| Breda was a fortified city of strategic significance in the Netherlands. Many events transpired in the city.In the 11th century Breda was a direct fief of the Holy Roman Emperor, its earliest known lord being Henry of Brunesheim (1080 - 1125). In 1327 Breda was sold by Adelheid of Gaveren to John III, Duke of Brabant. In 1350 the fief was resold to John II of Wassenaar (d. 1377). In 1403 the heiress of his line, Johanna of Polanen (1392 - 1445), married Engelbert I of Nassau (1370 - 1442). Henceforth it remained in the house of Nassau, passing ultimately to William I of Orange (1533 - 1584), the first stadtholder of the Netherlands. Thus the baron of Breda was also count of Nassau, Germany, Prince of Orange and stadtholder of the Dutch Republic (from 1572-1650, 1672-1702, 1747-1795). Breda remained part of the barony Breda until it was extinguished by French revolutionary forces in 1795. Surrender of Breda, by Diego VelázquezThe city of Breda obtained a municipal charter in 1252. After that Breda had the rights to build fortififications with brick walls and romanstyle gates. In the 15th century the cities welfare grew rapidely. A great church was built in Brabantine Gothic style with a galant 97m high tower, called Grote Kerk (main church) or Onze Lieve Vrouwe Kerk (Church of Our Lady). In 1534 the modest medieval fortifications were impressively rebuilt by Henry III of Nassau-Breda and remained an impregnable stronghold of the line of fortresses in the Netherlands. In the same period Breda became a royal city with which attracted lots of noblemen who built big houses in the old city. The most impressive one, a palace, was built by the Italian architect Thomas Vincidor de Bologna. The first renaissancestyle built palace north of the Alps. It became the place where the first dutch princes resided. In (1534) however, Breda also suffered a huge fire which destroyed about 1300 houses, churches and chapels along with the town hall. Only 150 houses were left after the fire along with the main church.During the Eighty Years' War Breda was captured by surprise by the Spaniards in 1581, but in 1590 it fell again into the hands of Maurice of Nassau, 68 picked men contriving to get into the town concealed under the turf in a peat-boat, a daring plan of Adriaen van Bergen. The surrender of Breda in 1625, after a ten months siege, to the Spaniards under Spinola was memorialized by Diego Velázquez. In 1637 Breda was recaptured by Frederick Henry of Orange after a four months siege, and in 1648 it was finally ceded to the Dutch Republic by the Treaty of Westphalia. Breda- Orange-Nassau |  |