Frank van Borssele
Encyclopedia
Frank II of Borssele was a fifteenth century Zeelandic
nobleman.
He was stadhouder of Holland and Zealand, but is mainly known as the fourth husband of countess Jacqueline of Holland
. He was the son of Floris van Borssele and Oda van Bergen, Lord of Sint Maartensdijk
, Scherpenisse
(both now districts of Tholen
) and Zuylen. He was the last legitimate representative of the younger branch of the Borssele family.
The ruler of Holland and Zeeland, Jacqueline of Holland
was in 1420 deposed by her uncle John III, the duke of Bavaria. In her place Philip the Good became ruler of Holland and Zeeland. From late 1421 to early 1423 Frank van Borssele played an essential role in the financial government of the county. In 1422/23 he was alderman of Count John III and official governor of the country.
The height of his power, however, were the years 1426 to 1432. On 21 March 1426 he was appointed by Philip the Good as General and Grandcaptain of Zeeland. In 1428 Jacqueline recognized in the Treaty of Delft
the agreements made by her father. She remained however in custody and was given Frank van Borssele as her guardian. In 1430 Borssele was the Burgundian stadhouder and "Opperhoutvester" of Holland, in the same year he became lord of Gorinchem
, Leerdam
, de Leede and Schoonrewoerd
.
1445 he became Knight in the Order of the Golden Fleece
.
Zeeland
Zeeland , also called Zealand in English, is the westernmost province of the Netherlands. The province, located in the south-west of the country, consists of a number of islands and a strip bordering Belgium. Its capital is Middelburg. With a population of about 380,000, its area is about...
nobleman.
He was stadhouder of Holland and Zealand, but is mainly known as the fourth husband of countess Jacqueline of Holland
Jacqueline, Countess of Hainaut
Jacqueline of Wittelsbach was Duchess of Bavaria-Straubing, Countess of Hainaut and Holland from 1417 to 1432...
. He was the son of Floris van Borssele and Oda van Bergen, Lord of Sint Maartensdijk
Sint Maartensdijk
Sint-Maartensdijk is a town in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is a part of the municipality of Tholen, and lies about 16 km west of Bergen op Zoom.Sint-Maartensdijk was a separate municipality until 1971, when it was merged with Tholen....
, Scherpenisse
Scherpenisse
Scherpenisse is a town in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is a part of the municipality of Tholen, and lies about 14 km west of Bergen op Zoom.Scherpenisse was a separate municipality until 1971, when it was merged with Tholen....
(both now districts of Tholen
Tholen
Tholen is a municipality in the southwest of the Netherlands. The municipality of Tholen has lent its name from the town of Tholen, which is the largest population center in the municipality....
) and Zuylen. He was the last legitimate representative of the younger branch of the Borssele family.
The ruler of Holland and Zeeland, Jacqueline of Holland
Jacqueline, Countess of Hainaut
Jacqueline of Wittelsbach was Duchess of Bavaria-Straubing, Countess of Hainaut and Holland from 1417 to 1432...
was in 1420 deposed by her uncle John III, the duke of Bavaria. In her place Philip the Good became ruler of Holland and Zeeland. From late 1421 to early 1423 Frank van Borssele played an essential role in the financial government of the county. In 1422/23 he was alderman of Count John III and official governor of the country.
The height of his power, however, were the years 1426 to 1432. On 21 March 1426 he was appointed by Philip the Good as General and Grandcaptain of Zeeland. In 1428 Jacqueline recognized in the Treaty of Delft
Treaty of Delft
The Treaty of Delft, also called the Reconciliation of Delft, was signed on 3 July 1428 between Jacqueline of Bavaria and Philip the Good, Count of Flanders and Duke of Burgundy. The agreement ended hostilities between the kingdom of England and the county of Flanders...
the agreements made by her father. She remained however in custody and was given Frank van Borssele as her guardian. In 1430 Borssele was the Burgundian stadhouder and "Opperhoutvester" of Holland, in the same year he became lord of Gorinchem
Gorinchem
Gorinchem , also called Gorkum , is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 21.99 km² of which 3.03 km² is water...
, Leerdam
Leerdam
Leerdam is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland.The municipality covers an area of 34.32 km² of which 0.53 km² is water. It comprises the town of Leerdam, the rural villages Kedichem, Schoonrewoerd and Oosterwijk. The south border of the...
, de Leede and Schoonrewoerd
Schoonrewoerd
Schoonrewoerd is a village in the western Netherlands. It is located in the municipality of Leerdam, South Holland, about 25 km south of Utrecht. Leerdammer cheese is produced in Schoonrewoerd....
.
1445 he became Knight in the Order of the Golden Fleece
Order of the Golden Fleece
The Order of the Golden Fleece is an order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip III, Duke of Burgundy in 1430, to celebrate his marriage to the Portuguese princess Infanta Isabella of Portugal, daughter of King John I of Portugal. It evolved as one of the most prestigious orders in Europe...
.