Gijsbrecht IV of Amstel
Gijsbrecht IV of Amstel or Gijsbrecht IV van Amstel (c. 1235 – c. 1303) was a powerful lord in the medieval
Life
His family probably originated from
To this end Gijsbrecht IV—along with the other powerful lords Zweder of Abcoude, Arnoud of Amstel, and
Gijsbrecht changed sides when opportune, and some accounts allege him to have been involved in Floris's later capture and assassination. After his resulting exile, he established himself probably in Oss in the Duchy of Brabant. He died in exile in Flanders, though Professor Pim de Boer at the University of Groningen has found serious, though not entirely conclusive, indications that Gijsbrecht—after his exile, with a few followers—founded Pruissisch Holland, not far from Elbing.
Popular culture
He was the eponymous hero of a play by Joost van den Vondel, Gijsbrecht van Aemstel. This was set during the siege of 1304, and switched him with his son Jan. Through this mistaken-identity, Gijsbrecht has become a hero of Amsterdam, with a statue in the Beurs van Berlage and a city park in southern Amsterdam named after him, the Gijsbrecht van Aemstelpark.
External links
- Media related to Gijsbrecht IV of Amstel at Wikimedia Commons