Welcome to the Holland history pages

Section Dordrecht

Coat of Arms of the city of Dordrecht

Dordrecht is known as the ancient Capital and oldest city of Holland, its surrounding land is the origin of the name Holland. Dordrecht was also the residence of the Counts of Holland for 200 years (1008-1203). The goal of this website is to enfold the history of Holland from ancient times and can in large parts be seen as one with the history of Dordrecht.

I wrote the history from sources, mainly from England and French and Belgian Flanders, which are more accurate than those of Dutch historians and ancient documents from Dutch origin. The nowadays accepted history of the Dutch nation is in some parts different than established historians would like to believe us.

Modern The Netherlands (Northern-Lowlands) was in ancient times an integrated part of the lands situated from Boulogne sur Mer in Northern France in the south to the long independent tribe of the Frisons in the north (modern Groningen, Friesland and parts of northern Germany).

During the, so called 3rd Dunkirk transgression (from 200 to about 1000 AD) large parts of modern The Netherlands and Belgian Flanders was for 2/3 part lying under sea level and was NOT inhabited, except some small islands along the present North-Sea coast. From about 950 AD the sea-level decreased and the existing islands slowly increased in size and became slowly inhabitable in the centuries to come.

At the end of the 3rd Dunkirk transgression in the 10th century the area around the present city of Dordrecht became an island just raised above water level and at the border of the North-Sea and thus was an important spot

The descendents of the Counts of Ghent in Flanders became aware of the important position of that island (later called Groote or Hollandse Waard) as base for a trade route to England and Germany due to the strategic position at the border of the North-sea and the great rivers inland, they disputed with the Diocese of Utrecht, who, at that time, used the area as a food-source for fishery and claimed the area as part of the Diocese.

The first Count of West Frisia (read the islands of Zeeland, South-Holland and North-Holland), Theodore (Dirk) III (993-1039) entrenched himself in the area in 1008, this was the beginning of the County of Holland and its celebrated city of Dordrecht. During the 10th to the 13th century many wars broke out between the young County of Holland and the Bishops of Utrecht with their allies. The wars should last until late in the 13th century.

The following pages are available :

Dordrecht history pages all about the oldest history of Dordrecht from the year 988 to 1436. More to come from 1436-1555

Dordrecht Old Buildings pages all about the Oldest Buildings of Dordrecht with their story.

St. Elisabeth flood page, the full story of this disastrous event in 1421 whereby the Hollandsche waard was flooded.

Dordrecht painters pages, a total of 25 pages, all about Painters from Dordrecht such as Aelbert Cuyp, Aert de Gelder, Samuel van Hoogstraten, Ferdinad Bol and many others.

Martyrs of Dordrecht pages, the stories of the last executions of Reformed citizens Joris Wippe, Jan Woutersz and Adriaenken Jans.

Dordrecht Events page Tourist information about Dordrecht as well as Museums and National Park The Biesbosch.

Flash Slideshow of the Dordrecht Minster

I made a flash slideshow of the inner side of the Dordrecht Minster with organ background music which can be set off when you don't like organ music. This slideshow can be paused to read the information when moving the mouse on the picture.

You can see the slideshow HERE. (the slideshow must be played in full window mode)

COMING SOON :

Dordrecht Republicans page all about Johan de Witt, Simon van Slingerlandt,  and others.

Dordrecht myths and sages page the story of foreign visitors to Dordrecht as well as some Poems and Legends about Dordrecht.

Section Holland

Holland and America, the story of the Dutch influence in the Americas during the 16-18th century.

The House of Orange-Nassau all about the Kingdom of The Netherlands and the total history of the Nassau family and their offspring from 1000 AD until present time including a detailed history of the Republic.

COMING SOON :

1. Ancient Holland The history of the Lowlands from the beginning of the Era until the last Counts of the house of Frisia in 993 AD.

2. Holland from 993 - 1299 The history of the Lowlands during the reign of the Counts of the house of Holland

3. Holland from 1299 - 1581 The history of the Lowlands during the reign of the Counts of the house of Hainaut, Bavaria and the Dukes of Habsburg.

4. Holland from 1581 - 1697 The history of the Lowlands during the 80 years war with Spain, The Republic of the Seven united Provinces, The Golden Age, The Year of Disaster (Rampjaar 1672) and the Republicans against The House of Orange.

5. Holland 1697 - 1890 The history of the Lowlands during the 18th and 19th century, The French revolution, The Batavian Republic until The Kingdom of The Netherlands.

6. The story of the Republicans of Holland against the House of Orange and the political murders in the 17th century.

7. Modern The Netherlands A short description of the Dutch fight against the North-Sea and modern Industrial and Touristic The Netherlands.

Books and Souces

On this website you can read the whole ancient story of Holland and Dordrecht with many sources and complete books of English historians who wrote about the History of Holland, the following books are available :

1. Holland, the history of The Netherlands By Thomas Colley Grattan with a supplementary chapter of recent events by Julian Hawthorne Lardner's ‘Cyclop.’ vol. x. 1830.
2. History of Holland and the Dutch Nation From the beginning of the tenth to the end of the eighteenth century. Including an account of the municipal institutions, commercial pursuits, and social habits of the people. The rise and progress of the protestant reformation in Holland. The intestine dissentious foreign wars By C. M. Davies. In Three Volumes Vol. I LONDON: G.Willis, Great Piazza, Covent Garden. MDCCCXLI.
3. History of Holland Cambridge Universitiy Press C.F. CLay, Manager London: Fetter Lane, E.C.4 By George Edmundson D. LITT., F.R.G.S., F.R.HIST.S. Sometime Fellow of Brasenose College, Oxford Hon. Member of the Dutch Historical Societssy, Utrecht, Foreign member of the Netherland Societssy of Literature, Leyden. Cambridge at the Universitiy Press 1922.
4. The Black Tulip, a classic book from Alexandre Dumas about the story of Johan and Cornelis de Witt in the year 1672 also called Rampjaar (The Year of Disaster).

More to come soon

Earth's ancient history

I am very interested in the ancient history of our Earth and mankind and all it concerns. On my Earth-history website I am publishing my book regarding the Ancient History of mankind.

Earth's ancient history

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I hope you have a pleasant stay

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