Jan van Schaffelaar
Encyclopedia
Jan van Schaffelaar was a cavalry officer in the ancient duchy of Guelders (or Gelre), the Netherlands. Born in the region of Barneveld
in the quarter of the Veluwe
about 1445, he was in the military service of David of Burgundy
, the Bishop of Utrecht during the region's factional war known as the Hook and Cod Wars
.
The oldest written description of Van Schaffelaar's actions is found in a chronicle from 1698 by the historian Antonius Matthaeus of Utrecht
. According to this chronicle, on July 16, 1482, Hook troops from castle Rosendael near Arnhem
under the command of Jan van Schaffelaar got into conflict with Cod troops from Amersfoort
and Nijkerk
. The troops from Rosendael captured the church and tower of the village of Barneveld
, but they were shot at with cannons, killing four or five. After negotiations, their opponents stated that they would accept their surrender only if the defenders would throw their commander from the tower. The men were unwilling to do so, but Van Schaffelaar stated that he would have to die some day and that he did not want to cause his men trouble. Having said this, he put his hands to his sides and jumped off the tower. Despite the great height of the tower he was not immediately killed, but was finished off by his enemies.
Other versions expand on this account by stating that the troops under Van Schaffelaar were promised safe passage from the tower. In some versions, the demand was that Van Schaffelaar be turned in. Van Schaffelaar surprised his opponents by turning himself in in such a way that he would not be alive for long.
When the church was restored in 1978, remains were found that suggest that Van Schaffelaar was shot after his fall, causing a pin from his visor to enter his skull. He died because of internal bleeding caused by his fall or a blow from a weapon. He was initially buried in a mass grave near the tower and later transferred to the family grave of the Hackfort family in the choir of the church (Prins 1981, 1982).
being some of the better known ones.
On September 15, 1903, among great festivities, a statue was erected in his honour near the tower that he jumped from. It was hewn by Bart van Hove after a design by H. ten Ham E. Jzn.
Jan van Schaffelaar is sometimes written as Jan van Schaffelaer or Jan van Scaffelaer (archaic).
Barneveld
Barneveld is a town and a municipality in the province of Gelderland in the center of the Netherlands. It is known for its poultry industry and large protestant community. The population of the municipality was 52.629 in June 2010, the town having a population of 29.756.-Transport:Barneveld is...
in the quarter of the Veluwe
Veluwe
The Veluwe is a forest-rich ridge of hills in the province of Gelderland in the Netherlands. The Veluwe features many different landscapes including woodland, heath, some small lakes and Europe's largest sand drifts....
about 1445, he was in the military service of David of Burgundy
David of Burgundy
David of Burgundy was a bishop of Utrecht. The illegitimate son of Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, he was made bishop of Utrecht by his father from 1456 to 1496 in an attempt to enforce more centralised Burgundian control over the Netherlands. He also served as bishop of Thérouanne from 1451 to...
, the Bishop of Utrecht during the region's factional war known as the Hook and Cod Wars
Hook and Cod wars
The Hook and Cod wars comprise a series of wars and battles in the County of Holland between 1350 and 1490. Most of these wars were fought over the title of count of Holland, but some have argued that the underlying reason was because of the power struggle of the bourgeois in the cities against...
.
Historical significance
Utrecht (province)
Utrecht is the smallest province of the Netherlands in terms of area, and is located in the centre of the country. It is bordered by the Eemmeer in the north, Gelderland in the east, the river Rhine in the south, South Holland in the west, and North Holland in the northwest...
. According to this chronicle, on July 16, 1482, Hook troops from castle Rosendael near Arnhem
Arnhem
Arnhem is a city and municipality, situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of Gelderland and located near the river Nederrijn as well as near the St. Jansbeek, which was the source of the city's development. Arnhem has 146,095 residents as one of the...
under the command of Jan van Schaffelaar got into conflict with Cod troops from Amersfoort
Amersfoort
Amersfoort is a municipality and the second largest city of the province of Utrecht in central Netherlands. The city is growing quickly but has a well-preserved and protected medieval centre. Amersfoort is one of the largest railway junctions in the country, because of its location on two of the...
and Nijkerk
Nijkerk
Nijkerk is a municipality and a city in the middle of the Netherlands, in the province of Gelderland.- Population centres :...
. The troops from Rosendael captured the church and tower of the village of Barneveld
Barneveld
Barneveld is a town and a municipality in the province of Gelderland in the center of the Netherlands. It is known for its poultry industry and large protestant community. The population of the municipality was 52.629 in June 2010, the town having a population of 29.756.-Transport:Barneveld is...
, but they were shot at with cannons, killing four or five. After negotiations, their opponents stated that they would accept their surrender only if the defenders would throw their commander from the tower. The men were unwilling to do so, but Van Schaffelaar stated that he would have to die some day and that he did not want to cause his men trouble. Having said this, he put his hands to his sides and jumped off the tower. Despite the great height of the tower he was not immediately killed, but was finished off by his enemies.
Other versions expand on this account by stating that the troops under Van Schaffelaar were promised safe passage from the tower. In some versions, the demand was that Van Schaffelaar be turned in. Van Schaffelaar surprised his opponents by turning himself in in such a way that he would not be alive for long.
When the church was restored in 1978, remains were found that suggest that Van Schaffelaar was shot after his fall, causing a pin from his visor to enter his skull. He died because of internal bleeding caused by his fall or a blow from a weapon. He was initially buried in a mass grave near the tower and later transferred to the family grave of the Hackfort family in the choir of the church (Prins 1981, 1982).
Recognition
Jan van Schaffelaar became a minor Dutch hero. He features in several novels and poems, De Schaapherder by J.F. Oltmans and Hasse Simonsdochter by Thea BeckmanThea Beckman
Thea Beckman was a Dutch author of children's books.-Biography:At young age , Beckman knew she wanted to be a writer...
being some of the better known ones.
On September 15, 1903, among great festivities, a statue was erected in his honour near the tower that he jumped from. It was hewn by Bart van Hove after a design by H. ten Ham E. Jzn.
Name
According to some sources Jan van Schaffelaar's name was actually Jan van Domselaar or van Donselaar. He acquired his better known name through his marriage.Jan van Schaffelaar is sometimes written as Jan van Schaffelaer or Jan van Scaffelaer (archaic).