THE FIRST LORD OF DRUTEN

 

 At the beginning of our era, the country between Maas and Waal belonged to the country of the Bataven and formed the most northern area of "Germania Inferior", that belonged to the Roman realm. In the 5th centuries after chr., the mixing of the Bataven with Chamaven and francs took place and they became one group. There became so called "gouen" arose;. To the head of gou an earl was a lord. The area between Maas and Waal belonged to the "Maasgou" and also formed a part of rich of Karel de Grote.In the year 870, the country between Maas and Waal belonged to Ludwich the duitser, still later, around the year 1000 to the county Teisterbant, gou, that lay at west of the country between Maas and Waal. Afterwards it belonged to the county kleef at east of nijmegen. In the history writings in the years from 1125 up to 1147, a certain lord Focoldus called as an earl of the country between Maas and Waal.

He founded a convent at north of Heusden, on a small island named "Vrota", that was lain on the border of brabant and the Netherlands and where its citadel bern stood. He had been involved in much fight with other counties and died as ‘lekebroeder’ in the convent founded by him. His wife also founded a convent at Wortt in the area of Maasbommel, also of the Premonstatenser order.

A sister of Focoldus, called Godehildis, was married with ROTGERUS DE DRUTENA (Van Druten). The name of Druten generally was written in that time as "De Druten" or "De Drutena", because in official documents the Latin language was used. These Rotgerus the Drutena is mentioned in 1076. He owned the citadel Druten and was therefore the firstly well-known lord of Druten. There are no data founded of his great parents.

 

                                            

 

 

                             

                         The SUCCESION IN the DRUTENSE LINIE (to see tribe table I and II)

 

The first lord of Druten ROTGERUS (St II) had two sons: GERHARDUS BREWE DE DRUTEN (Gerrit Brewe van Druten) and ROTGERUS BREWE DE DRUTEN (Roger Brewe van Druten) (St I-IIa, b). It is not clear what the nickname "Brewe" exactly meant. It is possible that it was meant, that each person had the right on the magnificence. It als can be, that the name "Brewe" was taken over as addition. In that time this additive also occurred in other lines. GERHARDUS owned  the citadel, ROTGERUS became a monk at Hennepel at Kalkar in Germany. They lived in the 12e centuries.

The next documentary well-known lord of Druten was ADE (Adam) DE DRUETEN (St IV). He lived in the 13th century. Between these two great parents, Rotgerus de Druten and Ade de Drueten, probably lied two generations. Of these two generations were retrieved no names. At the beginning of the 13th century the county Gelre already had rights in the country between Maas and Waal. However, this didn’t had any consequences on the "vrije Heerlijkheid" in this country region yet, although the lords of Gelre strived for enlarge their possession for loan good.

Till the 14th century, the ‘Heerlijkheid Druten, and neighbours, still were free and independent and were only guilty to the emperor justification. The documents from the 13th century are relatively small. There is one known document, in which "ZEYNE DRUTE" is named, however without indication of date and characteristics. Also, there is a buy certificate from the same century, dated on 25 May 1287, which is very important for the line of Druten, and which has been remained with a lot of other documents, (which still will be discussed later on) kept in original and comes from the archive of the former convent Gaesdonk at Goch (Dld.). This buy certificate acts for sale of immovable property at Luenen to the convent by HERMAN and GERLACH de DRUETEN (St I-VI b,c), sons of Adam de Drueten (St IV). Also Mechtild and Hylla are called, sisters and spouses of Hermann and Gerlach.

From the entirely next century several documents have been kept remained. - A document dated 22 May 1310, mentions ROUDOLPHUS de DRUETEN (Rudolf van Druten) (St I-VIIa) as a son of WOLTERUS de DRUETEN (Wolter van Druten) (St I-VIa). This Wolter is exclusively laid down in this document as the father of Roudolphus. Roudolphus is further laid down as a lord of Druten in several certificates. Although, if this is not mentioned in later documents such as these, there must be concluded that Wolter was a son of Adam van Druten, and that he owned the citadel.

A certificate of the court Druten of 25 July 1310 names three sons of Roudolphus n.1st NICOLAUS, WALTERUS and ARNOLDUS (St I-VIIIa, b, c). Nicolaus(Claes) will be laid down further in 2 certificates of The court Overasselt as ‘judge’ between Maas and Waal.; He was the next citadel lord. The two other sons, Wolterus and Arnoldus, become mentioned again in 2 certificates, one from the court

 Afferden of 6 May 1319 and one from the court Overasselt of 21 June 1322. From the certificates mentioned above, it was possible to construct the tribe table.

Nicolaus (Claes) de Druten (St I-VIIIa and St II¬VIIIa) also had 3 sons: NICOLAUS, WILHELMUS (Claeszoon)en WEINMARUS (Weinmar) (St Ii-IXa, b, c). These three sons (knights) are named in a document of 11 May 1365, in which duke Eduard van Gelre and earl of Zutphen leases the right to times to the heirs of Claes (Nicolaus), lord of Druten, who concerns the ‘Heerlijkheid’ Druten Afferden and Deest. The ninth citadel lord therefore NICOLAUS (Claes) OF DRUTEN (St Ii-IXa) had been called to its father (St I and Ii-VIIIa). His brothers, Wilhelmus and Weinmarus, already been named above, are mentioned in different documents.

Nicolaus, the ninth citadel lord, also had 3 sons: HEYMERIC, WILHELM and ARNOLD (St Ii-Xa, b, c). HEYMERIC OF DRUTEN inherited as an oldest zoon the ‘Heerlijkheid’ Van Druten. He is called in a document  of 16 March 1390, concerning a dike matter as a member of the dike-management (sworn). His cousin Wilhelmus (Willem van Drueten) (St Iii-IXf), lord of lions, is named in that document as Lord of the Dike between Maas and Waal. He was named in further documents as well as, even as his brothers. Heymeric van Druten (the tenth lord of Druten as far as confessed) had 1 son: WILHELM VAN  DRUTEN (St Ii-XIa). These Wilhelm van Druten was the eleventh and last citadel lord. Briefly for his death, the ‘Heerlijkheid’ had proceed in other hands. It must be assumed that this is to blame to fractionation of the possession by division and gifts. By the influence of religious conceptions, in those times, ‘Heerlijkheid’ and their descent frequently large donations gave big gifts to convents and churches, for their salvation. Because of this, and because of the many descendants, the younger generations were possible (beside the owner of the ‘Heerlijkheid’) in this mostly not find the existence that matched with their rank (like many ‘Heerlijkheden’ in this case) undoubtedly above-mentioned circumstances would had played a role at the decision of Wilhelm van Druten, the last lord of Druten, the ‘Heerlijkheid’ in other hands to do proceed moreover must be consider that the management of the ‘Heerlijkheid’ under this Wilhelm has not been energetic. The ‘Heerlijkheid’ and the citadel Druten have been owned to various people. The citadel has been occupied up to 1866. Afterwards it has been wasted and finally demolished.

 

Bron/Source: Chronik  Familien Verband “von Drathen” 1928

 

                                                    ( sorry, some words I can not translate)

 

 

 

 

 

 

                    House of Druten

   List of castle lords (first born or by entitlement)

 

 

1.About 1076

ROTGERUS DE DRUTENA

2 sons

2. GERHARDUS BREWE VAN DRUTEN - 2) Rotgerus Brewe

to 1130        (De Drueten)           (Monnik te Hanneke

bij Kalkar, Germany.)

3.      - ? (Zeyne van Druten?)

4.      - ?

5. ADE (Adam) VAN DRUTEN to 1287      

   (De Drueten)

3 sons

6. WOLTERUS VAN DRUTEN           - 2) Herenanus 3) Gerlacus

to 1310        (De Drueten)

1 son

7. ROUDOLPHUS VAN DRUTEN to 1316      

   (De Drutena)

3 sons

8. NICOLAUS VAN DRUTEN           - 2) Wolterus 3) Arnoldus

to about 1350(De Drutena)           Arnoldus had 2 sons   +)

(Claes van Druten)                   Wilhelmus en Emericus)

3 sons

9. NICOLAUS VAN DRUTEN           - .2) Wilhelmus 3)Reinmarus

to about 1390 (De Drutena)

(Claes van Druten)

3 sons

10. HEYMERIC VAN DRUTEN           - 2) Wilhelm 3) Arnold

to about 1436

1 son

11. WILHELM VAN DRUTEN            - descendents?

tot plm.1483 to about 1483

The domain was passed on to others.

 

These two sons founded a new castle at Leeuwen, near Druten in about 1326. Emericus was murdered in 1354 in the church at Leeuwen as a consequence of the fraternal wars in the Duchy of Gelre.

 

            Bron/Source: Chronik  Familien Verband “von Drathen” 1928   (zie Genealogy  Drutena)

 

 

 

                                                       ORIGIN OF FAMILY NAME.

 

The country between Maas and Waal includes the area between the line nijmegen - Mook as East border and the line between the villages Wamel and Heerewaarden such as West border. Maas and Waal forms the south and North border, the area exists from low lain country with more inwards between the two rivers some higher lain parts. Initially it was a region which with regular floods to do had, before dikes were moored, so that fertile bottom of river clay formed themselves.

On the place where the citadel had later established DRUTEN, in very early times a Germanic lord court has probably lain and was a formerly settlement of the "DRUIDS". These were priests of the Celtic people in the old Gallia and Britain. However, they did not live isolated, and was also married. They lived preferably in dense oak woods and kept their meetings on heights, that in the surroundings present were. The country between Maas and Waal lent himself for this particularly. They occupied themselves outside religion with nature sciences, astronomy, medicine and Right knowledge.

Youths from the most considerable lines strived there for in the rings of the "Druids" to be taken. Correctly the region between Maas and Waal was the extreme border of the northern Celtic peoples, the Menapiërs and Tungriërs. These frequently put up fight for extension of their area with the Germanic neighbours, the Chatuariërs, Frisians, Bataves and Bructeren. The Celtic word "Druid" is according to language searchers of the Greek word "drys" inferred. It means oak, a tree which the Druids considered as holy. The name Druten would mean "Eikenoord" or "Priesteroord".

 

 

Bron/Source: Chronik  Familien Verband “von Drathen” 1928

                                                        ( sorry, some words I can not translate)