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Case Studies - Beguinages - The Netherlands
Begijnhof, Haarlem, The Netherlands
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Type of institution for collective action |
Beguinage | |
Name/description institution |
Begijnhof | |
Country |
The Netherlands | |
Region |
Province of Noord-Holland | |
Name of city or specified area |
Haarlem | |
Further specification location (e.g. borough, street etc.) |
Beguinage was situated at the location of the house, courtyard, garden, and orchard of the priest Arent van Sassenheim (later to become the first priest of the beguinage), who donated these possessions to the beguines in 1262. This orchard was lying behind the Grote Kerk, bordered by both the Jansstraat and the Bakenessergracht. | |
Surface area and boundaries |
See above and map beneath. The beguinage consisted of 56 houses and 5 convents.
Map of the location and buildings of the Begijnhof at Haarlem. Source: Monumentenzorg Haarlem. Click on image for larger version.
The beguinage also owned, as a result of donations and legacies, several pieces of land throughout the Low Countries. They were not actually used by the beguinage itself, the beguinage however, being the formal owner, enjoyed the revenues of those estates, such as land rents and tithes. | |
Patron Saint |
Saint Martin | |
Foundation/start of institution, date or year |
c. 1262 | |
Foundation year: is this year the confirmed year of founding or is this the year this institution is first mentioned? |
First mentioning of the presence of beguines in Haarlem, mentioned in deed of priest Arent van Sassenheim, donating the property of his house, courtyard, garden, and orchard to the beguines living in Haarlem. Hence, it appears that there were already beguines living in Haarlem before 1262. | |
Foundation act present? |
Yes. | |
Description of Act of foundation |
Deed of priest Arent van Sassenheim, donating the property of his orchard to the beguines living in Haarlem | |
Year of termination of institution |
There was no formal end of the beguinage as institution. However, with the death of the last beguine living at the beguinage (Anna Barbara Amstenraad, died April 7, 1824 at the age of 86), the beguinage could no longer be considered to be a beguinage in the strict sense of the word. | |
Year of termination: estimated or confirmed? |
Confirmed date. | |
Act regarding termination present?
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No. See above. | |
Description Act of termination |
See above. | |
Reason for termination? |
From the end of the seventeenth century on, the number of beguines decreased, while hardly any new novices presented themselves to be admitted. With the death of the last beguine living at the beguinage (Anna Barbara Amstenraad, died April 7, 1824 at the age of 86), the beguinage could no longer be considered to be a beguinage in the strict sense of the word. | |
Recognized by local government? |
Yes. Protection of the beguinage was guaranteed by both the Count of Holland and Zeeland (Count Albrecht I of Bavaria) and the municipal government of Haarlem (1356, promise renovated in 1389 and 1408). The power of appointing the priest of the beguinage was the privilege of the Count of Holland and Zeeland until the Count abdicated this power to the beguines themselves in 1401. In 1404, privileges of beguinage were officially recognized by the Bishop of Utrecht. | |
Concise history of institution | ||
In 1262, the priest of the Grote Kerk of Haarlem, Arent van Sassenheim, donated the property rights of his house, courtyard, garden and orchard to the beguines living in Haarlem. From the content of the deed, it seems these beguines were already living in Haarlem before 1262. In 1263, the former properties of the priest were transformed into a beguinage and the construction of the church of the beguinage was started.
A great city fire in 1347 destroyed a major part of the church of the beguinage. As of 1348, services could be held again in a small part of the church already restored; the restauration of the church was not completed until 1398.
During the fourteenth century, the Count of Holland and Zeeland was not only a formal protector of the beguinage, but also enjoyed the sole privilege of appointing the priest of the beguinage. In 1401, Count Albrecht I of Bavaria abdicated this right and transferred this privilege to the congregation of the Haarlem beguines. From 1401 on, the beguines had the privilege of electing the priest of the beguinage themselves.
In 1576, a great city fire destroyed a large part of the inner city of Haarlem, including most of the houses of the beguinage. Only one house and the church of the beguinage survived the fire and are the only remains of the original beguinage (i.e. dating from before the fire of 1576) still to be found at the former location of the beguinage. Tweo years later, the Alteration in Haarlem reached its peak. The possessions of Catholic institutions at Haarlem, impounded by the Estates General, were donated by the Estates General to the municipal government of the City of Haarlem, in order to serve as compensation for the losses the city of Haarlem suffered due to the Siege of Haarlem by the Spanish (1572-3).
As a result of the Alteration, on April 24th, 1581, the possessions of the beguinage fell to the municipal government. The church of the beguinage was closed instantly, only to be re-opened again in 1590, after being commissioned to the Walloon Church. The beguines however were allowed to remain living in their own houses, regardless whether the house was owned by either the beguine herself or the beguinage before the Alteration. The municipal government provided for the payment of pensions to the beguines.
The Alteration did, however, not put an end to the existence of the Haarlem beguinage. By acquiring new houses at the former Lange Poort, the beguines managed to be able to continue admitting new novices and therefore to ensure the survival of the beguinage as instution throughout time.
The decrease of the number of novices in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries affected the beguinage of Haarlem severely. The existence of the beguinage as such ended with the death of the last beguine, Anna Barbara Amstenraad, aged 86, on April 7, 1824.
After the death of the last beguine, the houses of the beguinage were converted into regular houses. On the premises of the former beguinage, a new Catholic church was built (Church of Saint Joseph, built in 1841-3 and consecrated in 1843). Nowadays, the remaining houses of the former beguinage form the central part of the Haarlem red light district. | ||
Special events? Highs and lows? Specific problems or problematic periods? | ||
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Membership | ||
Numbers of members (specified) | ||
Numbers of beguines are known from various sources:
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Membership attainable for every one, regardless of social class or family background? | ||
The beguinage at Haarlem admitted novices regardless of their financial status. Beguines who had ample financial resources of their own, usually owned their own house at the beguinage (after having lived at one of the convents for at least two years). The poor beguines together with the novices lived within the respective convents of Saint Gertrud (Sint Geertruytsconvent), Saint Agnes (Sint Agnietenconvent), Saint Lucia (Sint Lucienconvent), and Saint Barbara (Sint Barberenconvent). The mistresses of the beguinage were living in the Convent of Saint Agatha (Sint Aachtenconvent). | ||
Specific conditions for obtaining membership? (Entrance fee, special tests etc.) | ||
To become a beguine, each novice had to pass some phases:
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Specific reasons regarding banning members from the institution? | ||
Disrespecting the rules, inobedience to the mistresses of the beguinage, and indecent or improper behavior could all in its way be the cause for banishing the novice or beguine from the beguinage. | ||
Advantages of membership? | ||
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Obligations of members? | ||
The principal vows of beguines were the vows of chastity and obedience (the latter especially referring to the obedience to the mistresses of the beguinage). | ||
Literature on case study | ||
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Sources on case study | ||
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Links to further information on case study: | ||
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Case study composed by | ||
Aart Vos, Stadsarchief 's-Hertogenbosch (inventarisation of data) René van Weeren, Utrecht University (text) |
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