Ravenstein is a city and a former municipality in the south of 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 ...

, in the province of North Brabant. The former municipality covered an area of 42.68 km² (of which 0.96 km² water). In 2003 it was incorporated into the city of Oss. Ravenstein was founded by Walraven van Valkenburg. It received city rights in 1380. From 1631 until 1796, Ravenstein and the surrounding area were part of the Duchy of Palatinate-Neuburg and was a Catholic enclave within the

Dutch Republic The United Provinces of the Netherlands, commonly referred to in historiography as the Dutch Republic, was a confederation that existed from 1579 until the Batavian Revolution in 1795. It was a predecessor state of the present-day Netherlands ...

Land van Ravenstein

In 1360, Ravenstein became part of the , and received city rights in 1380. Philip of Cleves, Lord of Ravenstein died in 1528 without successors, and the land became part of the Duchy of Cleves. In 1609, it became part of the

Margraviate of Brandenburg The Margraviate of Brandenburg () was a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806 that, having electoral status although being quite poor, grew rapidly in importance after inheriting the Duchy of Prussia in 1618 and then came ...

who sold the

the right to fortify Ravenstein and maintain troops in the city. In 1631, it changed hands to the Duchy of Palatinate-Neuburg, and became a Catholic enclave within the

. The Land van Ravenstein was conquered by France in 1794, and sold to the

Batavian Republic The Batavian Republic (; ) was the Succession of states, successor state to the Dutch Republic, Republic of the Seven United Netherlands. It was proclaimed on 19 January 1795 after the Batavian Revolution and ended on 5 June 1806, with the acce ...

(the predecessor of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) in 1800. In 1814, it became part of the province of North Brabant.

History

In 1360, Ravenstein was founded by Walraven van Valkenburg who moved his castle from Herpen to the bank of the river Maas. In 1380, it received city rights and a wall was built around the city with three gates. The fortification were renewed between 1522 and 1526, but demolished in 1543 by order of

Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (24 February 1500 – 21 September 1558) was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain (as Charles I) from 1516 to 1556, and Lord of the Netherlands as titular Duke of Burgundy (as Charles II) ...

. Around 1621, the city was refortified by the

. In 1630, the city became part of the Duchy of Palatinate-Neuburg, and a catholic enclave within the Dutch Republic. In 1635, a

garrison A garrison is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a military base or fortified military headquarters. A garrison is usually in a city ...

of the Dutch Republic was stationed in Ravenstein and stayed until 1672. In 1794, Ravenstein was conquered by France and sold to the

in 1800. In 1818, the castle was demolished. In 1872, a railway station was built in Ravenstein and the city started to industrialise. Ravenstein was home to 875 people in 1840. It was an independent municipality until 2003 when it was merged into Oss.

Former municipality

Ravenstein also included the following towns, villages and townships: Demen, Dennenburg, Deursen, Dieden, Herpen, Huisseling, Keent, Koolwijk, Neerlangel, Neerloon, Overlangel. Dieden, Demen en Langel was a separate municipality until 1923, when it was merged with Ravenstein.

Transport

* Ravenstein railway station Ravenstein lies directly to the A50, the highway from Eindhoven to Nijmegen. Close is Paalgraven junction, where the A59 divericates to 's-Hertogenbosch (25 km) and the A2 (20 km), the main road from north to south in the Netherlands.

Gallery

File:5371 Ravenstein, Netherlands - panoramio (50).jpg, Street in Ravenstein File:32337 Sint Luciakerk 3.jpg, St Lucia Church File:Ravenstein Rijksmonument 518222 Maasdijk 36.JPG, Building in Ravenstein File:5371 Ravenstein, Netherlands - panoramio (9).jpg, Bulwark of Ravenstein

References

External links

Tourist information about Ravenstein
{{Authority control States and territories established in 1360 States and territories disestablished in 1528 Municipalities of the Netherlands disestablished in 2003 Lordships of the Holy Roman Empire Former polities in the Netherlands Former municipalities of North Brabant Populated places in North Brabant Oss