Loevestein Castle

Loevestein Castle is a fortified moated castle in the municipality of Zaltbommel in the Netherlands. At the beginning of the 14th century, a first castle, consisting only of a watchtower, was built as a border and customs post for the county of Holland and Gelder at a point of strategic importance, the confluence of the Waal and Meuse. At this point, the boat tax was imposed. The medieval core of the castle, which still stands today, was built in the 1460s by the knight Dirk Loef van Horne, a vassal of Albert I of Bavaria, who was also Count of Holland. During the Eighty Years' War, the Dutch uprising against Spanish rule, the castle was conquered in 1572 by the Beggars of the Sea (the watergeuzen) under the leadership of William I of Orange. The fortress surrounded by walls and garrison, was an important place for the rebels who built houses within the walls. The medieval castle buildings were converted into a prison in the 17th century. One of the most famous prisoners at Loevestein Castle was Hugo de Groot. This Rotterdam scholar and council pensioner made a spectacular escape in 1621 from Loevestein Castle, where he was due to serve a life sentence. Although prisoner De Groot had some privileges, such as literature. A trunk full of books always arrived at the prison fortress. At first, the guards checked the chest, but after a while, this happened less and less often. This gave Hugo Grotius's wife, Maria van Reigersberch, the idea to sneak her husband out of her in the chest. One day, Hugo Grotius saw an opportunity for her and climbed into the chest, managing to escape to France. In the 17th century, the castle was enlarged into a pentagonal fortress and included in the Dutch Water Line, a floodable defense line. This causes, to this day, that the Castle in times of rain is surrounded by water, having to constantly maintain the balance between the water, the castle and the walls. To prevent flooding inside the castle, an ingenious system of locks and drainage was developed that has protected it. Starting in the 18th century, the castle gradually fell into disrepair and parts of it collapsed. After World War I the castle was restored. Since 1925 the building houses a national museum.