Until the early 15th Century, it wasn’t the Lords of Vianen who were the most important rulers in the Vijfheerenlanden, but rather the Lords of Arkel. This family possessed several strategically positioned castles in the region that together formed a strong line of defence. Together with Everstein Castle, it was Hagestein Castle in Gasperden (now Hagestein) that formed the centrepiece of this line of defence. The castle was probably built in the 13th Century. In the mid-14th Century, the castle and the domain of Hagestein came into the hands of Jan IV van Arkel. His successor, Jan V van Arkel, likely had a new castle built in the north-west of the town.
The mighty Arkel stronghold …
Until the early 15th Century, it wasn’t the Lords of Vianen who were the most important rulers in the Vijfheerenlanden, but rather the Lords of Arkel. This family possessed several strategically positioned castles in the region that together formed a strong line of defence. Together with Everstein Castle, it was Hagestein Castle in Gasperden (now Hagestein) that formed the centrepiece of this line of defence. The castle was probably built in the 13th Century. In the mid-14th Century, the castle and the domain of Hagestein came into the hands of Jan IV van Arkel. His successor, Jan V van Arkel, likely had a new castle built in the north-west of the town.
The mighty Arkel stronghold and the ever-growing territory of the Lords of Vianen was a constant source of conflict. The two men were fierce enemies of each other. The Bishop of Utrecht also preferred to see the back of the Lord of Arkel. Between 1401 and 1412, the power struggle reached its peak in the Arkel wars. Gasperden was besieged on two separate occasions. The first siege was repelled, but in the year 1405 a second siege proved successful. Famine and a severe winter freeze forced the defenders to their knees. Both the castle and the town were completely destroyed. Only the church was spared.
Further reading: Vianen Castle, Batestein Castle, Dutch Reformed Church Hagestein, Hagestein village centre, Essensteyn farm.
