Arkel

Who he is

Name

Not pinned: a Jan (John) of Arkel of the first house, which ends with Jan VI (died 1227)

Title

Lord of Arkel

Since

Not pinned

Born

Not pinned

Family

The first house of Arkel; its kinsmen of van der Lede (Floris Herbaren and Folpert II van der Lede) side with Ada and Louis of Loon in 1203.

Confidence

low

Early generations are partly legendary; the lord on 1 January 1200 is not pinned.

Overlord

The count of Holland by a light fief tie (German Wikipedia); parts of the land lie on Utrecht and Guelders borders

What it holds

• The Land of Arkel: Arkel, Heukelum, Asperen, Hagestein, parts of Leerdam
• Lordships between the Lek and the Hollandse IJssel (Haastrecht, Polsbroek, Jaarsveld)

How it was acquired

Hereditary.

Allies and rivals

The van der Lede kin follow Ada in 1203.

How things stand that morning

Holds; lord not pinned.

Wealth

River farms and the Merwede trade.

Military

Castle near Gorinchem. No numbers are recorded.

Where the sources disagree

Evidence: Lands from the German Wikipedia; persons not pinned for 1200.

On the map: Rough.

Primary sources for Holland

Chronicles, registers, sagas and inscriptions written in or near 1200 that cover this entry. Each has its own page with editions, translations and where to read it.

• Annals of Egmond (12th century to about 1205). The house annals of Egmond, the counts of Holland's abbey, and the main native source for Holland around 1200. Read online
• Chronicle of the abbots of Wittewierum (Bloemhof), Emo of Wittewierum (from 1219 to 1237, continued by Menko to 1273). The chronicle opens only in 1204 with the founding of Emo's Premonstratensian house in the Groningen Ommelanden, so it has nothing for 1200 itself. Read online