Tiel is one of the oldest towns in the Netherlands and was even a trading town of international significance in the tenth century. In succeeding centuries, the town became less influential yet managed to remain its positions as an important member of the international Hanseatic League. There are still many monuments in Tiel that commemorate this history, such as St Martin’s Church and the water gate.
Hanseatic town
Tiel first came into its prime as early as the 9th century when it took over the town of Dorestad’s trading position, a town only a short distance away. In 896, the Frankish king Zwentibold, a great-grandson of Charlemagne, granted Tiel the right to charge a toll, and during the 10th and 11th centuries, merchants from Tiel maintained close contacts with fellow merchants in England and Germany. The relocation of the toll to Kaiserswerth near Duisburg (Germany) caused Tiel’s influence to wane, but the town reacquired its fame in the 14th century as a Hanseatic town.
County of Guelders
The Duchy of Brabant and County of Guelders often fought over possession of Tiel and in 1334, Count Reinoud II of Guelders reconquered the town back from the Duchy of Brabant. In 1339, Tiel finally became part of the County of Guelders in exchange for Heusden. The relationship with Brabant improved considerably after the conqueror’s son, Reinoud III, married Maria of Brabant, the daughter of Jan III, Duke of Brabant. This soo changed when Reinoud III fought with his younger brother, Eduard, over their father’s succession. The conflict was decided in 1361 during a battle at Tiel, in which Reinoud was captured and imprisoned in Nijenbeek Castle.
The water gate
The town expanded further in the 16th and 17th centuries by building fortifications and a new suburb. Nowadays, Tiel cherishes its monuments, such as St. Martin’s Church (St. Maartenskerk), the magistrate’s house (Ambtshuis), the magistrates’ court (Kantongerecht) and in particular, the old gateway to the harbour, the water gate (Waterpoort), which had been very important to the town´s trade for centuries. The water in the harbour has since silted up, but one thing has certainly not changed: the old merchants´ pubs are still there.
