Count
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
John IV of Nassau-Siegen
[In many sources he is called John IV of Nassau(-Dillenburg). His official titles were Count of Nassau, Vianden and Diez, Lord of Breda. It is incorrect to refer to him as the only reigning Count of Nassau, because the County of Nassau was divided into Nassau-Beilstein, Nassau-Siegen, Nassau-Weilburg and Nassau-Wiesbaden-Idstein. Furthermore, there was the cadet branch of Nassau-Saarbrücken, which ruled the County of Saarbrücken. John ruled the County of Nassau-Siegen, which is erroneously called Nassau-Dillenburg in many sources. See note 2.] (1 August 1410 – 3 February 1475), , official titles: ''Graf zu Nassau, Vianden und Diez, Herr zu Breda'', was since 1442 Count of
Nassau-Siegen
Nassau-Siegen was a principality within the Holy Roman Empire that existed between 1303 and 1328, and again from 1606 to 1743. From 1626 to 1734, it was subdivided into Catholic and Protestant parts. Its capital was the city of Siegen, found ...
[The County of Nassau-Siegen is erroneously called Nassau-Dillenburg in many sources. The county was not named after the small, unimportant city of Dillenburg, which did not even have a church at that time, but after the, for that time, large city of Siegen, the economic centre of the county and the counts' main residence. See Lück (1981), ''passim''. It is also evident from the numbering of the reigning counts with the given name John. One John without regal number who ruled the County of Nassau-Dillenburg in the period 1303–1328, and eight counts by the name of John who ruled the County of Nassau-Siegen in the period 1362–1638.] (a part of the
County of Nassau
The County of Nassau was a German state within the Holy Roman Empire from the period of the formal recognition of the countly title in 1159 (though "de facto" sovereignty began in 1125) until the declaration of the Duchy of Nassau in 1806 with ...
), of
Vianden
Vianden ( or (locally) ) is a commune with town status in the Éislek region, north-eastern Luxembourg, with a population of 2,203 as of 2023. It is part of the canton of the same name. Vianden lies on the Our river, near the border between ...
and of
half Diez, and
Lord
Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power (social and political), power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the Peerage o ...
of and of . He descended from the
Ottonian Line of the
House of Nassau
The House of Nassau is the name of a European aristocratic dynasty. The name originated with a lordship associated with Nassau Castle, which is located in what is now Nassau, Rhineland-Palatinate, Nassau in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. With t ...
.
Since the death of his father, John owned many
fief
A fief (; ) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a form of feudal alle ...
s in
the Netherlands
, Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
, which he managed to expand. Through his marriage he obtained that many fiefs in the
Duchy of Jülich
The Duchy of Jülich (; ; ) comprised a state within the Holy Roman Empire from the 11th to the 18th centuries. The duchy lay west of the Rhine river and was bordered by the Electorate of Cologne to the east and the Duchy of Limburg to the wes ...
, that he possessed of that duchy.
[Huberty, et al. (1981), p. 219.][Lück (1981), p. 24.] John was a loyal servant of the
Dukes of Burgundy
Duke of Burgundy () was a title used by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, from its establishment in 843 to its annexation by the Crown lands of France, French crown in 1477, and later by members of the House of Habsburg, including Holy Roman E ...
in the Netherlands, who was still called up for military service even when he was well into his fifties, but he was not one of the closest
noble
A noble is a member of the nobility.
Noble may also refer to:
Places Antarctica
* Noble Glacier, King George Island
* Noble Nunatak, Marie Byrd Land
* Noble Peak, Wiencke Island
* Noble Rocks, Graham Land
Australia
* Noble Island, Gr ...
advisors.
[Jansen (1979), p. 30.] John can best be characterised as a wealthy nobleman who faithfully fought in the campaigns for which he was called up; he was not known for spectacular deeds or revolutionary ideas. The campaigns he took part in are therefore more typical of the politics of the Dukes of Burgundy than of his own preferences and interests.
[Jansen (1979), p. 31.] For the administration of
justice
In its broadest sense, justice is the idea that individuals should be treated fairly. According to the ''Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'', the most plausible candidate for a core definition comes from the ''Institutes (Justinian), Inst ...
, the County of Nassau-Siegen had a ''
Schultheiß
In medieval Germany, the ''Schultheiß'' () was the head of a municipality (akin to today's office of mayor), a '' Vogt'' or an executive official of the ruler. As official (''villicus'') it was his duty to order his assigned village or county ( ...
'' in most of the districts. The oldest preserved ordinance for the ''Schultheiß'' of the
Dillenburg
Dillenburg, officially Oranienstadt Dillenburg, is a town in Hesse's Gießen region in Germany. The town was formerly the seat of the old Dillkreis district, which is now part of the Lahn-Dill-Kreis.
The town lies on the German- Dutch holiday roa ...
district is from John's reign.
[Becker (1983), p. 26.] A not inconsiderable source of income for the Counts of Nassau-Siegen has always been the
iron
Iron is a chemical element; it has symbol Fe () and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, forming much of Earth's o ...
toll
Toll may refer to:
Transportation
* Toll (fee) a fee charged for the use of a road or waterway
** Toll road, a type of road which for which payment is required for passage
** Road pricing, the modern practice of charging for road use
** Road to ...
. A
charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified. It is implicit that the granter retains superiority (or sovereignty), and that the ...
from John's reign concerning the
tariff
A tariff or import tax is a duty (tax), duty imposed by a national Government, government, customs territory, or supranational union on imports of goods and is paid by the importer. Exceptionally, an export tax may be levied on exports of goods ...
s lists the individual
tax
A tax is a mandatory financial charge or levy imposed on an individual or legal entity by a governmental organization to support government spending and public expenditures collectively or to regulate and reduce negative externalities. Tax co ...
es in detail.
[Lück (1981), p. 61.]
Biography
John was born in
Breda Castle
Breda Castle is a castle in the city of Breda, in the Netherlands.
History
In the 12th century, a fortress was located at Breda. The city of Breda came into existence near the fortress. In 1353, the Duke of Brabant sold Breda to Jan II of Polane ...
[Most of the sources do not mention a place of birth. Van Ditzhuyzen (2004), p. 151 states Dillenburg as place of birth, but that place of birth is very unlikely as his parents resided in the Netherlands in those days.] on 1 August 1410
[Van Ditzhuyzen (2004), p. 151.][Schutte (1979), p. 41.][Dek (1970), p. 69.][Blok (1911), p. 1218.][Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 93.] as the eldest son of Count
Engelbert I of Nassau-Siegen and Lady
Joanne of Polanen.
[Becker (1983), p. 12.][Schutte (1979), pp. 40–41.][Dek (1970), p. 67.][Van der Aa (1860), p. 87.]
In the period between his
marriage
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
and the death of his father, John lived in the house ''De Herberghe'' in the Reigerstraat in
Breda
Breda ( , , , ) is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the southern part of the Netherlands, located in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Brabant. ...
.
[Van Ditzhuyzen (2004), p. 152.]
John was interested in
religion
Religion is a range of social system, social-cultural systems, including designated religious behaviour, behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, religious text, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics in religion, ethics, or ...
and
science
Science is a systematic discipline that builds and organises knowledge in the form of testable hypotheses and predictions about the universe. Modern science is typically divided into twoor threemajor branches: the natural sciences, which stu ...
and owned a
library
A library is a collection of Book, books, and possibly other Document, materials and Media (communication), media, that is accessible for use by its members and members of allied institutions. Libraries provide physical (hard copies) or electron ...
in Breda Castle.
This
castle
A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private ...
was his main
residence
A residence is a place (normally a building) used as a home or dwelling, where people reside.
Residence or The Residence may also refer to:
* Domicile (law)
In law and conflict of laws, domicile is relevant to an individual's "personal l ...
in the Netherlands, from where he managed his domains located there.
In the service of the Dukes of Burgundy
John was a loyal servant of the
Dukes of Burgundy
Duke of Burgundy () was a title used by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, from its establishment in 843 to its annexation by the Crown lands of France, French crown in 1477, and later by members of the House of Habsburg, including Holy Roman E ...
, who was still called up for military service even when he was well into his fifties, but he was not one of the closest
noble
A noble is a member of the nobility.
Noble may also refer to:
Places Antarctica
* Noble Glacier, King George Island
* Noble Nunatak, Marie Byrd Land
* Noble Peak, Wiencke Island
* Noble Rocks, Graham Land
Australia
* Noble Island, Gr ...
advisors of
Philip the Good
Philip III the Good (; ; 31 July 1396 – 15 June 1467) ruled as Duke of Burgundy from 1419 until his death in 1467. He was a member of a cadet line of the Valois dynasty, to which all 15th-century kings of France belonged. During his reign, ...
and
Charles the Bold
Charles Martin (10 November 1433 – 5 January 1477), called the Bold, was the last duke of Burgundy from the House of Valois-Burgundy, ruling from 1467 to 1477. He was the only surviving legitimate son of Philip the Good and his third wife, ...
. Like his father, John was never admitted to the
Order of the Golden Fleece
The Distinguished Order of the Golden Fleece (, ) is a Catholic order of chivalry founded in 1430 in Brugge by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, to celebrate his marriage to Isabella of Portugal, Duchess of Burgundy, Isabella of Portugal. T ...
.
John can best be characterised as a wealthy nobleman who faithfully fought in the campaigns for which he was called up; he was not known for spectacular deeds or revolutionary ideas. The campaigns he took part in are therefore more typical of the politics of the Dukes of Burgundy than of his own preferences and interests.

Philip the Good, who since 1430 had been
Duke
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of Royal family, royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobi ...
of
Brabant and since 1433 Count of
Holland
Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former provinces of the Netherlands, province on the western coast of the Netherland ...
, the countries in which John's father's possessions lay, appointed John already in 1435 or 1436
[Van Ditzhuyzen (2004), p. 151, Dek (1970), p. 69, Blok (1911), p. 1218 and Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 93 state the year 1436. Jansen (1979), p. 30 and Schutte (1979), p. 41 state the year 1435.] – so before the death of his father – as
drost of Brabant. As drost, he was the highest judicial officer in the duchy who dealt with the cases that did not ressorted to a specific
court
A court is an institution, often a government entity, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between Party (law), parties and Administration of justice, administer justice in Civil law (common law), civil, Criminal law, criminal, an ...
. It was not a very politically sensitive office, although he could be assisted by
archers
Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a Bow and arrow, bow to shooting, shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting ...
on foot and horseback and received an annual payment of 600
Philippusguilders.
John held this office until his death.
In 1447 or 1448 John was also appointed drost (
castellan
A castellan, or constable, was the governor of a castle in medieval Europe. Its surrounding territory was referred to as the castellany. The word stems from . A castellan was almost always male, but could occasionally be female, as when, in 1 ...
) of the
Land van Heusden
Land, also known as dry land, ground, or earth, is the solid terrestrial surface of Earth not submerged by the ocean or another body of water. It makes up 29.2% of Earth's surface and includes all continents and islands. Earth's land surface ...
.
[Van Ditzhuyzen (2004), p. 152 and Dek (1970), p. 69 state the year 1448. Schutte (1979), p. 41 and Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 93 state the year 1447.]
Because of Philip the Good's interest in the
Middle East
The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq.
The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...
, where his grandfather had suffered a grievous defeat at
Nicopolis
Nicopolis () or Actia Nicopolis was the capital city of the Roman province of Epirus (Roman province), Epirus. Its site, near Preveza, Greece, still contains impressive ruins. The city was founded in 29 BC by Octavian in commemoration of his ...
in 1396 that was still unreconciled, and the ever-increasing threat to
Constantinople
Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...
from the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
, John undertook a journey to the island of
Rhodes
Rhodes (; ) is the largest of the Dodecanese islands of Greece and is their historical capital; it is the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, ninth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Administratively, the island forms a separ ...
on Philip's orders from May 1441 to February 1442, to see how the infidels could best be combated, but this led to nothing.
In the lands of Philip the Good there was still a lot of unrest, like in the County of Holland, where in the 1440s the struggle between the
Hooks and Cods had flared up again.
In 1445, Philip was obliged to personally put things in order and John was one of the commanders of the
army
An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
. John is said to have advised to have the
city council
A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, borough counc ...
s consist of 50%
Hooks and 50%
Cods
Cod (: cod) is the common name for the demersal fish genus ''Gadus'', belonging to the family Gadidae. Cod is also used as part of the common name for a number of other fish species, and one species that belongs to genus ''Gadus'' is commonly n ...
.
[De Vries Feyens (1933), p. 15.] This was not a bad idea, but later
historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human species; as well as the ...
s exaggerate when they say that this ended all unrest.
More dangerous for Philip was the
rebellion
Rebellion is an uprising that resists and is organized against one's government. A rebel is a person who engages in a rebellion. A rebel group is a consciously coordinated group that seeks to gain political control over an entire state or a ...
of the
Flemish
Flemish may refer to:
* Flemish, adjective for Flanders, Belgium
* Flemish region, one of the three regions of Belgium
*Flemish Community, one of the three constitutionally defined language communities of Belgium
* Flemish dialects, a Dutch dialec ...
city
A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
of
Ghent
Ghent ( ; ; historically known as ''Gaunt'' in English) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the Provinces of Belgium, province ...
, which wanted to maintain its
autonomy
In developmental psychology and moral, political, and bioethical philosophy, autonomy is the capacity to make an informed, uncoerced decision. Autonomous organizations or institutions are independent or self-governing. Autonomy can also be ...
undiminished, and opposed the centralising policy of the Dukes of Burgundy. In 1452 John was part of the army that had to force the rebellious city to obedience. Also the aspirations for autonomy of the city of
Liège
Liège ( ; ; ; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality of Wallonia, and the capital of the Liège Province, province of Liège, Belgium. The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse, in the east o ...
clashed with the system of government of the Dukes of Burgundy. Formally, Liège was not even part of the Burgundian territory, but in 1456 a nephew of Philip,
Louis of Bourbon, was forcibly appointed
Prince-Bishop
A prince-bishop is a bishop who is also the civil ruler of some secular principality and sovereignty, as opposed to '' Prince of the Church'' itself, a title associated with cardinals. Since 1951, the sole extant prince-bishop has been the ...
of
Liège
Liège ( ; ; ; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality of Wallonia, and the capital of the Liège Province, province of Liège, Belgium. The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse, in the east o ...
. In the same year Philip's illegitimate son
David of Burgundy
David of Burgundy (c. February 142616 April 1494) was the bishop of Utrecht from 1456. The illegitimate son of Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, David was made bishop by his father in an attempt to enforce more centralised Burgundian control ove ...
was appointed
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...
of
Utrecht
Utrecht ( ; ; ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city of the Netherlands, as well as the capital and the most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of Utrecht (province), Utrecht. The ...
.
On both occasions, John was commander of the army that had to force the newly appointed shepherds to their faithful. The
citizen
Citizenship is a membership and allegiance to a sovereign state.
Though citizenship is often conflated with nationality in today's English-speaking world, international law does not usually use the term ''citizenship'' to refer to nationality ...
s of
Utrecht
Utrecht ( ; ; ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city of the Netherlands, as well as the capital and the most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of Utrecht (province), Utrecht. The ...
accepted the inevitable for the time being, but in Liège the unrest remained for many years, until in 1465 it came to an armed outburst. Again, John was part of the army that had to subdue the city liberties and in the
Battle of Montenaken
A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force c ...
he was the commander of the victorious army division.
[Jansen (1979), p. 32.] He was also present at the capture of
Dinant
Dinant () is a City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality of Wallonia located in the Namur Province, province of Namur, Belgium. On the shores of river Meuse, in the Ardennes, it lies south-east of Brussels, south ...
in August 1466.
Even during the reign of Charles the Bold, John still was, despite his advanced age, often in the field.
John's father had realised in time that the future lay with the Dukes of Burgundy; John drew the consequences and served the dukes faithfully, also by helping them to unscrupulously subdue city autonomy. This naturally benefited the position of his
dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family, usually in the context of a monarchy, monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A dynasty may also be referred to as a "house", "family" or "clan", among others.
H ...
, from which his son
Engelbert II and grandson
Henry III were to benefit. They rose so high in the favour of the dukes that they could actively influence politics.
Count of Nassau-Siegen, Vianden and Diez

John succeeded his father in 1442 together with his brother
Henry II.
[Van Ditzhuyzen (2004), p. 152 on the other hand, writes that John inherited all possessions of his father in 1442.] However, the
County of Vianden
Vianden ( or (locally) ) is a commune with town status in the Éislek region, north-eastern Luxembourg, with a population of 2,203 as of 2023. It is part of the canton of the same name. Vianden lies on the Our river, near the border between L ...
had already been assigned to Henry by the
marriage contract
A prenuptial agreement, antenuptial agreement, or premarital agreement (commonly referred to as a prenup), is a written contract entered into by a couple before marriage or a civil union that enables them to select and control many of the legal ...
on 18 May 1415.
John, his brother Henry and their distant cousin Count were granted
Greifenstein Castle
Greifenstein Castle is a ruined castle in the municipality of Filisur
Filisur is an Alps, Alpine village and former municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the Albula Region in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Graubünden in Switze ...
as a
fief
A fief (; ) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a form of feudal alle ...
and a part of the proceeds from the
toll
Toll may refer to:
Transportation
* Toll (fee) a fee charged for the use of a road or waterway
** Toll road, a type of road which for which payment is required for passage
** Road pricing, the modern practice of charging for road use
** Road to ...
in
Lahnstein
Lahnstein () is a ''verband''-free town of Rhein-Lahn-Kreis in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated at the confluence of the Lahn with the Rhine, approximately south of Koblenz. Lahnstein was created in 1969 by the merger of the previ ...
by
Roman King
The king of Rome () was the ruler of the Roman Kingdom, a legendary period of Roman history that functioned as an elective monarchy. According to legend, the first king of Rome was Romulus, who founded the city in 753 BC upon the Palatine H ...
Frederick III in 1442. Together with his brother, John inherited the property of their uncle Count
John II with the Helmet in May 1443.
On 22 February 1447 John and his brother Henry divided their possessions, whereby John received the possessions in the Netherlands,
of the County of Vianden,
as well as
Herborn. The division treaty was signed in
Cologne
Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city pr ...
.
After the death of his brother in 1451, who had only one daughter, John inherited his brother's possessions
and was granted the
County of Diez
The County of Diez (also known as Dietz, ) was a county of the Holy Roman Empire, centred around in Diez, located in Lahngau (in modern German states of Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate). The county is first recorded in 1073, likely formed fro ...
as a
fief
A fief (; ) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a form of feudal alle ...
by
Archbishop
In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...
of
Trier
Trier ( , ; ), formerly and traditionally known in English as Trèves ( , ) and Triers (see also Names of Trier in different languages, names in other languages), is a city on the banks of the Moselle (river), Moselle in Germany. It lies in a v ...
on 4 November 1451. This put an end to the long-running dispute over that county between the archbishop and John's brother Henry. But this led to a conflict with his niece
Ottilie of Nassau-Siegen, who also claimed her father part's of the
County of Diez
The County of Diez (also known as Dietz, ) was a county of the Holy Roman Empire, centred around in Diez, located in Lahngau (in modern German states of Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate). The county is first recorded in 1073, likely formed fro ...
as her
inheritance
Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Offi ...
.
[The sources do not mention whether Ottilie also claimed her father's part of the County of Vianden.] The conflict was complicated further due to the fact that another part of the County of Diez belonged to Ottilie's father-in-law Count
Philip the Elder of Katzenelnbogen.
John took part in the
Soest Feud
The Soest Feud (), or Feud of Soest, was a feud that took place from 1444 to 1449 in which the town of Soest, Germany, Soest claimed its freedom from Archbishop Dietrich II of Moers, Dietrich of Electoral Cologne, Cologne (1414–1463), who tried ...
at the side of Archbishop of
Cologne
Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city pr ...
, together with Count John I of Nassau-Beilstein, the latter's son Philip and brother Count . Philip died in that feud in 1446. John received the office of
Marshal
Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used fo ...
of
Westphalia
Westphalia (; ; ) is a region of northwestern Germany and one of the three historic parts of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It has an area of and 7.9 million inhabitants.
The territory of the region is almost identical with the h ...
[Schutte (1979), p. 41, Dek (1970), p. 69 and Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 93 state that John received this office in 1449 or 1450.] in gratitude from the archbishop, but exchanged it for
pledged Rhine tolls in 1455. The Rhine tolls had always been an important concern for the Counts of Nassau, because the
iron
Iron is a chemical element; it has symbol Fe () and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, forming much of Earth's o ...
trade
Trade involves the transfer of goods and services from one person or entity to another, often in exchange for money. Economists refer to a system or network that allows trade as a market.
Traders generally negotiate through a medium of cr ...
and the exchange of vital goods with the Netherlands took place over the
Rhine
The Rhine ( ) is one of the List of rivers of Europe, major rivers in Europe. The river begins in the Swiss canton of Graubünden in the southeastern Swiss Alps. It forms part of the Swiss-Liechtenstein border, then part of the Austria–Swit ...
.
[Lück (1981), p. 26.]
Approximately midway between their possessions in the Netherlands and their counties in Germany the Counts of Nassau owned a house in the city of Cologne (''das achte Haus von der Goltgassenecken nach St. Cunibert hin''), which made the connection between the two areas easier for them. His widespread possessions forced John to travel constantly, in order to govern his possessions well. When John was in his county, he governed it from
Siegen
Siegen () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in Germany, in the south Westphalian part of North Rhine-Westphalia.
It is located in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein in the Arnsberg (region), Arnsberg region. The university town (n ...
or
Dillenburg
Dillenburg, officially Oranienstadt Dillenburg, is a town in Hesse's Gießen region in Germany. The town was formerly the seat of the old Dillkreis district, which is now part of the Lahn-Dill-Kreis.
The town lies on the German- Dutch holiday roa ...
.
The increasing
citizenry
Citizenship is a membership and allegiance to a sovereign state.
Though citizenship is often conflated with nationality in today's English-speaking world, international law does not usually use the term ''citizenship'' to refer to nationality; ...
in the city of Siegen was a thorn in John's side, but he did not succeed in enforcing any special rights there.
Siegen's
city privileges
Town privileges or borough rights were important features of European towns during most of the second millennium. The city law customary in Central Europe probably dates back to Italian models, which in turn were oriented towards the tradition ...
were co-granted by John's ancestor Count
Henry I of Nassau-Siegen in 1303.
The County of Nassau-Siegen was divided into districts (''Ämter''). In each district (''Amt'') the count appointed an ''
Amtmann
__NOTOC__
The ''Amtmann'' or ''Ammann'' (in Switzerland) was an official in German-speaking countries of Europe and in some of the Nordic countries from the time of the Middle Ages whose office was akin to that of a bailiff
A bailiff is a ...
''. These were members of the local
nobility
Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. T ...
and deputised for the count. They had a number of servants to guard the public order. In times of
war
War is an armed conflict between the armed forces of states, or between governmental forces and armed groups that are organized under a certain command structure and have the capacity to sustain military operations, or between such organi ...
they formed the core of the army. Because of John's sometimes long absences, these ''Amtmänner'' had unlimited power.
[Becker (1983), p. 28.] One of these was Philipp von Bicken, appointed by John. During John's long absence, however, von Bicken used the trust placed in him and his own power base in the
Haiger Mark to repeatedly overstep his authority, to such an extent that he arrogated
territorial lord rights to himself, in order to increase his family's still very considerable possessions. He fell into disfavour with John in 1466 and von Bicken fled the county and put himself under
Hessian protection. It was not until 1486 that John's son
John V was able to definitively subjugate the .
For the administration of
justice
In its broadest sense, justice is the idea that individuals should be treated fairly. According to the ''Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'', the most plausible candidate for a core definition comes from the ''Institutes (Justinian), Inst ...
, the county had a ''
Schultheiß
In medieval Germany, the ''Schultheiß'' () was the head of a municipality (akin to today's office of mayor), a '' Vogt'' or an executive official of the ruler. As official (''villicus'') it was his duty to order his assigned village or county ( ...
'' in most of the districts. The oldest preserved ordinance for the ''Schultheiß'' of the Dillenburg district is from 10 April 1465, which contains only a part of his tasks and authority. In this ordinance the provisions on
matrimonial law
Marriage law is the body of legal specifications and requirements and other laws that regulate the initiation, continuation, and validity of marriages, an aspect of family law, that determine the validity of a marriage, and which vary consider ...
are prominently present.
The ''Reichshofgericht'' in
Rottweil
Rottweil (; Alemannic: ''Rautweil'') is a town in southwest Germany in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Rottweil was a free imperial city for nearly 600 years.
Located between the Black Forest and the Swabian Alps, Rottweil has over 25,000 ...
was competent for
appeal
In law, an appeal is the process in which Legal case, cases are reviewed by a higher authority, where parties request a formal change to an official decision. Appeals function both as a process for error correction as well as a process of cla ...
s. For the ''Blutgerichtsbarkeit'' (high jurisdiction) the ''Hochgericht'' was competent. The
Ebersbach district had its own ''Hochgericht auf dem Stein''. During the
execution
Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty and formerly called judicial homicide, is the state-sanctioned killing of a person as punishment for actual or supposed misconduct. The sentence ordering that an offender be punished in ...
s there, the count occasionally wielded the
sword
A sword is an edged and bladed weapons, edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. Its blade, longer than a knife or dagger, is attached to a hilt and can be straight or curved. A thrusting sword tends to have a straighter ...
himself in order to
behead
Decapitation is the total separation of the head from the body. Such an injury is invariably fatal to humans and all vertebrate animals, since it deprives the brain of oxygenated blood by way of severing through the jugular vein and common c ...
the criminals. But mostly he left that to the
executioner
An executioner, also known as a hangman or headsman, is an official who effects a sentence of capital punishment on a condemned person.
Scope and job
The executioner was usually presented with a warrant authorizing or ordering him to ...
s. Also the other punishments and
fines Fines may refer to:
*Fines, Andalusia, Spanish municipality
*Fine (penalty)
* Fine, a dated term for a Lease#Leases_of_land, premium on a lease of land, a large sum the tenant pays to commute (lessen) the rent throughout the term
* Fines, ore or oth ...
, which the count himself imposed in special cases, to give an example, were not insignificant for the monetary value of the time.
When the count's family started staying in the county more often, a
court
A court is an institution, often a government entity, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between Party (law), parties and Administration of justice, administer justice in Civil law (common law), civil, Criminal law, criminal, an ...
was established. The financial administration was still relatively simple; there was no distinction between the public and the private
treasury
A treasury is either
*A government department related to finance and taxation, a finance ministry; in a business context, corporate treasury.
*A place or location where treasure, such as currency or precious items are kept. These can be ...
of the count. All income flowed into the private treasury of the count. The count received the revenues from the
farm
A farm (also called an agricultural holding) is an area of land that is devoted primarily to agricultural processes with the primary objective of producing food and other crops; it is the basic facility in food production. The name is used fo ...
s in the
village
A village is a human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. Although villages are often located in rural areas, the term urban v ...
s
in kind
The term in kind (or in-kind) generally refers to goods, services, and transactions not involving money or not measured in monetary terms. It is a part of many spheres, mainly economics, finance, but also politics, work career, food, health and o ...
, which were supplied by the
serf
Serfdom was the status of many peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to manorialism and similar systems. It was a condition of debt bondage and indentured servitude with similarities to and differences from slavery. It developed du ...
s working there.
With the increase in
coinage
Coinage may refer to:
* Coins, standardized as currency
* Coining (mint), the process of manufacturing coins
* '' COINage'', a numismatics magazine
* Tin coinage, a tax on refined tin
* Coinage, a protologism or neologism
In linguistics, a neolo ...
, which resulted in payments in kind being increasingly replaced by payments in money, the office of ' became more and more important. The count's fixed income included the ', which were levied on
land tenure
In Common law#History, common law systems, land tenure, from the French verb "" means "to hold", is the legal regime in which land "owned" by an individual is possessed by someone else who is said to "hold" the land, based on an agreement betw ...
. There was also the ''Leibbede'', a
personal tax
An income tax is a tax imposed on individuals or entities (taxpayers) in respect of the income or profits earned by them (commonly called taxable income). Income tax generally is computed as the product of a tax rate times the taxable income. Tax ...
, which was levied when the serf died and had to be paid by his relatives. This originally consisted of the best piece of
livestock
Livestock are the Domestication, domesticated animals that are raised in an Agriculture, agricultural setting to provide labour and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, Egg as food, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The t ...
, but was later replaced by a sum of money. Finally, there was a
hearth tax
A hearth tax was a property tax in certain countries during the medieval and early modern period, levied on each hearth, thus by proxy on wealth. It was calculated based on the number of hearths, or fireplaces, within a municipal area and is con ...
, which had to be paid during
Lent
Lent (, 'Fortieth') is the solemn Christianity, Christian religious moveable feast#Lent, observance in the liturgical year in preparation for Easter. It echoes the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring Temptation of Christ, t ...
. The irregular revenues of the count included first of all the so-called ''Schatzungen'',
tax
A tax is a mandatory financial charge or levy imposed on an individual or legal entity by a governmental organization to support government spending and public expenditures collectively or to regulate and reduce negative externalities. Tax co ...
es for special expenses and emergencies. Then there was the income from tolls, which were often
lease
A lease is a contractual arrangement calling for the user (referred to as the ''lessee'') to pay the owner (referred to as the ''lessor'') for the use of an asset. Property, buildings and vehicles are common assets that are leased. Industrial ...
d to subjects. This also applied to fishing rights, which the count owned. Taxes were also levied in the cities, on
house
A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air c ...
s,
garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the cultivation, display, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The single feature identifying even the wildest wild garden is ''control''. The garden can incorporate bot ...
s,
fields
Fields may refer to:
Music
*Fields (band), an indie rock band formed in 2006
* Fields (progressive rock band), a progressive rock band formed in 1971
* ''Fields'' (album), an LP by Swedish-based indie rock band Junip (2010)
* "Fields", a song by ...
and
meadow
A meadow ( ) is an open habitat or field, vegetated by grasses, herbs, and other non- woody plants. Trees or shrubs may sparsely populate meadows, as long as they maintain an open character. Meadows can occur naturally under favourable con ...
s. A not inconsiderable source of income for the Counts of Nassau has always been the iron toll. A
charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified. It is implicit that the granter retains superiority (or sovereignty), and that the ...
of 1 April 1470 concerning the
tariff
A tariff or import tax is a duty (tax), duty imposed by a national Government, government, customs territory, or supranational union on imports of goods and is paid by the importer. Exceptionally, an export tax may be levied on exports of goods ...
s in Siegen,
Netphen
Netphen () is a town in the Siegen-Wittgenstein district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It lies on the river Sieg, roughly 7 km northeast of Siegen.
Geography
Location
Netphen lies on the Rothaargebirge's southern slope and forms the ...
and
Wilnsdorf
Wilnsdorf is a municipality in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Geography
The southern municipal limits, with the Kalteiche peak, part of the Rothaargebirge, form not only the community's highest point, at ...
lists the individual taxes for
pig iron
Pig iron, also known as crude iron, is an intermediate good used by the iron industry in the production of steel. It is developed by smelting iron ore in a blast furnace. Pig iron has a high carbon content, typically 3.8–4.7%, along with si ...
,
steel
Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon that demonstrates improved mechanical properties compared to the pure form of iron. Due to steel's high Young's modulus, elastic modulus, Yield (engineering), yield strength, Fracture, fracture strength a ...
,
cast iron
Cast iron is a class of iron–carbon alloys with a carbon content of more than 2% and silicon content around 1–3%. Its usefulness derives from its relatively low melting temperature. The alloying elements determine the form in which its car ...
pans, metal sheets,
scythe
A scythe (, rhyming with ''writhe'') is an agriculture, agricultural hand-tool for mowing grass or Harvest, harvesting Crop, crops. It was historically used to cut down or reaping, reap edible grain, grains before they underwent the process of ...
s,
cauldron
A cauldron (or caldron) is a large cookware and bakeware, pot (kettle) for cooking or boiling over an open fire, with a lid and frequently with an arc-shaped hanger and/or integral handles or feet. There is a rich history of cauldron lore in r ...
s, etc. in detail.
The expenses included the travels of the count and his family, celebrations at court, the
remuneration
Remuneration is the pay or other financial compensation provided in exchange for an employee's ''services performed'' (not to be confused with giving (away), or donating, or the act of providing to). Remuneration is one component of reward managem ...
of officials, court
clothes
Clothing (also known as clothes, garments, dress, apparel, or attire) is any item worn on a human human body, body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin s ...
,
altar candle
An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches, and other places of worship. They are used particularly in Christian ...
s and
communion wine
Sacramental wine, Communion wine, altar wine, or wine for consecration is wine obtained from grapes and intended for use in celebration of the Eucharist (also referred to as the Lord's Supper or Holy Communion, among other names). It is usually ...
, but especially the workmen and materials for construction work at the various
castle
A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private ...
s.
[Becker (1983), p. 30.] John had
Dillenburg Castle
Castle Dillenburg, in the provincial town of Dillenburg in Hesse-Nassau, is situated on a hill (elevation 958 feet) above the Dill river, 25 miles northwest from Gießen on the Giessen-Troisdorf railway line.
The main building of the old castle w ...
– which until then had been used primarily as a
stronghold
A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from La ...
against the unruly local nobility – extended in the period 1453–1467 and rebuilt into a residential castle for the count's family. And in 1472 he started the expansion of , which lasted until 1481.
On 28 May 1470,
Emperor
The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...
Frederick III confirmed and granted John permission to purchase rights to the toll in
Königsdorf and the associated tolls in
Mülheim
Mülheim, officially Mülheim an der Ruhr (, ; ; ) and also described as ''"City on the River"'', is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia in western Germany. It is located in the Ruhr Area between Duisburg, Essen, Oberhausen and Ratingen. It is ho ...
, , , ,
Bocklemünd, and , as well as other rights from the
Archdiocese of Cologne
The Archdiocese of Cologne (; ) is a Latin Church archdiocese of the Catholic Church in western North Rhine-Westphalia and northern Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany.
History
At an early date Christianity came to Cologne with the Roman soldiers ...
. The late Archbishop Thierry II had transferred these tolls and rights to John, with the approval of the
Chapter
Chapter or Chapters may refer to:
Books
* Chapter (books), a main division of a piece of writing or document
* Chapter book, a story book intended for intermediate readers, generally age 7–10
* Chapters (bookstore), Canadian big box bookstore ...
, as
compensation
Compensation may refer to:
*Financial compensation
*Compensation (chess), various advantages a player has in exchange for a disadvantage
*Compensation (essay), ''Compensation'' (essay), by Ralph Waldo Emerson
*Compensation (film), ''Compensation'' ...
for the losses caused by the Archbishop and the Archdiocese. This was evident to the Emperor from the copies of four charters signed by Thierry, which were presented to him, granting John the rights to these tolls and rights, which he still owned and had been using up until then, for the unhindered use of himself and his
heir
Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Offi ...
s.
John was one of the princes ordered by the Emperor on 12 June 1470 to wage war against
Count palatine
A count palatine (Latin ''comes palatinus''), also count of the palace or palsgrave (from German ''Pfalzgraf''), was originally an official attached to a royal or imperial palace or household and later a nobleman of a rank above that of an or ...
Frederick I. John had the confidence of the Emperor. This is shown by the fact that in 1472 the Emperor ordered John to
question
A question is an utterance which serves as a request for information. Questions are sometimes distinguished from interrogatives, which are the grammar, grammatical forms, typically used to express them. Rhetorical questions, for instance, are i ...
witness
In law, a witness is someone who, either voluntarily or under compulsion, provides testimonial evidence, either oral or written, of what they know or claim to know.
A witness might be compelled to provide testimony in court, before a grand jur ...
es as his commissioner in the
lawsuit
A lawsuit is a proceeding by one or more parties (the plaintiff or claimant) against one or more parties (the defendant) in a civil court of law. The archaic term "suit in law" is found in only a small number of laws still in effect today ...
in the ''Kammergericht'' between the citizens of and the city of
Wetzlar
Wetzlar () is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany. It is the twelfth largest city in Hesse with currently 55,371 inhabitants at the beginning of 2019 (including second homes). As an important cultural, industrial and commercial center, the un ...
. In a
summons
A summons (also known in England and Wales as a claim form or plaint note, and in the Australian state of New South Wales as a court attendance notice (CAN)) is a legal document issued by a court (a ''judicial summons'') or by an administrative ag ...
to the ''
Schöffen'' of Wetzlar – sent by Count
Philip II of Nassau-Weilburg with John's
letter of attorney
A power of attorney (POA) or letter of attorney is a written authorization to represent or act on another's behalf in private affairs (which may be financial or regarding health and welfare), business, or some other legal matter. The person auth ...
– the
hearings are mentioned to take place on 12 October in Siegen. And on 30 June 1474, the Emperor informed the
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...
s and the city council of Cologne that he would soon pay off part of his
debt
Debt is an obligation that requires one party, the debtor, to pay money Loan, borrowed or otherwise withheld from another party, the creditor. Debt may be owed by a sovereign state or country, local government, company, or an individual. Co ...
of 2,000
Rhenish guilders by having John pay them the sum of 600 guilders.
John also seems to have been on the best of terms with the church. In any case, he received a so-called ''Butterbrief'' from
Pope Sixtus IV (dated
Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
25 February 1472), which allowed the inhabitants of his cities and castles to consume
butter
Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of Churning (butter), churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 81% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread (food ...
during Lent, and milk food – apart from
cheese
Cheese is a type of dairy product produced in a range of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk (usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats or sheep). During prod ...
– instead of oil, because they lived in a cold region, where no
olive oil
Olive oil is a vegetable oil obtained by pressing whole olives (the fruit of ''Olea europaea'', a traditional Tree fruit, tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin) and extracting the oil.
It is commonly used in cooking for frying foods, as a cond ...
grew and hardly any
fish
A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...
was available.
Expansion of his possessions in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, since the death of his father, John owned the ''
heerlijkheid
A ''heerlijkheid'' (a Dutch language, Dutch word; pl. ''heerlijkheden''; also called ''heerschap''; Latin: ''Dominium'') was a landed estate that served as the lowest administrative and Judiciary, judicial unit in rural areas in the Dutch-speaking ...
'' of ,
Geertruidenberg
Geertruidenberg () is a city and municipality in the province North Brabant in the south of the Netherlands. The city, named after Saint Gertrude of Nivelles, received city rights in 1213 from the count of Holland. The fortified city prospered u ...
,
Klundert
Klundert is a city in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is located close to the Hollands Diep, about 3 km northwest of Zevenbergen. It received city rights in 1357.
History
The current name was first mentioned in 1537 as "die clund ...
(or Niervaart),
Oosterhout
Oosterhout (; from ''ooster'', "eastern", and ''hout'', "woods") is a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and a city in southern Netherlands. The municipality had a population of in .
Population centers
The municipality of Ooste ...
and
Dongen
Dongen () is a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and village in North Brabant, in the southern Netherlands. In the past it had a profitable leather industry, and a few old shoe factories in the town's older sections remain. The town ...
, a house on the in
Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
(later called the ), a house in
Mechelen
Mechelen (; ; historically known as ''Mechlin'' in EnglishMechelen has been known in English as ''Mechlin'', from where the adjective ''Mechlinian'' is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical context. T ...
, the ''heerlijkheid'' of ,
Monster
A monster is a type of imaginary or fictional creature found in literature, folklore, mythology, fiction and religion. They are very often depicted as dangerous and aggressive, with a strange or grotesque appearance that causes Anxiety, terror ...
and
Polanen,
Zundert
Zundert () is a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and town in the south of the Netherlands bordering Belgium, in the province of North Brabant.
Zundert is the birthplace of Post-Impressionism, Post-Impressionist painter Vincent va ...
and
Nispen
Nispen (Brabantian dialect: ''Nipse'') is a town in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is part of the municipality of Roosendaal, formerly the municipality of Roosendaal en Nispen.
Nispen is located in the valley of the river ''Kleine Aa''. F ...
, and the ''heerlijkheid'' of
Drimmelen
Drimmelen () is a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and a town in southern Netherlands, in the province North Brabant.
A large portion of the Biesbosch National Park is part of this municipality.
Population centres
Towns:
*Made, N ...
. On 27 February 1458, John bought the ''heerlijkheden'' of and
Hambroeck.
In the same year he acquired
Steenbergen
Steenbergen () is a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and a town in the province of North Brabant in the south of the Netherlands. The municipality had a population of in and covers an area of of which is water. The municipality ...
by the division of the joint ownership of that ''heerlijkheid'' between Lord of Breda and the . He freed the ''heerlijkheid'' of Breda from the
feudal ties to the
Margraviate of Antwerp
The Margraviate of Antwerp (or March of Antwerp) consisted since the eleventh century of the area around the cities of Antwerp and Breda.
Origin
Under Otto II, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, several marches were created along the border wi ...
and brought it directly under the
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant, a Imperial State, state of the Holy Roman Empire, was established in 1183. It developed from the Landgraviate of Brabant of 1085–1183, and formed the heart of the historic Low Countries. The Duchy comprised part of the Bu ...
. He also increased the liberties of the city of
Breda
Breda ( , , , ) is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the southern part of the Netherlands, located in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Brabant. ...
.
[Blok (1911), p. 1219.]
Through his marriage to Lady
Mary of Looz-Heinsberg
Lady Mary of Looz-HeinsbergIn English and French the county her name originated from is called Looz, while in Dutch and German it is called Loon. In older Dutch and German sources one can also find the spelling Loen. (1424 – 20 April 1502 ...
, John obtained the ''heerlijkheden'' of
Herstal
Herstal (; ), formerly known as Heristal, or Héristal (), is a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality and City status in Belgium, city of Wallonia located in the Liège Province, province of Liège, Belgium. It lies along the Meuse river. Herst ...
,
Vught
Vught () is a municipality and a town in the Province of North Brabant in the southern Netherlands, and lies just south of the industrial and administrative centre of 's-Hertogenbosch. Many commuters live there, and in 2004 the town was named "Best ...
,
Gangelt
Gangelt is a municipality in the Heinsberg (district), district of Heinsberg, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is on the border with the Netherlands and about 10 km east of Sittard and 10 km south-west of Heinsberg.
Its most well ...
,
Waldfeucht
Waldfeucht ( ) is a German municipality in the Heinsberg district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Federal Republic of Germany. It is situated on the border with the Kingdom of the Netherlands, approx. 15 km south of Roermond and 8 km west ...
and the , so that he possessed of the
Duchy of Jülich
The Duchy of Jülich (; ; ) comprised a state within the Holy Roman Empire from the 11th to the 18th centuries. The duchy lay west of the Rhine river and was bordered by the Electorate of Cologne to the east and the Duchy of Limburg to the wes ...
.
[Strinkingly Jansen (1979), p. 31 states that what Mary was bringing in, was quite modest.] This led to a dispute with his distant relative Count
John II of Nassau-Saarbrücken, who was married to Lady Jeanne of Looz-Heinsberg, the daughter and heiress of Lord
John IV of Looz-Heinsberg.
At John's request, Emperor Frederick III declared on 28 May 1470 that by granting the entire Duchy of Jülich to Duke
Gerhard VII, the claims of Philippa of Looz-Heinsberg and her sister Mary, John's wife, were not to be affected. Apparently this had no effect, because in 1471 or 1472 the Emperor ordered Duke Charles the Bold of Burgundy to settle on his behalf the dispute between Gerhard on the one hand and John and his wife Mary on the other. The dispute became more complicated when in 1472 Gerhard VII's son
William
William is a masculine given name of Germanic languages, Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman Conquest, Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle ...
married to Countess Elisabeth of Nassau-Saarbrücken, John II's eldest daughter, who had inherited her mother's possessions.
In 1474, the Emperor withdrew the order to Charles the Bold and instead transferred the matter to Archbishop
John II of Trier. The dispute was only settled when on 25 August 1499 John's eldest son
Engelbert II transferred his half of the castle and the land of Millen with the towns of Gangelt and Vught to Duke William of Jülich and Berg and received in exchange from the latter on 27 August 1499 the city and the land of
Diest
Diest () is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. Situated in the northeast of the Hageland region, Diest neighbours the provinces of Antwerp to its North, and Limburg to the East and is situated around ...
and the castle and the land of
Zichem
Zichem is a village of the town of Scherpenheuvel-Zichem in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. Zichem was an independent municipality until the municipal redistribution of 1977.
History
Zichem belonged to Maria van Loon-Heinsberg, who was ...
and
Zeelhem.
Dispute with his sister
John came into conflict with his sister
Mary
Mary may refer to:
People
* Mary (name), a female given name (includes a list of people with the name)
Religion
* New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below
* Mary, mother of Jesus, also called the Blesse ...
. She filed a complaint against her brother with Emperor Frederick III for forcibly removing her inheritance and goods. On 14 October 1463, the Emperor appointed
Abbot
Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the head of an independent monastery for men in various Western Christian traditions. The name is derived from ''abba'', the Aramaic form of the Hebrew ''ab'', and means "father". The female equivale ...
of
Fulda
Fulda () (historically in English called Fuld) is a city in Hesse, Germany; it is located on the river Fulda and is the administrative seat of the Fulda district (''Kreis''). In 1990, the city hosted the 30th Hessentag state festival.
Histor ...
as his
attorney and instructed him to summon both parties to a trial on his behalf, to interrogate them and to give
judgment
Judgement (or judgment) is the evaluation of given circumstances to make a decision. Judgement is also the ability to make considered decisions.
In an informal context, a judgement is opinion expressed as fact. In the context of a legal trial ...
. The abbot could – if necessary – examine witnesses and – if necessary – threaten these witnesses with punishment in order to force them to
testify
Testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter.
Etymology
The words "testimony" and "testify" both derive from the Latin word ''testis'', referring to the notion of a disinterested third-party witness.
Law
In the law, testimony ...
, as well as to carry out the proceedings in all respects in the event that one of the parties did not appear. The abbot summoned John by letter of 17 August 1464 to appear before him 45 days later in
Salmünster. John received this summons on 2 September 1464 in
Vianden
Vianden ( or (locally) ) is a commune with town status in the Éislek region, north-eastern Luxembourg, with a population of 2,203 as of 2023. It is part of the canton of the same name. Vianden lies on the Our river, near the border between ...
from the hands of the ''servus et nuncius'' of the abbot.
The abbot's judgment is unknown, as is what happened next. However, on 7 July 1465, the Emperor informed Mary that John had appealed against the judgment by Archbishop John II of Trier unfavourable to him, and summoned her to appear before him on the 45th day after receipt of this summons or on the first day of the following court and informed her that, even if she did not appear, the trial would take place. What happened afterwards is also unclear. What is known is that the Emperor summoned John for the settlement of the inheritance dispute with his sister, because on 9 February 1467 Mary appointed attorneys for the trial. That is the last preserved record of the dispute.
Last years, death, funeral and succession
John signed an inheritance treaty with his sons on 4 May 1472, in which it was decided to divide the possessions after John's death. The eldest son,
Engelbert Engelbert may refer to:
*Engelbert (name), including a list of people with the name
*Herr Engelbert Von Smallhausen, in the British sitcom Allo 'Allo!''
*Engelbert, Netherlands
Engelbert is a village in the Dutch province of Groningen. It is a pa ...
, would get the possessions in the Netherlands, while the youngest son,
John
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second E ...
, would get the possessions right of the River Rhine (Nassau-Siegen and Diez).
[Becker (1983), p. 13.][Lück (1981), p. 27.]
John died in Dillenburg on 3 February 1475
and was buried under the epitaph in the ''
Grote Kerk'' in Breda.
[The sources do not mention a date of burial. Only Van der Aa (1860), p. 87 states that the funeral took place on 13 February. However, ten days does not seem to be enough to firstly transfer the body from Dillenburg to Breda and secondly for the guests to arrive in time for the funeral.] His
heart
The heart is a muscular Organ (biology), organ found in humans and other animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels. The heart and blood vessels together make the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrie ...
was interred in the church in
Feldbach[Lück (1981), p. 25.] and transferred to the ' in Dillenburg around 1495,
where the epitaph made in 1479 with the inscription ''hie liegt des edeln und wolgeboren Johan graven czu Nassaw czu Dietz czu Vianden her czu Breda sin herz begraben dem Got genedig sie. Obiit anno domini MCCCCXXV of sant Blasius tag 1479'' can still be seen.
He was succeeded by his sons Engelbert II and John V in accordance with the division treaty of 1472.
GroteKerkBreda.jpg, The ''Grote Kerk'' in Breda, 2012.
Grote Kerk Breda 2017 04.jpg, The epitaph for Engelbert I and John IV of Nassau-Siegen in the ''Grote Kerk'' in Breda. Photo: Richard Broekhuijzen, 2017.
Dillenburg Ev. Stadtkirche (19).jpg, The epitaph for the heart of John IV in the ''Evangelische Stadtkirche'' in Dillenburg, 2019.
Marriage and issue
John married on 7 February 1440
[The sources do not mention a place of marriage. Van Ditzhuyzen (2004), p. 151 states the date of marriage 7/17 February 1440.] to Lady
Mary of Looz-Heinsberg
Lady Mary of Looz-HeinsbergIn English and French the county her name originated from is called Looz, while in Dutch and German it is called Loon. In older Dutch and German sources one can also find the spelling Loen. (1424 – 20 April 1502 ...
(1424
[Van Ditzhuyzen (2004), p. 151, however, states 1426 as her year of birth. That year of birth is unlikely, as it would mean that she married at the age of thirteen or fourteen, and that she gave birth to her first child at the age of fourteen or fifteen.] – Siegen,
20 April 1502
), the eldest daughter of Lord
John II of Looz-Heinsberg and his second wife Countess Anne of Solms.
From the marriage of John and Mary the following children were born:
[The second daughter from this marriage, Joanne, is not mentioned by Vorsterman van Oyen (1882) and ]
#
Anne
Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female name Anna (name), Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah (given name), Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie (given name), Annie a ...
(1440 or 1441
[Katzenelnbogen, Anna Gräfin von](_blank)
states that she was born in Dillenburg. That is very unlikely as her parents resided in Breda at that time according to Van Ditzhuyzen (2004), p. 152. –
Celle
Celle () is a town and capital of the district of Celle (district), Celle in Lower Saxony, in north-central Germany. The town is situated on the banks of the river Aller (Germany), Aller, a tributary of the Weser, and has a population of about ...
, 5 or 8 April 1514
[The date of death 8 April 1514 in Dek (1970), p. 69, and 5 April 1514 in Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 94, an]
Katzenelnbogen, Anna Gräfin von
), married:
## on 28 October 1467 to Duke
Otto II the Victorious of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1439 – January 1471
[The date of death 8 or 19 January 1471 in Schutte (1979), p. 41, 8 January 1471 in Dek (1970), p. 69, 19 January 1471 in Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 94, and 17 January 1471 in ]);
## on 24 January 1474 to Count
Philip the Elder of Katzenelnbogen (1402 – 28 July 1479
[The date of death 27 or 28 July 1479 in Schutte (1979), p. 41, and 27 June 1479 in Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 94.]).
#
Joanne (1444 – May 1468), married on 14 October 1464 to Count
Philip I of Waldeck-Waldeck (1445 – 1475).
#
Ottilie Ottilie is a feminine given name. It is a French derivative of the medieval German masculine name Otto and, like other related Germanic names beginning with the prefixes , , , , , or , has the meaning "prosperous in battle", "riches", "prosperous" ...
(
[Schutte (1979), p. 42, Dek (1970), p. 70, and Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 95 mention Ottilie as the youngest daughter, without mentioning a date of birth, born after her brother John, who was born in 1455. Ottilie being born after 1455 seems to be unlikely as she was already mentioned as a nun to reform a convent in 1463. The year of birth in ] –
Alkmaar
Alkmaar () is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Netherlands, located in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Holland. Alkmaar is well known fo ...
, 22 April 1495). Was a
nun
A nun is a woman who vows to dedicate her life to religious service and contemplation, typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in the enclosure of a monastery or convent.''The Oxford English Dictionary'', vol. X, page 5 ...
in the Bethany Abbey near Mechelen until 1463 and then in the Saint Catherinadal Abbey in Breda 1463–1476. She was the first
prioress of Vredenburg Abbey in
Bavel 1476–1495.
#
Adriana
Adriana, also spelled Adrianna, is a Latin name and feminine form of Adrian. It originates from present day Italy and Spain.
Translations
*Arabic: أدريان
* Belarusian: Адрыяна (Adryjana)
* Bulgarian: Адриана (Adriana)
*Chines ...
(Breda, 7 February 1449 – 15 January 1477
[The date of death 11 or 15 June 1477 in Schutte (1979), p. 42, and 11 June 1477 in Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 94.]), married on 12 September 1468 to Count
Philip I of Hanau-Münzenberg (21 September 1449 – 26 August 1500).
# Count
Engelbert II the Illustrious (Breda, 17 May 1451 – Brussels, 31 May 1504), succeeded his father in the possessions in the Netherlands. Married in
Koblenz
Koblenz ( , , ; Moselle Franconian language, Moselle Franconian: ''Kowelenz'') is a German city on the banks of the Rhine (Middle Rhine) and the Moselle, a multinational tributary.
Koblenz was established as a Roman Empire, Roman military p ...
on 19 December 1468 to Margravine (15 May 1450 – Breda, 5 July 1501).
# Count
John V (Breda, 9 November 1455 – Dillenburg or Siegen,
[Schutte (1979), p. 42 and Dek (1970), p. 70 state Dillenburg as place of death, and Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 95 states Dillenburg Castle. Assman & Menk (1996), however, state Siegen Castle as place of death and Joachim (1881), p. 253 states Siegen.] 30 July 1516), succeeded his father in Nassau-Siegen and Diez. Married in
Marburg
Marburg (; ) is a college town, university town in the States of Germany, German federal state () of Hesse, capital of the Marburg-Biedenkopf Districts of Germany, district (). The town area spreads along the valley of the river Lahn and has ...
on 11 February 1482 to Landgravine
Elisabeth of Hesse-Marburg
Landgravine Elisabeth of Hesse-Marburg (May 1466 – 17 January 1523), , was a landgravine from the House of Hesse-Marburg and through marriage Countess of Nassau-Siegen. She was heiress to the County of Katzenelnbogen, which after her bro ...
(Marburg, May 1466 – Cologne, 17 January 1523
[Schutte (1979), p. 42 states the date 7 or 17 January 1523.]).
Anna von Nassau-Dillenburg - 1460s portrait.jpg, Anne of Nassau-Siegen (1440/41–1514). Anonymous portrait, .
Ottilie von Nassau-Siegen 1445-1495.jpg, Ottilie of Nassau-Siegen (–1495). Portrait by master Sommeren, 1681. Saint Catharinadal Abbey, Oosterhout
Oosterhout (; from ''ooster'', "eastern", and ''hout'', "woods") is a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and a city in southern Netherlands. The municipality had a population of in .
Population centers
The municipality of Ooste ...
.
Epitaph Adriana von Nassau.jpg, Epitaph of Adriana of Nassau-Siegen (1449–1477). Marienkirche, Hanau. Photo: Reinhard Dietrich, 2009.
Engelbrecht-II-Nassau.jpg, Count Engelbert II the Illustrious of Nassau-Breda (1451–1504). Portrait by the Master of Portraits of Princes, 1487. Rijksmuseum
The Rijksmuseum () is the national museum of the Netherlands dedicated to Dutch arts and history and is located in Amsterdam. The museum is located at the Museum Square in the borough of Amsterdam South, close to the Van Gogh Museum, the S ...
, Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...
.
Illegitimate children
John had two illegitimate children:
[Dek (1970), p. 70.]
# (), castellan of
Heusden Castle
Heusden Castle is a ruined major castle in Heusden.
History
In the 12th century the lords of Heusden had a territory which stretched on both sides of the Oude Maasje. At the time, this which was the main course of the Meuse. In the part sout ...
. Son of Aleid van Loemel. Was granted the castles and ''heerlijkheden''
Corroy and
Frasne
Frasne () is a Communes of France, commune in the Doubs Departments of France, department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Regions of France, region in eastern France.
The local railway station, Gare de Frasne, was opened on 10 June 1855.
Popul ...
as a fief on 29 April 1485, after he had bought it from his halfbrother Engelbert II. In 1492, however, these properties reverted to Engelbert II. He married (marriage contract
Loon op Zand
Loon op Zand () is a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and a village in the southern Netherlands. It had a population of in .
The western part of national park the Loonse en Drunense Duinen is located in the municipality of Loon op ...
, 4 November 1470) to Adriana van Haastrecht (). Jan van Nassau was the
progenitor
In genealogy, a progenitor (rarer: primogenitor; or ''Ahnherr'') is the founder (sometimes one that is legendary) of a family, line of descent, gens, clan, tribe, noble house, or ethnic group.. Ebenda''Ahnherr:''"Stammvater eines Geschlec ...
of the illegitimate
cadet branch
A cadet branch consists of the male-line descendants of a monarch's or patriarch's younger sons ( cadets). In the ruling dynasties and noble families of much of Europe and Asia, the family's major assets (realm, titles, fiefs, property and incom ...
van Nassau van Merwen.
# . Bought
Thommes and
Auimel in 1469. On 7 October 1509 he still received 100 guilders annually from the ' of
St. Vith
St. Vith ( ; ; ; ) is a city and municipality of East Belgium located in the Walloon province of Liège. It was named after Saint Vitus. The majority language is German, as in the rest of the German-speaking Community of Belgium.
On January ...
. He married Katharina von Brandscheid, Lady of
Reinhardstein. Adriaan van Nassau was the progenitor of the illegitimate cadet branch Nassau-Reinhardstein.
Ancestors
Notes
References
Sources
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
External links
Jan IV van Nassau(in Dutch). In
Erfgoed Breda(in Dutch).
Nassau-Breda, Johann IV. Graf von(in German). In
Landesgeschichtliches Informationssystem Hessen (LAGIS)(in German).
, -
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:John 04, Count of Nassau-Siegen
Nassau-Siegen, John 04
Nassau-Siegen, John 04
Counts of Nassau
Counts of Diez
Counts of Vianden
House of Nassau-Siegen
Lords of Breda
Marshals of Westphalia
15th-century German nobility