La
Licorne
THE
first SUCCESSORS of ARNOLDUS
I
had a point in telling visitors about Arnoldus with his house in
Bokhoven. The mention of his name in old documents points to
his existence and status. All the same data are scarce and sources not always
sterling hard. The best I can do is to present the information I have,
including my doubts and best guesses.
The attached family-tree may assist in finding a way through the bits and pieces of information given in the next paragraphs about the founding fathers.
After the mention of Arnoldus de Buchoven in the year 1243 we have to wait till 1307 before Bokhoven as a village makes its entry in the records. This happens on the occasion of a dispute between the church and a knight Gerardus van Herlaer about the levy rights. Could better proof of civilization be found? As a matter of fact the relation between the gentry of Bokhoven and the church has been having its ups and downs ever since.
Then the
name of Johanna van Arkel van Bokhoven turns up, significantly and
mysteriously. Since she was born in 1273 one must guess whether she was the
daughter or the granddaughter of the said Arnoldus. Whatever the case, she
definitely held Bokhoven and Arkel in her name, while she married an Oem. Later Oems proudly added both names
to theirs. The point is that blood and marriage bonds existed between the
families of 'van Arkel', 'van Bokhoven' and 'Oem'. That relation played a role
in the events that followed.
For
completeness sake it must be mentioned that in a later stage the knight
Ghiselbertus Coc turns up in Bokhoven. Apparently he was of a devout type since
he arranged the founding of a chapel in the year 1363. Ghiselbertus probably
was related to Arnoldus and was certainly married to a lady from Limburg, a
Gertrudis van Stein. Right after the manor became the property of Jan van Herlaer, son of
Dirk van Herlaer and Heilwig van Arkel. On 15 September 1365 the
property was submitted to the Prins-Bishop of Liège with the request to hand it
over in loan and possession to Jan's brother. This Aert van Herlaer -indeed-
received the manor on 1 October 1365. On 16 October he sold it to Jan Oem van
Arkel.
To me this sounds
like a report on suspect real estate deals out of yesterday's newspaper,
complete with inter-family-deals and conflicts-of-interests. Now for one thing:
in those feudal days it was not uncommon to submit one's holdings to a
sovereign in order to get it back on loan and possession. Were all the goods
not handed down by the heavenly supreme to his earthy monarchs, who on their
turn could do with it whatever they thought fit? Besides, having received his
possessions out of the hands of a sovereign would bestow the subservient holder
a measure of backing from that more powerful upper. Indeed, the u-turn
construction can be placed in its historic perspective; the real drama follows
from the players and the hectic activities on the stage. A close look on the
scene gives the following to think.
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It appears Jan van Herlaer submitted his property not to a stranger, but to a very reverend member of his family on mother's side: His Excellency the Prince-Bishop of Liège himself. Mark also the timing: uncle -or cousin- had hardly been ordained to bishop, or the family requested him to sanctify their property in Bokhoven. Moreover is it striking that Aert van Herlaer -who became it from his brother Jan- after two weeks sold everything on to his cousin -or nephew- Jan Oem van Arkel. So, the Van Bokhovens, Van Herlaers, Van Arkels and Oems leave quite a bit to ponder, but -on the other hand- ensured for tiny Bokhoven an independent position between the surrounding rulers that would last till the end of the eighteenth century. |
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Coat of Arms of Arnoud de Herlaar around 1212: 1 et 4, d'argent, à trois têtes de lion de
gueules ; 2 et 3, d'or, à la fasce contre-bretessée de gueules. |
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Coat of Arms of Jean
de Arkel, who became the Prince-Evêque
of Liège in 1364. |
Through marriage the Oems were succeeded by the House of Van der Aa from 1453 through 1540. In that period the Seigniorial status of Bokhoven was upgraded to Baronial. When in 1561 Spain took control of North Brabant in its warfare against Holland, the Free State Bokhoven escaped from Spanish conquest by clinging to its protector in Liège.
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design |
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Van Immerseel |
de
Montmorency D'or à la
croix de gueules, cantonnée de 16 alérions d'azur |
Lévis de Mirepoix |
After inheritance and marriage the House of Van Immerseel made its entry in 1570. Seventy years later Bokhoven became an Earldom. In the frame of the settlement of the Eighty Year War between Spain and Holland, the 1648 Treaty of Münster resulted in Brabant becoming a colony of Holland and Bokhoven to stay autonomous.
In the same year the first Earl of Bokhoven, Engelbert II van Immerseel and his spouse Hélène de Montmorency made up their will with the clause they be buried together in a sarcophagi.
The resulting marble masterpiece cut by the sculpture Artus Quellines can be found in the Church of Bokhoven.
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Engelbert van Immerseel and Hélène de Montmorency |
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In 1741 the last Van Immerseel ruling over Bokhoven died and the House of de Montmorency forthwith provided Bokhoven's gentry.
MORE ABOUT BOKHOVIAN GENTRY