design: Endeloos Grafisch Ontwerp
Photography: Mike Bink, Kropot and Endeloos Grafisch Ontwerp
Translation: Hugh Quigley
Partners
This publication was made possible with the support of:
© 2013 Stichting Rijksmuseum Muiderslot
Contents
0 Introduction: the castle’s turbulent history
Seven centuries of pride, passion and peril
5
1 Floris the Fifth – The People’s Hero
Founder of the castle
8
2 The finest medieval castle in the Netherlands
The construction of the castle
14
3 Ingenious construction full of unpleasant surprises The castle as a defensive fortress
19
4 Once upon a time… there was a romantic castle
The castle as a medieval home
23
5 Blood, sweat and tears
The castle as court and prison
27
6 Poetry and song ringing through the castle
A prominent and inspiring place
31
7 Splendour at the Hoge Huys in Muiden
The castle as a residence in the Golden Age
37
8 See you next summer
The gardens and orchards
41
9 On sale for demolition
A neglected stone pile
47
10 From castle to national museum
Architecture, interior and collection
51
11 Water as friend and foe
Battling against, but mainly with, the water
57
12 Experience seven centuries of history
Amsterdam Castle Muiderslot national museum: more than ever to see and do
61
In conclusion
More than ever to see and do
63
Appendix 1
Documented facts about the castle
65
Appendix 2
Patrons and bailiffs of Amstelland and of Naarden and Gooiland, sheriffs
of Muiden and constables, keepers and governors of the castle.
68
4
0
INTRODUCTION: THE CASTLE’S TURBULENT HISTORY
Seven centuries of pride, passion and peril
The castle has stood for seven centuries, looking out over the river Vecht, the Zuiderzee (now the IJsselmeer) and
parts of Amsterdam, as well as meadows, mills and the hustle and bustle of the port and town of Muiden.
The history of the castle has been one of great contrasts.
Over the years it has often endured cannon fire, along with
the smell of fear and the sweat of knights engaged in battle,
while in times of peace there has been the warmth of fires
burning in the hearths, mingled with the sweet scent of
roasting meat coated with herbs. While the chilling cries of
tortured prisoners have echoed around the thick walls, so
too have the sweet sounds of poets reciting sonnets and
the voices of guests singing in harmony. Today, the most
prominent sound is that of excited children playing at being
knights and ladies.
The castle has always been surrounded by water, which
could sometimes be a hostile enemy, but has also served as
a good friend and ally. The castle has sometimes suffered
from neglect and was even in danger of being torn down,
but, more often, it has been cared for and lovingly restored,
and now stands in proud splendour for anyone who wants to
learn more about its turbulent history.
Jan Abrahamsz Beerstraaten painted this winter landscape
with the castle in 1658, without the spire on the Northern
Tower. Beerstraaten treated the topography casually: Muiden
should be to the left and the Zuiderzee to the right.
Photo © The National Gallery, London
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1
1
FLORIS THE FIFTH – THE PEOPLE’S HERO
Founder of the castle
The castle’s story begins – how else – in the Middle Ages. The legendary Count Floris V commissioned the
construction of the keep in 1285. He selected a beautiful, strategically located point on the river Vecht, close to
the Zuiderzee.
His father killed
Powerful lord
Floris was two years old when his father, King William II, who
was also Holy Roman Emperor, was killed in 1256 during his
war against the West-Frisians. It was an event that made a
deep impression on the boy. The young Floris was taught by
the famous writer, Jacob van Maerlandt, who prepared him
for his life as the son of king. Together they read about the
heroic deeds of Alexander the Great and how he had avenged
the murder of his father. Floris knew then what he had to do.
Using all his power, Floris conquered his father’s fatal enemy,
West-Friesland, where he built five fortresses to enforce his
rule over the people. Four of the castles are gone, but you can
still see the remains of Radboud Castle in Medemblik. Like
his father, Floris was a powerful ruler. He controlled the areas
that we now call Holland, West-Friesland and Zeeland and
had influential allies such as England’s King Edward.
Revenge
Engraving with a portrait of
Counts William II and Floris V.
A double portrait from a series
of portraits of Counts of Holland in the city hall in Haarlem.
When he reached the age
of twelve, Floris became
an adult and was officially
able to call himself Count
of Holland. Ten years later,
he was knighted during a
tournament in Den Bosch. At
that time, the Netherlands
comprised many small
regions, each with its own
leader. For an ambitious
knight like Floris, this was
a challenge to relish, but
although he succeeded
in conquering a number
of territories, it was not
enough for him. He wanted
revenge. His father’s death
had to be avenged.
Map of West-Friesland around 1300, showing the citadels
built by Floris V (including those at Egmond aan de Hoef near
Alkmaar, at Wijdenes and Radboud Castle in Medemblik).
His father’s grave
Nobody knew where William II, Floris’s father, was buried, and Floris was determined to find the grave. He eventually did
so, and brought his father’s body to Middelburg, where it was reburied in the local church.
8
Paying tolls
Floris could be a tyrant when it came to doing business,
however. Anyone who wanted to cross the river first had to
pay a heavy toll at the castle, which will not have pleased his
great enemy, the powerful Bishop of Utrecht, since it allowed
Floris to check everyone and everything entering or leaving
the diocese of Utrecht.
Oldest document with ‘Amstelredam’
Floris made an exception from the requirement to pay
a toll for some shippers. They included the ‘people who
live in Amstelredam’, he wrote in one letter, which is
famous for being the oldest document containing the
name Amsterdam, then still a small village called Amstelredam. The original letter can be found in Amsterdam’s city archives (see page 13).
Big brother in The Hague
The castle later acquired a ‘big brother’, which would
become even more famous, in the form of the Binnenhof in
The Hague, with its imposing Ridderzaal. Floris completed
the construction of the building, which had originally been
intended as a palace for his father and was modeled on
Westminster Hall in London, in 1290. Finally, he had fully
restored his father’s honour.
Map of Holland around 1300, showing the waterways, including the river Vecht winding its way between Utrecht and the
Zuiderzee.
The people’s hero
When Floris V visited the castle, he would be greeted with
a lavish feast in the Knight’s Hall (Ridderzaal). He was much
loved at the castle, and quickly succeeded in winning the
hearts of the local population. He raised brave farmers
and citizens to the nobility and gave them important
administrative posts, much to the disgust of the existing
nobility who considered it scandalous. Floris was a clever
ruler, who built dikes and roads to promote commerce and
exempted some citizens from taxes. As a result, the peasants
and citizens became richer and more powerful and Floris
V quickly became a hero to the people, sometimes being
referred to as ‘the peasants’ god’.
The architectural drawing for the Knight’s Hall.
9
Order of knights
In 1279, Floris formed his own order of knights, the Sovereign Order of St. James of Holland. The first 12 members of the
order were knighted in Floris’s own Ridderzaal in The Hague.
Floris’s enemies
Meanwhile, Floris was also making enemies. Some of the
nobility were not happy with his friendship with the common
folk. Moreover, he had seized Amstelland (including what
would later become Amsterdam) and Nedersticht (including
the town of Woerden) from his arch-enemy, the Bishop of
Utrecht, who was keen to settle scores.
Prisoner in his own castle
But Floris’s most dangerous enemies proved to be closer
than he suspected. In 1296, a group of important noblemen
who worked for Floris plotted against him in a conspiracy
with his former ally, the English king, who joined them
because Floris had meanwhile transferred his allegiance
to the French. When Gijsbrecht van Amstel, Herman van
Woerden and Gerard van Velsen invited Floris to join them
hunting with falcons he was happy to agree, since it was
his favourite hobby. But the three men suddenly seized
The Knight’s Hall (Ridderzaal) in The Hague, which to this day
remains the heart of the Binnenhof, the seat of the Dutch
government. Every year, on the third Tuesday in September
– Prinsjesdag – the king rides through the city in his golden
coach to this imposing hall, where he reads the Speech from
the Throne setting out the government’s policies for the
coming year.
At home in The Hague
When he was not travelling through his domain, Floris V
lived like a king in The Hague. He was married to Beatrijs van
Vlaanderen and they had seven children, only one of whom their son, Jan - survived beyond the age of ten. Visitors to The
Hague can still see a statue of ‘Jantje’ alongside the Hofvijver.
He is pointing to the Binnenhof, which is now the seat of the
Dutch government.
Goodbye, sweet Jantje!
There is a lullaby dedicated to Floris’s son, Jantje, which is
still sung by Dutch children to this day:“In The Hague there
lives a Count, and his son is called Jantje. If you ask: ‘Where
does your daddy live?’, he’ll show you with his hand-tje.
With his finger and his thumb, on his hat he wears a feather.
On his arm’s a basket, Bye, my sweet Jantje!”
Count Floris believes he is going hunting with falcons, but is
instead taken prisoner. A wall chart produced by the famous
Dutch painter of historical scenes, J.H. Isings. Wall charts were
used in schools to illustrate historical scenes.
10
all of their possessions. Gerard van Velsen was captured,
confessed and was tried. He was probably executed by
being broken on the wheel, a painful death in which the
prisoner is lashed to a wheel, his limbs are broken and he
is left to die.
Floris and held him captive for five days - in a room in his
own the castle.
Stabbed to death with a sword
Hearing the news of this treachery, a large army of brave
peasants marched on the castle to free their lord. The
kidnappers quickly fled, taking Floris with them, but they did
not get far. Five kilometres from the castle, near the village
of Muiderberg, they were intercepted by a group of peasants
from Naarden. Although shackled, Floris tried to escape, but
his horse fell into a ditch, and one of the noblemen – probably
Gerard van Velsen – seized the moment and ran him through
with a sword in cowardly fashion.
Van Amstel and Van Woerden later fled abroad and lost
The castle destroyed
On his death, Floris V was succeeded as count by his son
Jan, but Jan had been sent to England and was still living
there. Floris’s sworn enemy, the Bishop of Utrecht, saw an
opportunity. He rushed to Muiden, stormed the castle and
reportedly ‘razed it to the ground’. Fortunately, that proved
to be an exaggeration and around eighty years later the
castle was rebuilt, otherwise our tale would end here.
The very first history book in Dutch
Floris V was keen for people to be able to read about
history in their own language. Until then, books were
written in Latin. It was he who commissioned the very
first history book in Dutch, Spieghel Historiael by Jacob
van Maerlant. After his death, the work was continued
by the renowned writer Melis Stoke, who also describes
the life and violent death of Floris V in the Rijmkroniek
van Holland.
The shackled Count Floris V is brutally
murdered near Muiderberg.
Hunting with falcons and womanising
A falcon hunt was a major event and was always accompanied by entertainment, pleasure and womanising. A large
company of noble ladies and gentlemen would ride out on horseback, accompanied by their servants and the falconer
with his helpers. Your status determined the type of bird you took: an eagle for the emperor, gyr falcons for a king or
queen and peregrine falcons or hawks for the noblemen and noblewomen. The trained birds of prey were tied to a long
leather strap and then released to catch game. When the sport was over, the feasting began.
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Toll privilege of Count Floris V (1275)
The oldest document containing the name Amsterdam,
then still a small village called Amstelredam. Collection
Stadsarchief Amsterdam.
2
THE FINEST MEDIEVAL CASTLE IN THE NETHERLANDS
The construction of the castle
The castle is known today as the most beautiful and best-preserved medieval castle in the Netherlands. Originally,
however, it was a simple fortress: four thick walls with towers at the corners, surrounded by a moat. Over time,
ingenious architectural details and remarkable feats of craftsmanship have been added to the castle.
Hand drill, hatchet and saw
The leaning tower of Muiden
The castle was originally a walled encampment with four
towers at the corners. The thick walls offered protection for
the soldiers living in tents in the inner court. The original
castle was built in less than ten years, which is not long
when you think that everything had to be done entirely by
hand. There were no electric hoists or cranes in those days;
the thousands of stones, tools and other building materials
had to be lifted with ropes and pulleys. And drilling holes?
Cutting a beam to size? That cost a lot of sweat with just a
hand drill, a hatchet or a saw.
The Western Tower (on the left at the rear) is the oldest and
tallest and most skewed of the castle’s towers. You have to
climb 83 steps to reach the top. A striking feature of the lower
High Tower chamber is the vertical wooden beams between
the walls, which were installed to prevent the walls from
sagging. The Western Tower has sagged quite a bit anyway,
and was even in danger of tearing away from the main
structure in the last century. The moat was then drained and
a heavy cement corset was constructed around the entire
building. Since then, the tower still leans but it is steady.
Thick walls and round towers
Construction started in the sandy soil near the river in 1285.
Sandy soil is a solid, natural substance on which many castles
are built. The builders started by laying stone foundations
measuring 32x35 metres, almost half the size of a football
field. Then they built the walls, which were 1.5 metres thick
in some places! At each corner there was a round tower that
protruded slightly, so that the guards had a clear view of the
surrounding region and the castle’s outer walls from the
towers. No enemy could scale the walls without being seen.
Bailey with farms and cottages
In front of the entrance to the castle, where the gardens
are now, in the Middle Ages there was a bailey, with stables,
barns, farms and cottages for the workers all encircled by
walls. Around the castle and the bailey, a double moat was
created. The only way of entering the castle was through
the bailey, over the wooden drawbridge, and through the
main gate.
Map of the first floor with the restorations made by the
architect Berden in 1895 shown in red.
14
Built, destroyed, renovated and modified
The initial design of the castle was simple: four towers connected by walls. Some rooms for people to
live in were added later.
The vengeance wrought by the Bishop of Utrecht
caused extensive devastation to the structure in
around 1296 and for about 80 years the castle was
nothing more than a ruin, until (in around 1370) Duke
Albrecht, Count of Holland, started the construction
of the castle in its present form.
In the following centuries the castle was continually being renovated, modernised and modified. For
example, higher towers and a second residential wing
were added and – around 1450 – the vulnerable thatched roofs were replaced with slate tiles.
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A scaffold or a pigeon coop
Around some of the windows you will see holes in the
outer wall through which beams could be pushed out.
All you had to do was climb out of the window, lay a
plank over the beams and you had a scaffold or a balcony. And in the event of attack, you had an extra parapet
to defend from. In more peaceful times, they could also
be used to construct a pigeon coop or a toilet.
Construction kit for the DIY enthusiast
The roof of the Western Tower was built in the 14th
century. It was a job that required great precision, with
crossing and connecting beams that had to fit together like the spokes in a wheel to hold the walls together.
Every joint was a different size and the pieces all had
to fit together precisely. The craftsmen of the time
were smart and well able to meet the challenge. They
supplied the materials from their workplace as a construction kit. The instructions - the so-called ‘carpenters
marks’- were scratched into the wood, so the whole
thing could be put together just like a do-it-yourself kit.
The carpenters marks can still be seen.
The roofed-in sentry walk with curved oak rafters and beams
that could be pushed out through the wall.
Sloping roof with insulation
Why did it have such a steeply sloping wooden roof? It was
designed to prevent water, snow or hail from seeping through
the roof. Now, they simply slide down and run off. The space
beneath the roof also provided excellent insulation, so the
rooms were not too warm in the summer, and not too cold
in the winter.
Sustainable building
Even in the Middle Ages, they knew about sustainable
building. A good example of that are the staircases you will
find in some places. The treads are stone and are overlaid
with wooden planks. When the stairs wore out, the stone
steps remained and only the planks had to be replaced.
A wood full of bent trees
What you will notice in the roofed-in sentry walk over the
castle’s kitchen is the curved beams (rafters) beneath the
roof. They were produced by treating oak trees with heat
or by bending the trees from the time they were saplings.
It must have been a strange sight, a wood full of bent trees.
From 1550, this technique was only used in shipbuilding.
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The outdoor toilet at the Northern Tower, erected with the help of extendable beams. 18th century engraving by C. Pronk.
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3
INGENIOUS CONSTRUCTION FULL OF UNPLEASANT SURPRISES
The castle as a defensive fortress
From the outset, an important task of the castle was to provide defence. It was built to offer protection for the people
living in the surrounding countryside; in other words, to keep out enemies. To this end, the castle incorporates many
cunning architectural tricks and clever inventions. Capturing the castle seemed straightforward, until you tried it.
but was deliberately built in an oval shape. Consequently, it
juts out slightly further to provide an even better view of the
outer walls and the approach road to the castle. Nobody could
approach without being seen. There are many embrasures
(slits through which soldiers could keep a look out and fire
their weapons) in the wall of the tower, and even a rare
double embrasure, from which the start and the end of the
drawbridge could both be seen at the same time. There is also
an embrasure for an arquebus, a medieval hand-held cannon.
The bullets and arrows flying around your ears
Bravely you go into battle, but approaching the castle inconspicuously is impossible. As soon as the guards spot
you, they sound the alarm and raise the wooden drawbridge. And there’s no time to quietly plan your next
move, since there are 48 embrasures pointed in your direction. The bullet and arrows are soon whistling around
your ears!
Walls full of embrasures
Battlements with clever embrasures
The guards of the castle lived in the Southern Tower, which
was furnished with bags of straw, a fireplace and a toilet.
The Southern Tower – on the left at the front as you stand
facing the gate - is not as round as the other three towers,
A castle is not a castle without battlements. These stone
turrets, behind which the soldiers could take shelter,
are situated on top of the walls and towers. Along the
battlements there are embrasures, which are rounder in the
middle and taper sharply. The curvature gave the soldiers
more room to move their weapon and to aim accurately.
That’s what I call a warm welcome
As you cross the bridge with your soldiers, you hear
sniggering from above. ‘That’s strange,’ you think. Then
you hear the command and... splash! A torrent of hot
gunge and stones is falling on your head. There’s panic
all around and all you can think is: let’s get out of here!
The only murder hole in the Netherlands
The Gate Tower formed the heart of the castle’s defences. It
was the control room, from where the commanders issued
instructions to the soldiers. The highlight of the Gate Tower is
The castle’s murder hole is unique in the Netherlands in
terms of its size!
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the murder hole just above the gate: three large holes through
which the enemy could literally be given a warm reception.
Rather than hot oil or pitch, usually a load of cobblestones,
bricks and hot kitchen waste would have been tossed down,
since that was cheaper. The size of the murder hole makes it
unique in the Netherlands. Beside it, there is also a hidden
machiolation, which is invisible from below thanks to a twist
in the chute, but down which the enemy can be struck with
deadly accuracy.
This is easy, you think
Once you get into the inner courtyard you might say to
yourself: ‘It’s easy from here. I’ll enter the Southern Tower
and overcome the guards there. Then I’ll storm the Gate
Tower via the sentry walk, put the soldiers there to the
sword, and then I’ll have wiped out the defences. My
troops can then calmly enter the castle and take it.’
That’s what you thought!
Fooled! Not a door or staircase to be found
To prevent the enemy from overrunning the entire castle
immediately during an attack, the castle was divided into
separate sections without interconnecting passages. For
example, anyone who had forced their way into the Gate Tower
and was planning to storm the strategically located Southern
Tower from there was in for a nasty surprise. There was no
connecting door! The sentry walk to the Southern Tower
purposely came to a dead end at the wall. If you entered the
Southern Tower at the bottom, where the bridge master lived,
you could only turn around, since there was no staircase to the
upper floors! And if you were really unfortunate, you might
even fall through the trapdoor in the floor into the dungeon.
Even the spiral staircase is cunning
The Southern Tower could only be reached via the Western
Tower. And wouldn’t you know, the Western Tower was the
most difficult tower to capture. It is the highest tower and
was obviously also built for defence. Even the spiral staircase
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Awkward stairs? Certainly! Designed especially for defence.
How an arquebus works
‘Press the gunpowder into the barrel and pack it down tightly. Then push in the stone bullet, light the fuse and BANG!
Oh, by the way. Take cover first!’ Cannons were almost as dangerous for the person firing them as for the enemy. A slight
misjudgement with the gunpowder could cause an enormous explosion. Another risk was the enormous recoil after the
explosion. This was the reason for the metal hook on the barrel of the arquebus, which you pressed firmly into the wooden beam of the embrasure to soften the recoil.
is cunningly designed! It is a narrow staircase with 83 uneven
steps and it twists to the right. That is not a coincidence. As
an enemy, try climbing a staircase like that with your sword
in your right hand while trying to fend off the blows raining
down on you from above.
Cannonballs could go through the walls
At the end of the Middle Ages, around 1500, stone
cannonballs made their appearance. No castle walls were
able to withstand their devastating power. The first assault
would shake the walls loose and the following series would
break right through them. With their arrival, the castle was
no longer able to perform its defensive task.
Port of Amsterdam
From 1477, the city of Amsterdam assumed responsibility
for maintaining and staffing the castle. Used to control
Amsterdam and the surrounding region, it also guarded
the road to the city from the east. It was this that enabled
Amsterdam to grow into an important port.
The Mermaid of Muiden
There is a medieval legend that goes like this. One day
a group of fishermen from Muiden caught a mermaid
in their nets and then refused to release her. The mermaid was able to escape and, in a song, placed a curse on
Muiden, condemning the town to remain small always,
while Amsterdam would grow into a great city.
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4
ONCE UPON A TIME… THERE WAS A ROMANTIC CASTLE
The castle as a medieval home
It sounds like a fairy story: living as a knight or a lady in a castle. But a castle in the Middle Ages was not exciting
or romantic at all; most of all, it was cold, dark, draughty and dull. Certainly not the place you would dream of to
‘live happily ever after’.
Windows of pig bladder
The thick stone walls were often damp and the windows were
not made of glass but of pig’s bladder. Very little daylight and
fresh air penetrated through the narrow slits in the wall. In the
winter you could place a plank or a strip of cow hide in front of
them to keep out the cold, but it remained draughty.
Searching for heat and light
Because it was difficult to keep rooms warm and comfortable,
only a few of the rooms in the castle were lived in. These rooms
had an open hearth where people would huddle close to the
heat and the light from the fire and tell each other stories,
before retiring early to bed. For extra light they would use
torches and oil lamps, as well as pots of pig fat, although they
did not provide much light and stank terribly.
A large hall like the Knight’s Hall (with a volume of 600 m3) was
imposing, but difficult to heat. The large hall was only heated,
brightly decorated and filled with people eating, drinking and
playing music on special occasions.
Sturdy, functional furniture
The chambers of the castle were bare and the few pieces of
furniture were sturdy and purely functional. Most people sat on
wooden benches; only the nobility possessed more luxurious
chairs. Window seats were built into the window openings,
where people could sit to chat by daylight. There were no
cupboards in those days and personal items and clothes were
kept in large wooden chests.
It may seem dim, but the Bishop’s Chamber is brightly lit now
compared with former days, thanks to the large windows. The
window seats were a delightful place to sit and enjoy the sunlight
and the beautiful view on a summer day.
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Relieving yourself
Very tasty
Toilets (gemakjes) were in the
rooms where people lived. The
castle still has nine of them.
They were hung outside and
generally did not have a door.
People did their business
in front of everybody and
would often simply carry
on with their conversation.
Meanwhile,
the
waste
dropped down into the moat
to feed the fish. When the
moat froze, the ice would stink
for a while. A team of workers
would regularly appear to
give the moat a badly needed
clean-out.
Every day the smell of freshly baked bread
floated through the corridors and rooms
from the bakery. The cooks would use
round chunks of bread as a plate, for example, so that after pouring sauce, soup
or gravy over it, you could eat the whole
thing, plate and all. Finger-licking good!
Quite literally, in fact, because cutlery
was seldom used in those days. Meat was
chewed from the bone and there were always plenty of fresh fish to be caught in
the waters around the castle.
Unusual well
The well in the courtyard, in the wall near the stone staircase – supplied
fairly clean rain water, which was filtered naturally by the sand. It was an
unusual well in that water could be drawn from it from three places: from
the courtyard, of course, but also from the bakery in the cellar and from the
kitchen above it. A smart form of water supply.
To make the water fit for drinking, it could be boiled and diluted with beer
or wine. More often, both adults and children would simply drink pure wine
to quench their thirst. That must have caused some jollity.
Communal living: no privacy
The people in the Middle Ages had an entirely different conception of
privacy than we do today. In fact, there was no privacy. People slept
together in a large bed in the living rooms. At least it was warm.
People also washed, went to the toilet and made love in the presence
of others. People were actually afraid of being alone, because when
you were alone you could be tempted by the devil and end up in hell.
In company, you were better able to withstand the devil’s temptation.
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In the absence of taps and pipes, this was still
an efficient method of distributing water.
The bailiff, the castle’s main resident
Even in Floris’s time, the castle was the official residence of the bailiff (baljuw), the land owner’s representative. The bailiff’s task
was to manage and protect the region. He was responsible for the administration of justice, collecting fines and temporarily
imprisoning criminals. He was also the constable (kastelein), or governor and keeper, of the castle. Over the course of five
centuries, until 1795, more than 50 bailiffs lived with their families in the castle, at least part of the time. Some only lived in
the castle during the summer months, leaving a castle keeper to perform the honours during the winter.
The herald
In the Middle Ages, the castle also housed soldiers. The staff and labourers lived in the castle or in the bailey. Another important
resident of the castle was the herald (heraut), who lived in the Gate Tower and knew everything about coats of arms and flags.
He recorded all the information he possessed and drew the insignia in an armorial. The herald could recognise whether a
friend or an enemy was approaching from their dress, their coat of arms and the plumes on their helmets and arrange the
appopriate welcome for them.
The chaplain
When the castle had a
chaplain, he would live
directly above the gate
in what is known as St.
Michael’s Chapel. After
all, St. Michael guards the
gates of heaven. It was
extremely handy for the
nobility to have their own
chapel where they could
confess their sins. Whether
you swore, seduced another
man’s wife or drank too
much, absolution was near
at hand. After saying a few
prayers and paying a fine to
the church, your conscience
was clear again and the
devil had been banished.
You can recognise Floris V’s coat of arms by the lion and the colours red and yellow. Naturally, you
will find them in the Herald Room in the castle.
25
The dungeon beneath the high Western Tower.
26
5
BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS
The castle as court and prison
However difficult it was for enemies to enter the castle, getting out was just as difficult. It was an ideal prison.
Throughout the centuries, a lot of blood, sweat and tears have been shed within its walls. If you listen carefully, you
will still hear the desperate cries echoing around the walls.
Escape was impossible
pressing a red-hot poker into their flesh. Torture was also
often used to secure a confession.
If Count Floris V had ever imagined that he himself would
once be a prisoner in his own castle, he would certainly
have ordered the building of some secret escape routes.
Unfortunately, his builders did their work to perfection.
Escape was impossible. Like all hostages and prisoners from
the nobility, Count Floris was locked in a chamber in one of
the castle’s towers. A hostage might be a nobleman who had
been captured in battle and was waiting to be returned in
exchange for a ransom of money or land.
The ultimate proof
“You say you are innocent? We will apply the thumbscrews
until your thumbs turn blue. You still claim you are
innocent? Then we will stretch you on the rack until you
feel your muscles and tendons are tearing. Do you still
believe you are innocent?” Logically, there was every
chance that – in between the screams and the tears – you
would confess. Bizarrely, a confession secured by torture
like this was actually regarded as the ‘ultimate proof’.
Dark, cold dungeons
Most prisoners were held in the castle’s dark, cold dungeons.
Most of those who were held there were awaiting trial and
sentencing. No one was actually detained in them for long.
You can imagine the fear felt by even the bravest of men as
they sat chained in the dungeons.
Light sentences
The Knight’s Hall was not always the scene of gaiety. There
were also tenser moments, for example during trials. Anyone
who was found guilty of a minor offence was fined, banished
(temporarily or permanently) or had to request a pardon.
The offender would sometimes have to make reparation, for
example by supplying goods such as new stones to repair
damage to the castle wall.
Red-hot poker
The use of torture was common in the Middle Ages. Only
children under the age of 14 and pregnant women were
spared. People with a different religion or lifestyle would
often be persuaded to change their ways, for example by
Say goodbye to your hand
Sentences for more serious crimes were severe. In the Middle
Ages, sentences were imposed that reflected the crime: an eye
for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. The penalty for trying to
flee was to have your foot cut off. Theft? Say goodbye to your
hand! Corporal punishment, such as flogging, branding, the
amputation of limbs and death by hanging were common and
ensured that you would think twice before committing a crime.
Today, the dungeons in the castle are lit for visitors.
In the foreground you can see the stocks, in which the prisoner would have been bound by his feet.
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People were not held in prison for long in
the Middle Ages. The preference was for –
usually painful – sentences that reflected
the seriousness of the crime.
Stretching a person on the rack
There used to be a rack in the kitchen of
the castle. The prisoner would be bound
hand and foot to it and stretched. Nowadays, the expression ‘putting a person
to the rack’ still means firmly interrogating someone, although generally
without the physical agony that used
to accompany it.
Will I lose my money, or my head
Almost every sentence could be bought off,
provided you had enough money. In the
Knight’s Hall there is still a wooden table with
a limestone surface where the payments
were made. The difference between a silver
and a nickel coin could be clearly heard on
the surface, so anyone trying to pay with
false currency was immediately discovered.
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The dungeon
In the floor of the Southern Tower there is a trapdoor.
Below that trapdoor lies the so-called forgotten dungeon. Through a round hole beneath the trapdoor prisoners were cast into the dungeon, where they would
be held indefinitely. Escape was impossible.
The blood of Floris
According to legend, Count Floris V was held prisoner
in the chamber that is now known as the Floris chamber. ‘His blood will stain the floor forever. However
hard you scrub and polish, the bloodstain will always
return,’ the story went. It’s an exciting story, but just a
fable. The chamber did not even exist in his day. What’s
more, Floris was killed away from the castle.
Hidden beneath the ground, out of sight and out of hearing. As a prisoner, you would have been scared to death of
being forgotten.
The reinforced door to the Floris chamber.
29
The working chamber of P.C. Hooft on the first floor of the Eastern
30 Tower.
6
POETRY AND SONG RESOUNDING THROUGH THE CASTLE
A trend-setting and inspiring place
The arrival of P.C. Hooft brought happy times. The castle was given a badly needed facelift, the interior was
furnished comfortably and poems, sonnets and songs resounded around the old walls. Outside, gardens and
orchards flourished. P.C. Hooft is not only the castle’s most famous resident, he is also the main reason why the
castle still exists today.
The Dutch Shakespeare
Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft was the son of Amsterdam’s
burgomaster (mayor), C.P. Hooft. In May 1609, he was appointed
sheriff (drost) of Muiden and bailiff (baljuw) of the Gooiland
district. He lived at the castle for 38 years and the many letters
and documents he wrote there teach us a lot about the period.
In the peaceful and inspiring environment of the castle, P.C.
Hooft being
sworn in as
sheriff of Muiden
by the former
burgomaster
of Muiden,
Lammert Rijckxz
Schildering: A.B.J.
Sterck (1865).
Hooft came to be known as ‘the Dutch Shakespeare’. From
behind the desk in his working chamber in the Eastern Tower, he
had a magnificent view of the former Zuiderzee and the newly
planted gardens and orchards around the castle. Here he wrote
his famous poems, sonnets, history books, letters and plays.
Feasts with music, song and dance
A colourful array of literary friends, scholars and artists visited
the castle, especially during the summer. P.C. Hooft frequently
invited his friends to stay and escape the bustle of Amsterdam
in the peace and tranquility of the castle. A place where, as he P.C. Hooft wrote many of his famous poems, sonnets, plays
put it in one of his letters, ‘Every day is the same’.
and other works in this chamber.
31
The guests would congregate in the Knight’s Hall to recite poetry, sing, play music, perform plays and debate and – one
imagines – dine superbly. Everyone was happy to enjoy the enchantment and inspiration provided by the magnificent
environment.
Later, these writers, scientists, politicians, legal scholars and artists came to be regarded as a cultural movement, and in the
19th century they assumed a place in Dutch cultural history as the Muiderkring (Muiden Circle).
This monumental work by the portrait artist J.A. Kruseman was exhibited in Amsterdam in 1852. The painting portrays the
most important poets and scholars in P.C. Hooft’s circle of friends: from left to right, Jacob Cats, Constantijn Huygens, Laurens
Reael, Anna Roemersdochter Visscher, P.C. Hooft, Joost van den Vondel, Roemer Visscher, Maria Tesselschade, Caspar van Baerle
and Daniël Heinsius.
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The Muiderkring
The members of what later came to be known as the Muiderkring (Muiden Circle) included:
The merchant and poet Roemer Pieterszoon Visscher; his daughter Maria Tesselschade
(‘Tesseltje’), a poet and engraver; and her sister, the poet Anna Roemer Visscher. Maria in
particular was a frequent guest at the castle and a central figure at the gatherings. Musicians like Dirk Sweelinck, the organist at the Oude Kerk (Old Church) in Amsterdam and
the singer Francesca Duarte provided the musical entertainment.
Constantijn Huygens – one of the greatest poets of the 17th century, as well as a scholar,
composer and diplomat – was a close friend of P.C. Hooft and Maria Tesselschade.
Huygens served as secretary to three Princes of Orange (Frederik Hendrik, William II and
William III).
Jacob Cats, the Netherlands’ poet laureate, was a lawyer and politician, whose works included didactic poems. The Catshuis in The Hague – where he lived until his death – is
now the official residence of the Dutch prime minister.
Hugo de Groot, a legal scholar and writer, was also famous in Europe under the name Grotius. He was an important adviser
to the Raadpensionaris (Grand Pensionary) Van Oldenbarnevelt. In 1625, he wrote ’On the law of war and peace’, in which
he laid the foundations of public international law. In 1619, Hugo de Groot was imprisoned for treason in Loevestein Castle,
from where he made a spectacular escape in a bookcase.
The bookcase was probably owned by Hugo de Groot’s friend, Gerardus Vossius, a theologian and scholar who was also for
a time the governor of the Netherlands East Indies. Together with his friend Casper Barlaeus, in 1631 Vossius established the
distinguished academy, the Athenaeum Illustre in Amsterdam, which is widely regarded as the precursor of the University
of Amsterdam.
The same Caspar van Baerle, who was also known as Casparus or Casper Barlaeus, was a poet and writer and another close
friend of P.C. Hooft. He was a widower and (like Huygens and Bredero) worshipped Maria Tesselschade. His friendship with
Hooft later cooled; van Baerle suffered from depression and delusions and probably committed suicide. He was buried in the
Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) on the Dam in Amsterdam.
Van Baerle’s epitaph was written by Joost van den Vondel, who owned a hosiery shop in the Warmoesstraat in Amsterdam
but owed his fame mainly to the many religious and satirical poems and plays he wrote. His most famous plays are Gijsbrecht
van Aemstel and Lucifer. The Vondelpark in Amsterdam is named after him.
Other members of the Muiderkring were Laurens Reael, a commander of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and a member of the Rederijkerskamer d’Eglantier (a so-called ‘Chamer of Rhetoric’ or dramatic society) and the poet and playwright
Gerbrand Bredero, who died at a young age.
33
Some favours required extra payment
P.C. Hooft Prize
It was the 17th century, also known as the ‘Golden Age’,
and the country and the people were becoming wealthier.
We know from correspondence from that time that P.C.
Hooft repeatedly came up with smart ploys to wheedle
money from the treasury in The Hague for renovations to
his castle. For example, he would treat the accountants to
expensive sugar loaves from Brazil to win their favour. He
also demanded additional payment for activities that were
not part of his official duties, such as fishing the porter’s
wife out of the castle moat.
Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft was a significant figure in
Dutch literature. It is fitting therefore that the most
important literary prize in the Netherlands is named
after him. The P.C. Hooft Prize is an annual lifetime
achievement award for writers and poets working in the
Dutch language.
A Golden Age thanks to the VOC
The Dutch were adventurers and explorers. They sailed
their ships around the world, discovering new territories
and putting their renowned commercial aptitude to
work. In 1602, the trading companies and merchants
joined forces to form the VOC. This led to explosive
growth in the trade in spices, coffee, sugar, tobacco and
other produce from the Dutch East Indies. The Republic
became very prosperous, while the visual arts, science
and literature also flourished as never before.
P.C. Hooftstraat in Amsterdam
You will still regularly see P.C. Hooft’s name today. Anyone
visting Amsterdam should certainly visit P.C. Hooftstraat,
the most famous shopping street for luxury goods in
the Netherlands. Celebrities from the Netherlands and
abroad visit the street to shop and to be seen.
A fireplace with the coat of arms of Rederijkerskamer
d’Eglantier. Rederijkerskamer was the name given to a dramatic society in the 15th and 16th centuries. The coat of arms bore
the motto ‘In Liefde Bloeyende’ (Flourishing in love) and shows
the body of the crucified Christ and a flowering wild rose bush.
34
35
In 1847, L. Moritz made a realistic sketch of the Knight’s Hall and
Hooft’s guests. It shows Maria Tesselschade presenting a cup engraved by her, accompanied by a few lines from a poem, to Mrs
de Groot (Maria van Reigersberch) during a feast at the castle.
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7
SPLENDOUR AT THE HOGE HUYS IN MUIDEN
The castle as a residence in the Golden Age
When P.C. Hooft moved in, the castle was in poor shape. He immediately ordered repairs to the damaged roofs,
gutters, walls and windows. With the arrival of his second wife, Leonora Hellemans, the medieval castle was
transformed into a magnificent property, with all the comforts of a home in the Golden Age. Fondly, Hooft came to
call his new home the Hoge Huys (Noble House) in Muiden.
Luxury and comfort
lived in the cosier, less formal rooms in the Eastern Tower. The
term ‘bedroom’ did not exist at the time, since people lived
and slept in the same rooms.
Both spouses were used to the comfort of their mansions on
the Keizersgracht in Amsterdam (where number 65 stands
now) and wanted the same luxury in their summer house in
Muiden. Where originally there had been embrasures, they
installed large windows and painted the interior walls a
bright white. A covered reception area for guests was built
in the courtyard.
The fireplace as centrepiece
The centrepiece of the living rooms was still the fireplace,
the main source of heat and light. But now it was also a real
showpiece. For example, beautiful garlands of flowers from
the garden would often be hanging over the hearth. There
were wooden benches with fold-down backs so that you
could sit facing the warm fire or with your back to it without
having to move the furniture around. The logs burning in the
fireplace were laid on copper andirons, which were often the
most expensive objects in the room.
On the right is the covered reception room that was built
in 1631 at Hooft’s request. It was demolished at the end of
the 19th century to restore the castle to its medieval form.
Drawing: A. Rademakers.
Living rooms and state rooms
The Golden Age was a time of wealth and that was reflected
in the interior of the Hoge Huys in Muiden. The best furnished
and decorated rooms were for guests, such as the Princes’
Chamber, where Prince Maurits (1618) and later Prince Johan
Maurits of Nassau (1672) both stayed. The Hooft family itself
The Princes’ Chamber is immediately adjacent to the Knight’s
Hall. It was probably used as an ante-chamber where guests
could be received informally. Nowadays the chamber contains
a beautifully decorated bed and a child’s bed.
37
Your own portrait on the wall
Tapestries were a popular wall covering in the 17th-century
castle. And paintings, of course. A portrait was one of the
highlights of a home’s decoration. You were actually a
nobody if your portrait was not hanging on the wall. That
meant posing for hours – and often for days, but it was worth
the effort because the end result would live on for centuries.
Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft and his wife also had their images
preserved for posterity. Hooft could have chosen from a
number of artists, including Rembrandt van Rijn, but it
was the famous court artist Michiel van Mierevelt who
eventually painted the famous portrait of Hooft, in which he
is shown wearing the chain of office he had received from
the French king.
A dark night lasting three oppressive years
In 1624, Hooft’s first wife Christina died, after their
four children had preceded her. What followed was, in
Hooft’s own words, ‘a dark night lasting three oppressive years’. The sun broke through again when he married his second wife, Leonora Hellemans, an attractive,
well-off widow from Flanders, who was his neighbour
on Keizersgracht in Amsterdam. Hooft pursued her relentlessly and she eventually fell for his charms. Leonora
had two daughters of her own, and the couple had two
more children, Arnout and Christina.
Portrait of P.C. Hooft by M. van Mierevelt.
Magnificent interiors
Large mirrors were still difficult to manufacture in the 17th
century and were therefore very expensive. Naturally, the
largest mirrors in the castle, in splendid ebony frames, were
hanging in the best rooms. Another showpiece was the
copper chandelier, an essential accoutrement for the state
room with its burning candles. Hooft also used candelabras,
oil lamps, lanterns and torches to light the rooms.
To complete the splendour, the tables and sideboards would
glisten with a multitude of silver objects. These were the
Omnibus Idem
Inscribed in gold letters on the fireplace in the Princes’
Chamber is P.C. Hooft’s motto, ‘Omnibus Idem’, around the
insignia of the sun. The motto came from Italy, where he
had travelled. It means ‘The same to all’, by which Hooft
meant equal treatment for all. Just as the sun shines for
everyone, so Hooft felt he administered justice without
fear or favour.
38
ultimate status symbols, but also a good investment, since
if times got tough they could easily be melted down into a
form of currency.
There were practical chairs that included a compartment to
hold objects, and when they wanted to chat, the ladies would
sit on a comfortable chair with a curved back.
Tables were made from oak or walnut and could often be
extended or folded out. As soon as the children had grown
taller than the table they had to eat standing up, since, it was
believed, this would help them grow up tall and strong. They
were probably also not allowed to speak.
Leonora and P.C. Hooft probably replaced many of the wooden chests with more modern cupboards and cabinets.
A comfortable chat
At the beginning of the 17th century, the Hooft family and
their guests would have sat on chairs from Spain, upholstered
in leather or fabric, and usually with loose cushions. The
cushions – decorated with the family crest, for example –
were far more expensive than the chairs themselves.
Rattle, rattle ... the water is boiling
Around the brick fireplace in the kitchen of the Hoge Huys the walls were filled with beautiful utensils, such as waffle irons,
bellows and andirons. The lid of the kettle rattled to announce that the water was boiling. And Hooft’s good friend Constantijn
Huygens invented the ‘precursor’ of the rotisserie: a roasting spit with a winding mechanism, which gave a loud ‘ping’ when the
meat had been roasting for long enough.
39
The berceau (covered walk) cuts through the herb garden and the vegetable garden.
40
8
SEE YOU NEXT SUMMER
The gardens and orchards
P.C. Hooft was passionate about trees and plants. He created magnificent landscaped gardens and orchards
around the castle with fruit and walnut trees, elms, poplars and plum trees. He had a clear view of the gardens
and orchards from his working chamber in the Eastern Tower.
Garden house
Hooft even had a garden house to work and write in during the
summer. From the summer of 1628, many of his letters were
signed from the garden house. His close friend, the famous
poet Joost van den Vondel, described the garden house as ‘his
secluded retreat’.
Fresh and juicy fruit
Hooft received visitors mainly during the summer months,
proudly serving them with produce grown on his own land
– a tasty dish of vegetables, meat and herbs, for example –
and invited them to help themselves to plums, peaches and
strawberries from the garden.
The fresh, juicy fruit was very popular among his city-dwelling
friends, especially the plums from the large orchard behind the
castle. Not surprisingly, the master of the castle would sign off
his letters with the phrase ‘Tot in de pruimentijd!’, literally ‘see
you when the plums appear again!’, which is still a greeting
used at the castle, meaning ‘see you next summer!’.
Useful, decorative and symmetrical
Cooking required thorough preparation in the Middle Ages.
You couldn’t simply pop into the supermarket just before
it closed. The castle was a long way from the vegetable
markets in Amsterdam and had to grow as much of its own
fruit, vegetables and herbs as possible. In the 17th century, a
garden was also important for the owner’s status. Hooft
‘The well-stocked kitchen’, Joachim Beuckelaer (1566)
The painting depicts – with a reference to the story of Christ
visiting the home of Martha and Mary – a lavish assortment
of meat and vegetables.
Joachim Beuckelaer was one of the first painters to give
prominence to worldly rather than religious nourishment.
41
therefore chose to create a garden that was both practical
and decorative, a common combination for Dutch estates.
Compared with other countries, the landscaping was simple;
the Calvinistic Dutch did not go in for ostentation.
Dutch classicism
The characteristic cultural style of buildings, gardens and
landscapes at the time was Dutch classicism, which was
modelled on the Italian style. The leading proponent of
Dutch classicism was Hooft’s good friend Constantijn
Huygens. Classicism referred to Greek and Roman art, in
which peace and quiet are regarded as the essence. This
was reflected in simple, angular shapes, symmetry and
a harmonious ratio of length to breadth to portray the
original perfection of creation.
Flowers and floral decoration
Colourful flowerbeds adorned the gardens and provided
cheerful decoration for the castle’s chambers. During the
summer months, the rooms could also be perfumed by
throwing herbs, branches or delicate leaves in the fire. A
welcome guest at the castle during Hooft’s time there was
the poet Maria Tesselschade, who was a very talented flower
arranger. On special occasions, she would often decorate the
fireplace in the Knight’s Hall with garlands of flowers. Today,
the custom is kept alive by the castle’s volunteers.
Vegetable garden
Tomatoes, pumpkins, onions, potatoes, cabbage, carrots and
legumes... they were all to be found in the vegetable garden,
or Warmoeshof. There was a section for cabbage, a section
for greens, a section for root vegetables and a mixed section.
The gardener had his hands full tilling the earth and tending
the vegetables.
Today, the gardens of the castle correspond as closely as
possible to the gardens created by P.C. Hooft around 1620.
The plum orchard has also been restored, with no fewer than
18 types of plum.
This design for the herb garden by J. Mezger and A. Kipp was
implemented in 1956. Hooft’s tower, which is shown in the
centre of the drawing, was not built. (Drawing: P.J. Aerts)
The herb garden
The castle’s cooks would have loved wandering through this
garden in search of the perfect herbs to add flavor and aroma
to their meals: rosemary for the wine, chervil for the eel soup
and parsley and bay leaves for a delicious oxtail stew.
Some herbs also had useful medicinal properties, such as the
marigold and soapwort for use as disinfectants. By drying
and crushing the root of the madder plant you could also
produce a lovely red dye for wool and yarn.
From Elephant’s Foot (or Ponytail Palm) to Strawberry Spinach
... all of the historical crops are tended on a daily basis by the
castle’s nursery gardeners.
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P.C. Hooft’s famous plum orchard behind the castle.
Recipe for stockfish (16th-17th
century)
This is a tasty recipe for anyone
who likes fish. All of the ingredients were available from the
castle’s gardens, although you
had to cast a line to catch the fish.
400 grams of stockfish (dried fish)
1 kilogram of potatoes
2 onions
1 leek
thyme
1 clove of garlic
fennel seed
4 tomatoes
salt and pepper
4 dessert spoons of olive oil
Soak the fish for roughly 12 hours
and then drain it thoroughly.
Remove the skin and bones.
Cut the fish into pieces. Peel the
potatoes and cut them into thick
pieces. Heat the oil and fry the
sliced onion and leek with the
garlic and thyme. When the onion
is lightly browned, add the sliced
tomatoes, the fennel seed and the
pieces of fish. Pour over a glass of
water and leave to simmer for 45
minutes. Add the potatoes and
leave the mixture to simmer for
another 30 minutes until the fish
and poatoes are cooked through.
Cabbage head
The legend of the baker of Eeklo is caught in this unique painting that hangs in the castle.
Legend had it that people who were unhappy with their heads went to this miraculous
baker in Flanders to have their heads rebaked. While they waited for the results, their
head would be temporarily replaced with a cabbage. Having your head rebaked was not
without risks. You could end up as a hothead, a monstrosity or a half-wit. The moral
being that vanity has it risks.
Vegetation along the ramparts
You would not find a pleasant corner with tulips or herbs on the ramparts around
the castle, but there were elms, walnut trees and poplars to act as windbreaks. The
vegetation on the ramparts generally served three purposes:
1. To provide wood: tall trees with a lot of firewood, such as alder, oak, ash and willow.
2. To protect against attackers: thick thorn bushes.
3. To provide camouflage: leafy trees such as elm, oak and walnut.
44
The first ever photo of the castle, made by A.J. Hansen in 1875.
46
9
ON SALE FOR DEMOLITION
A neglected stone pile
After the happy years with P.C. Hooft, the castle was inhabited for another century and a half by other guardians
before it suddenly fell on hard times. Rough patriots, French soldiers, prisoners and kilos of gunpowder filled the
chambers, while the castle was entirely neglected. All that remained was a ruin.
Porcelain flying into the moat
were ruled as a single kingdom by King William I. The castle,
once so proud and mighty, had been completely neglected
and had fallen into decay. The towers were crumbling, the
walls were overgrown and even the floors were on the point
of collapsing.
In 1787, a company of patriots left Amsterdam for Muiden
and occupied the castle, which was owned by the State, and
thus by the enemy. They forcibly ejected the castle’s bailiff
and plundered and destroyed the castle. All of the valuable
porcelain was thrown from the windows into the moat. From
that time on, the castle was no longer inhabited, at least
not by a bailiff or a keeper. Not long after that, in 1795, the
Netherlands fell into the hands of France, led by the powerful
Louis Napoleon.
What a humiliation
The final humiliation arrived in 1825, when the castle was put
up for sale in order to be pulled down. There was a flood of
Poor and humble castle
‘Anything of any beauty was stolen, burned or destroyed
by the Prussians in 1787, by the sans-culottes in 1795, and
later by others, and I could sing: what a poor and humble
castle it has become,’ lamented Taunay, the later keeper
of the castle.
90,000 pounds of gunpowder
The castle was occupied by French soldiers, along with
prisoners, mainly rebellious citizens from Amsterdam. This
was quite a change from the sensitive poets and singers who
had lived there formerly. The castle became a storage depot
for weapons and, on the instructions of Emperor Napoleon
Bonaparte, was used to house 90,000 pounds of gunpowder.
Without a caring lord of the castle and his loving wife, there
was nobody to tend to the castle or carry out repairs.
The castle is in bad shape. The Southern Tower is a ruin and
there are no longer any gardens. Produced around 1783-1785
by P. van Loo.
Humiliation for the fatherland
In 1862, the historian Jan ter Gouw wrote: ‘And to what
use will the honourable castle now be put in the Batavian and French age? The castle has followed the humiliation of the fatherland: now a barracks for sans-culottes,
then a prison for rioters, then a warehouse for gunpowder and bullets!’.
Floors on the point of collapse
When Napoleon was defeated in 1813, the Northern and
Southern Netherlands (later the Netherlands and Belgium)
47
protest, particularly from writers and poets, who felt the castle should
be preserved in memory of Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft, the ‘Dutch
Shakespeare’ and its most famous resident. The castle was, after all,
an important historic monument to knowledge,
civilisation and wisdom.
Hurray, the castle has been saved
Eventually, King William I also agreed that the
castle had to be saved as a memorial to antiquity
and grandeur. Hurray, the castle was saved. But
that was still a far cry from being restored. There
were plenty of ideas: the castle as a home for
disabled seamen, as a spa with salt-water baths,
as a boarding school for young ladies... Nothing
happened, however, because the State’s coffers
were practically empty. Meanwhile, the keeper
of the castle and his family provided free guided
tours for visitors around the ‘overgrown courtyard,
gloomy chambers and empty rooms where the
footsteps rang out on the wooden floor’, as one
visitor described it.
From ruin to proud castle
The great turnaround occurred in 1878, when the
State Property Service handed the castle over
to the Department of Arts and Sciences of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The castle was now
officially a national museum, one of the first in
the Netherlands. A new, more harmonious future
beckoned. To start with, funds were released for
its renovation, so that the neglected pile of stones
could be tended and fixed up.
This is one of the posters announcing the sale of the castle. It was
hoped that the sale by the State Property Service would reduce the
national debt. The ‘Amortisatie Syndicaat’ mentioned at the top of the
poster was the name of the fund established by King William I to sell
the property.
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Around 1900, the castle was given its first
major facelift and restored to the ideal image
of a medieval castle. For example, the architects
J.H.W. Berden and P. Cuypers added the well, new
battlements and taller spires. An arched stone
bridge replaced the castle’s wooden bridge.
Eventually, there was once more a medieval castle
standing proudly before the public.
Extensive renovations during the first restoration of the exterior of the castle during the period 1895 to 1909, under the guidance
of restorer-architect J.W. Berden.
49
50
R. Akhnetichine painted this mystical view of
the castle in 1996.
50
10
FROM CASTLE TO NATIONAL MUSEUM
Architecture, interior and collection
The exterior of the castle was given a complete make-over around 1900, but inside it remained empty. The
evolution into a true national museum has not been without its ups and downs. There have been difficult periods.
Fortunately, many people helped to give the castle its new identity.
Empty rooms, bare walls
was also decorated and done up in style. The events were a
resounding success and created huge interest in the literary
heroes and the castle. Fans of Hooft and the castle then formed
a committee for the restoration of the castle’s interior. It was
decided that the castle would be refurbished as a monument
to the Muiderkring, with P.C. Hooft as the key figure.
When the castle became a national museum in 1878, work
began on creating a collection of furniture and paintings. But
the castle was not a family-owned property, so there were no
heirlooms that had been passed down from generation to
generation. There was no beautifully decorated toilet bowl
that had once been used by a famous ancestor. Or any Ming
vases that had stood proudly on a dresser – turned to ensure
the crack was facing the wall – for centuries. Residents had lived
there for a time and then left, taking all of their possesions
with them. The turbulent intervening periods had also taken
their toll: the rooms were empty and the walls were bare.
Medieval or seventeenth century
Architect Pierre Cuypers was commissioned to restore
the Knight’s Hall in the castle in 17th-century style to
commemorate P.C. Hooft and the Muiderkring. The exterior
of the castle is medieval and the interior is largely fashioned
on the 17th century. Confusing? Not at all. In the 21st century
this is still the ideal way to display the many different aspects
of the castle’s history.
War intervenes
To mark the centenary of the Netherlands’ independence, in
1913 a special exhibition of 17th-century furniture, household
effects and paintings was organised. Almost all of the items
were provided on loan by enthusiasts. After the exhibition,
many of the donors allowed their objects to remain on loan
in the castle, so the chambers of Hooft’s Hoge Huys remained
beautifully furnished. Good times seemed to be on their way
for the castle.
Unfortunately, World War I (1914-1918) intervened. Objects
provided on loan were not insured against war-related risks.
And although the Netherlands remained neutral, the war
threatened. Furthermore, the castle was temporarily closed
to the public because ammunition was being stored in the
cellars. To cap it all, there was also a serious flood in 1916.
In short, the donors demanded their property back and the
museum lost its glittering decoration.
Pen drawing by Gerrit Lambers showing part of the bare
Knight’s Hall in 1838.
Parties in Amsterdam for literary heroes
At the end of the 19th century, lavish celebrations were held in
Amsterdam to honour the Netherlands’ most famous poet,
Joost van den Vondel, and later, to mark the 300th anniversary
of P.C. Hooft’s birth in 1881. To mark the occasion, the castle
51
To mark the 300th anniversary of the birth of
P.C. Hooft, the Knight’s
Hall was renovated. The
Reimeringer Brothers
made this pen litho
of the design by P.J.H.
Cuypers; the illustration is from Kunstbode
2 (1880).
The Knight’s Hall with
mainly 17th-century furnishings from the time
of P.C. Hooft. The Muiderkring collection from
the 19th century that
fills the wall completes
the presentation of the
castle’s cultural history.
52
M U S E U M in huge letters
work, which attracted a record number of visitors. There was
nothing and no one to stop the museum any longer. After
the Dutch waterlines were demobilised, the military site
could make way for gardens and car parks. The tavern was
opened and parties and cultural events filled the chambers
and the grounds. Very quickly, the castle grew into one of the
most famous and popular historic monuments in the Low
Countries.
In connection with the mobilisation in anticipation of World
War II, in 1939 the New Dutch Waterline, a military defence
line of which the castle is part, was activated. Everyone
was worried that the castle might be bombed. In response,
a creative plan was devised: a huge wooden sign with the
letters of the word ‘MUSEUM’ painted in white was erected.
The giant letters were positioned on both sides of the
castle’s roof to protect against the threat of air raids. Sand
bags and buckets of water were kept in readiness in the lofts.
Fortunately, the castle was not bombed.
Seven centuries of history and art
Naturally, the medieval castle – with its wealth of architectural
detail – took centre stage in the collection. It also formed the
basis for an authoritative presentation of seven centuries
of history and art. The smaller buildings, the ramparts, the
historic gardens, the orchard, the exceptional collection of
weapons and all the objects from the interior combine to
provide a complete picture of the developments that have
occurred in and around the castle in the last 700 years. The
age of P.C. Hooft in the 17th century plays a prominent role in
that narrative. The furnishing of the Hoge Huys – with mainly
17th-century furniture, ornaments, paintings and household
objects – provides a unique impression of Dutch interiors in
the Golden Age.
The castle as a school and playground
That same year the museum acquired an unusual function
thanks to a ploy by the keeper of the castle. The castle was
to be occupied by Dutch troops, but the keeper referred the
army to the nearby school. The soldiers then occupied the
school in Muiden rather than the museum. But where could
the children go to school?
Even the national press came to report on the schoolchildren
who were being sheltered in the castle. The children’s voices
continued to ring around the rooms and the courtyard until
May 1940, when the capitulation occurred and the Germans
occupied the Netherlands. The children from Muiden could
then return to their own school and the castle reopened as
a museum.
More rooms and chambers open to the public
Around the Millennium, the castle was given another facelift,
and in 2003 it proudly celebrated its 125th anniversary as a
national museum. A special series of 19th-century historical
documents and portraits of the renowned Muiderkring
have decorated the Knight’s Hall since then. With a further
renovation in 2006, more rooms and chambers in the castle
were opened up to the public.
American, British and Canadian heroes
Following the liberation, many American, British and Canadian
soldiers visited the castle to relax and seek inspiration. A castle
like this appeals to the imagination. The time had finally
arrived for freedom, education and pleasure. And that meant
there was no time for sitting around. The people involved with
the museum returned to work with a passion.
Many fragile books, prints, drawings and textile objects are
currently kept in storage at the depot of the Rijksmuseum in
Amsterdam. More items from this part of the collection will
be made accessible to the public in the coming years (partly
online).
Nothing could stop the museum
In 1947, the 300th anniversary of Hooft’s death was
commemorated with a major exhibition dedicated to his
53
‘A new Muiderkring’ was the headline in De Telegraaf on 22 September 1939. ‘The paintings of biblical scenes, with somewhat
unsuitable motifs for children, the heavily carved oak chests and the alcove with red curtains do not match the yellow desks,’
but the youngsters were enjoying it. ‘Great, we can see the dike.’
54
The impressive collection of weapons in the Armoury, on the first floor of the main building.
The partially sunken Waterschild (Water Shield) Pavilion, in the plum orchard behind the castle, was built on the site of one
of the 19th-century bomb-proof shelters along the New Dutch Waterline.
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11
WATER AS FRIEND AND FOE
Battling against, but mainly with, the water
The spectacular Waterschild (Water Shield) Pavilion was completed in 2012. It tells the history of the castle’s struggle
against, but above all with, water. Throughout its history the castle has been surrounded by water. The IJsselmeer
– formerly the Zuiderzee – and the river Vecht lie to the south and east of the castle, and the moat to the west. The
water frequently posed a threat to the castle, but more importantly, was also a faithful friend and ally.
Waves crashing against the dikes
Subduing the water
Thanks to the extensive expanse of water, no enemy could
approach the castle without being seen. However, the water
also formed a threat as the waves constantly battered the
dikes around the castle. The dikes would be damaged, then
repaired and strengthened, only to be entirely washed
away again during the next great storm. And so the cycle
continued. Sometimes, it was impossible to reach the castle
for months after a storm.
It all seemed a waste of time and effort, but that changed.
After all, the castle was in Holland, a country that had learned
to overcome the threat of water day in and day out. Out of
necessity, the persevering Dutch steadily came to understand
more about water. They learned to subdue it and transform
it into an ally.
The enemy is coming: flood the land
In the 15th century, a defensive
palisade wall, made of long
stakes, was erected around
the castle. During the Eighty
Years’ War with Spain, in 1577
the
castle‘s
fortifications
were reinforced with bastions
(fortifications projecting out
from the main structure), which
provided better protection
against the water, and the
enemy. As soon as an enemy
army approached, the troops
would inundate the entire
surrounding area by flooding it
to a depth of several decimeters.
The atlas Toneel van de steden
van Holland by Marcus Zuerius
Boxhorn, containing this map
of Muiden and the castle, was
published in 1632.
57
The water was too deep to walk or ride through, but not deep
enough to navigate with ships. The first experiments with
this strategy of inundation took place in 1624. The first formal
instructions to inundate the land were issued by the Utrecht
waterline in 1629.
Defence of Holland
Water became the most important weapon for the defence of
Holland! The castle played an important role in that respect.
From 1629 to 1952, the fortifications of the castle were part of
four waterlines created to defend Holland and Amsterdam:
the Utrecht Waterline, the Old and the New Dutch Waterlines
and the Defence Line of Amsterdam (Stelling van Amsterdam).
These waterlines have become world famous.
In the disastrous year of 1672, the castle and the town of
Muiden became an island when the surrounding land was
indundated.
Waterlines
A waterline was a protective ring of forts and fortifications,
whose principal defensive weapon was water. If the enemy
was approaching, land was intentionally flooded along
the entire defensive line. In this way, the enemy could be
prevented from reaching large parts of the country and the
cities of Amsterdam and Utrecht. The roads that could still
be used were guarded from the forts. No enemy could pass.
Within five days, the entire countryside around Muiden was
under water.
Important for Amsterdam
The polder remained covered with salt water for eighteen
months. The castle and the town of Muiden became an
island, cut off from land. It was a disaster for the residents,
but very important for the protection of Amsterdam. The city
of Amsterdam sent a large number of heavily armed troops,
gunpowder, lead, carpenters and money to Muiden to help.
The walls were reinforced and extra bulwarks and palisades
were built. The French armies eventually withdrew and the
castle did not come under fire.
Angry farmers and devastated land
Inundation had some serious drawbacks, however. In 1629,
for example, P.C. Hooft had to indundate the surrouding land
– against his will – to defend against the Spanish invaders.
It was quite a chore. Angry farmers would seal up the dikes
again at night because the salt water was destroying their
land and would leave it infertile for years, thus depriving
them of their livelihood. In the end, the Spanish did not
come near.
Controlling the water
With its large sea sluice, from 1674 Muiden became a
cornerstone of inundations, since the process of inundation
could now be carefully controlled. Much later, in 1851, a
stone dam was also built in the sea defences near the castle,
further improving the inundation system. Since then, the
inward and outward flow of water has been controlled by
three sluice gates.
The disastrous year of 1672, Muiden under water
In 1672, French armies commanded by Louis XIV invaded the
country. Armies from England, Cologne and Münster also
attacked. Prince Johan Maurits of Nassau was staying in the
castle at the time and gave the order to break through the
dikes at various places. The sluice gates were also opened.
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Aircraft: the end of an era
Water management remained the successful basis of Dutch national defence
for centuries. The water deterred the Germans from invading in World War I,
but the hope that this form of defence would remain adequate was rudely
shattered by the German occupiers in May 1940. Flooded fields would not stop
planes, which meant that the Dutch Waterline’s value as a line of defence was
lost. It was the end of an era. Since 1952, Muiden has no longer officially been
part of the national defence line. The Stelling van Amsterdam (Defence Line of
Amsterdam) is now a World Heritage Site.
Waterschild Pavilion
Today, visitors to the castle can experience the struggle with and against water
for themselves. To do so, they literally have to defy water in the Waterschild
Pavilion. The pavilion was built in 2012 on the foundations of a former bombproof shelter near the plum orchard. The roof looks like a partially lifted shield
– a reference to Floris V. As you go down the stairs you enter a room where you
can follow the timeline along the walls, tracing the history of water as a friend
and as a foe of the castle. In the process you will learn about more than seven
centuries of water’s defence of the castle, the fortifications and the defensive
lines; in other words, the narrative of the Netherlands’ perpetual struggle with
and against water.
The Zuiderzee was a death trap
The Zuiderzee was a large inland sea.
The sea had many currents and heavy
tides and was often a death trap.
The dikes regularly gave way and the
many villages around the Zuiderzee
were flooded. Muiden and the castle
were also constantly under threat.
During a major flood disaster in
1916, the dikes around the Zuiderzee
collapsed in dozens of places. Water
flooded the land and fifty people
died. The water reached a depth of
1.5 metres in the inner court of the
castle. Clearly, something had to be
done. That was when the decision
was made to build a new causeway:
the Afsluitdijk.
Afsluitdijk: the Zuiderzee tamed
and renamed the IJsselmeer
From 1927, thousands of Dutch people
were employed on the enormous
project to build the Afsluitdijk, a
causeway connecting the provinces
of Friesland and Noord-Holland. The
30-kilometre-long causeway was
completed in 1932. There would be no
more ebb and flood or high tides. The
Zuiderzee was tamed and renamed
the IJsselmeer. The salt water inlet
gradually became a fresh water lake.
Part of the IJsselmeer was drained
or reclaimed as polder. All in all, it
was a tremendous feat of water
management that the Netherlands
can be proud of.
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12
EXPERIENCE SEVEN CENTURIES OF HISTORY
Amsterdam Castle Muiderslot: more than ever to see and do
Oops, as you arrive you see 48 embrasures looking down on you! But overcome your fear and walk on, because
there is a lot to see and do. Today, every aspect of the castle’s intriguing history is on display. Wandering through
the chambers, the ramparts and the towers you will discover for yourself the adventures that have taken place here
over the centuries. A real taste of history!
What was life like in a medieval castle
The Knight’s Route takes you to the very top of the highest
tower in the castle, the Western Tower. The view of the
IJsselmeer, with Amsterdam in the distance, is breathtaking.
Along the way you will discover the excitement of medieval
life amongst the armour, chain mail, halberds, crossbows and
swords. In the Ladies’ Chamber, young visitors can dress up as
a shield-bearer or a noble lady. And just for a moment, they
can experience how Floris V felt as they mount a horse for
a tournament and accept a knighthood in the Game Room.
A tour through the Golden Age
A guide will take you on a tour through the Golden Age, the
era of the castle’s most famous resident, P.C. Hooft. This part
of the museum is devoted to beautifully furnished working
chambers and living rooms full of paintings, luxurious
furniture, beds, carved fireplaces and many other treasures.
The castle’s guide will tell you about life in the castle and the
unusual customs in the Golden Age.
Collapsing from exhaustion
A suit of armour could weigh up to 20 or 25 kilos. Just
imagine trying to jump around or fight in it. You won’t
keep it up for long. Knights had rules of conduct. They
would challenge each other to organised combat at
tournaments. During the fight they took it in turns to
strike their opponent. The loser was often the person
who finally collapsed from exhaustion because of the
weight of the armour. He would then be taken prisoner
and released on payment of a ransom of money or land.
Ingenious architectural tricks for defence
As you follow the Tower Route, you will discover all the
ingenious traps, architectural devices and surprises that
the castle held in store for the enemy: from the strategically
positioned Gate Tower to the sentry walk that comes to
a dead end and the hidden murder hole. Creep behind the
battlements, peer through the embrasures and pretend to
throw stones down on the enemy from the famous murder
hole above the bridge.
61
Absolute highlights of the guided tour are Hooft’s working
chamber and the castle’s kitchen, with its remarkable, and
sometimes hilarious, collection of domestic utensils. Not to
mention the impressive Knight’s Hall, of course.
Time to catch your breath...
In the museum’s cinema, you can watch a film describing the
exciting story of the construction of the castle and the people
who have lived in it. Alternatively, you could take a break on the
terrace of the tavern and enjoy a drink and a sandwich while
enjoying the fantastic view of the courtyard and watching the
other visitors passing by. The Museum Shop in the courtyard
sells knight’s costumes, toys, books, postcards and many other
souvenirs of the castle and its history. Would you like something
special? Check out the bags of rare seeds and pulses of plants
from earlier times from the castle’s own gardens.
Gardens and orchards
Walking around the large old lime tree, you will be assailed by
aromas from the historic gardens. The beautifully maintained
gardens of the castle are, as they were in the 17th century, for
decoration and for cultivation. The herb garden has culinary
herbs, medicinal herbs and herbs for dyes and decoration. In
the vegetable garden you will find vegetables that have been
grown in the garden since the castle was built. The nursery
gardeners will be proud and happy to tell you all about the
garden and the plants they are growing. Naturally, you must
not forget to visit the famous plum orchard behind the castle.
Seven centuries of water defences
Beside the plum orchard is the latest addition to the museum:
the Waterschild Pavilion. Inside you will see and hear the story
of the castle’s struggles with and against water. From the
ramparts around the castle you will have marvellous views
of the water-filled landscape and Pampus, an island fortress.
You will come across many traces of seven centuries of water
defences, from the quietly murmuring moat to the Stenen Beer,
a dam built between the castle and the Zuiderzeedijk in the
19th-century.
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Bastion with falconer
During the summer, the castle’s falconer can often
be found in the Bastion. The falconer trains falcons –
the most popular hunting birds – and other birds of
prey to catch game on command. If you come across
the falconer, you might be able meet various birds
of prey, such as an owl, a buzzard or a falcon with
a hood on its head to keep it calm. Feel free to ask
questions and learn all about these creatures. You
could also try stroking the soft feathers or staring
deeply into the bright eyes of these magnificent
creatures.
IN CONCLUSION
More than ever to see and do
Amsterdam Castle Muiderslot is seven centuries old, but it is still moving with the times.
There is in fact more than ever to see and do here! More to do, for example, thanks to
the interactive games to keep the young visitors in particular amused and teach them
more about history as they play. Also livelier because of the splendid exhibitions and
performances of music, drama, literature and poetry.
The castle has also opened up more rooms to the public in the last few years. Visitors
can now explore much of the castle on their own. The Waterschild Pavilion gives a
prominent place to an important chapter of the castle’s history – the struggle with and
against water.
The castle will continue to expand its activities and offer new experiences for the public
in the coming years. Visit Amsterdam Castle Muiderslot national museum for a real taste
of history!
Bert Boer – Director, Stichting Rijksmuseum Muiderslot
63
Detail of etching in Milanese armour from the 16th century.
64
APPENDIX 1
Documented facts about the castle
1281 1285 1296 1297 1370 1373 1386 1418 1432 1443 1462 24 January. Bishop of Utrecht mortgages the
cities of Muiden and Weesp to Count Floris V
(mortgage deed).
27 October. Letter of reconciliation between
the Van Amstel brothers on the one hand, and
the Bishop of Utrecht and Count Floris V on
the other.
4 October. First explicit reference to the
existence of the castle, by Melis Stoke, clerk
of the chancellery of Count William II. Stoke
later wrote about the murder of Count Floris
V in his Rijmkroniek.
The Bishop of Utrecht, Willem van Mechelen,
besieges, storms and captures the castle and
razes it to the ground.
Reconstruction of the castle on the original
foundations, commissioned by Duke Albrecht.
A bill with specifications for the plastering of
the upstairs and downstairs rooms.
A bill with specifications for the construction
of the north-east wing.
11 March. The City of Naarden and the
Municipality of Gooiland granted the right to
arrest anyone causing damage to woods and
fens and send them to the castle by Duke Jan
van Beyeren.
Splinter van Nyenrode has the dike around
the castle repaired.
Lodewijk van Montfoort again has the dike
thoroughly repaired. The chapel is fitted with
stained-glass windows.
25 August. Charles, Duke of Burgundy
(Charles the Bold) signs a charter declaring,
among other things, that he and his
descendants will never again take the castle
from the Counts of Holland.
1471 1472-1473
1475-1477 1477 1480 1488 1506 1508 1508 1510 1527 1576 65
The spire of the Southern Tower is renovated.
Gheret van Berckenrode orders the
reinforcement of 97 roedes (rods) of the dike
(1 Amsterdam roede is 13.52 m2).
A committee of the Audit Chamber visits the
castle and finds it to be in poor condition.
The large tower leans so badly that a twofoot-wide crack has formed. They propose
replacing the wooden front gate with a
stone gate.
The City of Amsterdam becomes responsible
for the maintenance and staffing of the
castle.
The dike is raised again.
Bailiff Dirk van Swieten has to hire 17 soldiers.
The castle is in poor condition. The gate and
some of the towers are in danger of collapsing
into the moat.
A thunder storm creates a hole 85 roedes long
in the dike. It is repaired at a cost of three
stuivers per roede.
Duke Karel van Gelder seizes the castle in a
surprise attack. On 10 December, a peace
treaty is signed in Kamerijk requiring Karel
van Gelder to leave the castle, which he does
in 1509.
6 March. Agreement between the City of
Amsterdam and Hyman Jacobszoon, in
which the latter promises to maintain the
castle at his own expense. He does so with
eight live-in staff.
The castle is only occupied by a deputy bailiff
and two or three men. They refuse to accept
help from armed men on the orders of the
burgomaster of Amsterdam.
May. Diederik Sonoy (a leader of the Geuzen
1825 in the Eighty Years’ War) vainly attempts to
capture the castle for William of Orange.
1577 On the instructions of Prince William of
Orange, engineer and fortifications master
Adriaen Anthoniszoon builds fortifications
around the castle.
1587 The Earl of Leicester orders Colonel Jan Bax to
occupy the castle, partly in order to maintain
control over Amsterdam. Amsterdam is able
to drive him out.
1609 4 June. P.C. Hooft installed as sheriff of
Muiden and bailiff of Gooiland
1618 The tragedy ‘Isabella’ by Samuel Coster is
perfomed for the Prince of Orange in the
great hall of the castle.
1630-1631
Hooft orders the construction of a covered
gallery (reception room) in front of the
kitchen and the Knight’s Hall. The Knight’s
Hall can now be used for ’business’ and meals.
1647 21 May P.C. Hooft dies.
1672 Count Johan Maurits of Nassau orders the
construction of palisades along the walls
around the town and the castle and moves
into the Blue Chamber (Princes’ Chamber).
1739-1742-1784 Restoration work carried out on the castle.
1787 September. The patriots occupying the town
plunder the castle and throw the porcelain
owned by Nicolaas Warin, the castle’s keeper
who supported the prince, into the moat.
1793-1795 The castle serves as a state prison. Prisoners
include the Count of Bylandt.
1795 The castle serves as a barracks for French
‘sans-culottes’.
1798-1813
The castle is used as a prison, a barracks and a
warehouse for military equipment.
1824 The castle falls under the control of the State
Property Service.
1825 28 June. The castle is put up for sale for
demolition.
1831 1840 1878 1881 1895-1909
1913 1947 1948 1951 1954 66
12 July. The order comes from the highest
authority that the sale will not proceed.
The castle is placed under the management
of the provincial water authority of NoordHolland and is measured and surveyed.
18 January. Notice that the government’s
concern could not extend beyond ensuring
that the castle would be maintained in its
existing state as far as possible and for as
long as possible.
August. The castle is transferred from the
provincial water authority to the Department
of Arts and Science of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs. From that time on, a small annual
budget is provided to carry out the most
urgent repairs to the roofs and walls.
Festive celebration of the 300th anniversary
of P.C. Hooft’s birth. Establishment of the
Committee for the Restoration of the Interior
of the castle.
Major restoration under the guidance of
J.W.H. Berden (Knight’s Hall by P.J.H. Cuypers).
Gallery in the courtyard is torn down.
February. Exhibition organised by the
Committee for the Restoration of the Interior
attracts 40,204 visitors. Performance of P.C.
Hooft’s ‘Gerard van Velsen’.
Commemoration of Hooft’s death (21 May
1647). The Government Buildings Agency
continues with the restoration. The castle is
refurbished with original items.
Reintroduction of musical evenings and other
cultural events and receptions. (Revival of the
practice under P.C. Hooft in the 17th century).
21 May. P.C. Hooftprijs (annual literary prize)
presented for the first time in Muiden Castle.
March. Test excavations by the National
Agency for Archaeological Research (headed
by J.G.N. Renaud) show that the castle was
1955 1956-1962
1960-1961
1963 1968 1981 1984 1989 1991 1995 1996 1999 2003-2004
built in the fourth quarter of the 13th century.
May. The cultural society ‘De Muiderkring’
is established.
The surrounding land is
transferred from the Ministry of War to the
Ministry of Education, Art and Science.
Stone and wooden depots in front of the
castle are blown up. Reconstruction of the
walls. Planting of vegetation in the castle and
on the walls.
Second extensive restoration of the interior
of the castle.
Planting of the plum orchard.
Construction of drive and car park.
All of the foundations are strengthened.
The pointed arches of the open sentry walk
are replaced with rounded arches.
With the completion of the gatehouse as the
castle keeper’s home, the castle is no longer
inhabited.
Celebration of the 400th anniversary of P.C.
Hooft’s birth. Unveiling of a bronze plaque of
P.C. Hooft by Loeki Metz, which is mounted on
the wall of the north-east wing of the castle.
Renovation of the herb garden from a design
by the curator of a botanic garden, H. Boers.
Refurbishment of the Armoury as a functional
weapons depot.
With the departure of the castle keeper, the
Gate building is vacated and is converted to
offices.
The castle becomes a national museum.
The ticket office is moved to the stone
passage in the dike, making it easier to seal
off the castle grounds. The first exhibition of
sculptures is displayed in the new outdoor
museum.
Laying of the vegetable garden, a reconstruction of a Renaissance vegetable garden,
alongside the herb garden on the site where
the bailey used to be.
2004-2005
2005-2006
2012 67
The plum orchard is dug up and replanted a
year later with various varieties of plum from
the 17th century.
Renovation of the Gate building and
construction of a new ticket office alongside
the stone passage in the dike.
Third major restoration and refurbishment of
the interior of the castle. Visitors are allowed
to walk freely through large parts of the
castle along two planned routes. The guided
tour is restricted to the first floor.
Completion of the Waterschild, a concrete
pavilion for visitors in the plum orchard, built
on the foundations of the former bomb-proof
building A.
APPENDIX 2
Patrons and bailiffs of Amstelland and of Naarden and Gooiland, sheriffs of Muiden, and constables, keepers and
governors of the castle.
1285
1305 1317 1327 1333 1341 1351 1354 1358 1373 1380 1388 1396 1399 1407 1416 1418 1420 1421 1424 1443 1446 1468 1476 1477 1482 1484 1488 Floris V, Count of Holland and
Zeeland, patron
Berend van den Dorenweerd
Gerrit van Heemskerk
Arst van der Horst
Willem Kuser, bastard son of
Count Willem, bailiff of Rijnland
Florens van der Boechorst
Heynrick van Heemskerk
Gerrit de Boele
Ridder Gijsbert van IJsselstein
Coen van Oesterwijk
Willem van Brederode
Jan van den Poele
Jan van Heenvliet van
Cattendyke
Arend van Leyenburg
Ridder Jan van Beverwaarde
Reinoud van Brakel
Dirk van Assendelft
Johan van Nyenrode
Jan en Splinter van Nyenrode
Splinter van Nyenrode
Lodewijk van Montfoort, lord
van Hazerswoude
Gijsbrecht, lord of Nyenrode
Johan van Nyenrode
Dirk, bastard son of Nyenrode
Henderick Ackerman
Anthonis van den Abeele
Joost van Ameijde, lord of
Abeele
Dirk van Zwieten, heer Arentsz.
lord of Leyenburg bij Heukelom
1500 Evert van Lennep
1506 Joost van Zwieten
1509 Hyman Jacobszoon van OuderAmstel
1513 Anthonis van Lalaing, lord of
Montigny tot Culemborg
1515 Frans van Mercke
1516 Willem van Diest
1523 Jan van Alkemade
1529 Cornelis van Borsselen
1536 Jan de Chami
1545 Jan de Flauw
1546 Wouter van Matenesse
1555 Vincent van Leeuwensteyn
1558 Van Drunen
1562 Paulus van Loo
1579 Jhr. Willem van Zuylen van
Nijevelt, lord of Bergambacht en
Heeraertsbergen
1609 Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft
1649 Gerard Bicker, lord of
Engelenburg
1666 Nicolaas van Vlooswijck Ridder,
lord of Papekop, Diemerbroek
and Raephorst
1675 Martinus Fonteyn
1691 Hendrik Hooft Hzn.
1707 Mr. Hendrik Hooft
1717 Pieter Anthony de Huybert, lord
of Cruyningen and Rilland
1740 Mr. Jan Berend Bicker Hzn.
1750 Bertram Philip Sigismund
Albrecht, Count of Gronsveld,
Diepenbroek, lord of
68
1772 1782 1789 1795 1874 1903 1909 1943 1948 1972 1975 1979 1992 1995 1999 2012 Wijngaerden and Ruigbroek
Dirk, baron van Boetselaar, lord
of Kijfhoek etc.
Mr. Nicolaas Warin
Mr. Gerrit Corver Hooft
Mr. Samuel Iperusz. Wiselius
refused to appoint him as
sheriff and bailiff of Muiden
L.D. Taunay
K. Th. E. van Bevervoorde
J. L. de Raadt, burgomaster of
Muiden
H.P. Baard, scientific assistant to
the national museum
Ton Koot, secretary-general of
the national museum
Mr. S.P. baron Bentick, Head
of the Cultural Castle Council
(Rijksdienst Kastelenbeheer) M. van Hoogstraten, Head of
the Cultural Castle Council
G. Heuff, Head of the Cultural
Castle Council
H.J. Olthof, interim-director of
the Cultural Castle Council 1
October: O. van Slooten, director
of the Cultural Castle Council
W. ’t Hooft, director of
Muiderslot National Museum
B.E.J.H.I.E.M. Hilgers-Michiels
van Kessenich, director of
Muiderslot National Museum
B. Boer, director of Muiderslot
National Museum
Amsterdam Castle Muiderslot
Experience seven centuries of history
Amsterdam Castle Muiderslot has endured a lot in the last seven centuries: medieval combat,
conspiracies, torture, floods and once even being razed to the ground. But it has also enjoyed better
times, with masters such as Count Floris V and P.C. Hooft, when artists gathered to revel in song, poetry
and grand literary feasts. The castle, with its ingenious architectural devices, has been threatened with
demolition, but also lovingly restored, and now enjoys the status of a national museum. Read all about
the dramatic highs and lows in the turbulent history of the finest medieval castle in the Netherlands.
www.muiderslot.nl