The Dutch

by Richard E. Schultz

  The appointment of the Baron Clifford van Weir as Commander of the Garrison, by the Estate General at The Hague, surprised everyone in Amsterdam. The Baron, the Lord of the Droger Land, was the one successful Dutch cavalry commander in the war with Spain. Most thought he and his soldiers were needed desperately against the advancing Spanish legions in the south. His relatively small band of cavalry had been victorious, while larger Dutch Armies had suffered defeat. During the Papal dominance his name was only whispered on the streets of Amsterdam. Those supporting the King portrayed him as a savage devil; those favoring independence painted his image as one of an avenging angel. It was rumored that he had hung wavering Protestant nobles for collaborating with Royal officials. Since getting word of his appointment; local officials were attempting to portray a less frightening image of their new commander who would now control the city and its military forces. The leaders of the different gangs of thieves that surrounded the city were not buying the new benevolent image of this Dutch warlord. The thieves were ready to resist any change in the status quo attempted by the new commander.

  Years earlier, Clifford van Weir, the Lord of the Droger Land, was one of the first nobles to take up arms against the invading Spanish Army. His decision to fight had been important to the people in Holland, because the van Weirs were the bluest of the blue-blooded Dutch nobility. Everyone was aware his family tree could authentically be traced to Roman times. While better known and more powerful nobles procrastinated or supported the King, it was significant to the people of Holland that the newest patriarch of the van Weir family championed the struggle for independence with his sword. The Baron’s call to arms was answered by a few hundred of Holland’s best horsemen. Most were Calvinist, but a few were Catholics from his own Duchy of the Droger Land. They would prove to be a greater threat to Spanish occupation in the countryside than previous feeble Dutch attempts at resistance in the cities. The Baron’s little force became a very effective military unit, waging a ferocious guerrilla campaign of attrition against the larger yet surprisingly vulnerable Spanish Army. They inflicted damage on isolated Spanish detachments and ambushed larger Spanish units of heavy cavalry sent in pursuit. His successes only grew when the Baron’s men discarded the lance in favor of pistols and swords. It proved to be a good decision. The Spanish cavalrymen rarely got close enough to use their lances. These small victories demoralized the invaders and sparked Dutch resistance which turned into wholesale defiance of the occupation. The Spanish Army, trained for combat on dryer ground, found it difficult to deal with the ability of the Baron’s horsemen to traverse the Netherlands’s aquatic landscape almost at will, always keeping their firearms dry.

  The ability of the Baron’s troopers to move freely was the reason the Estates General, the new Republic’s governing body, appointed him to the Amsterdam command. While Amsterdam’s citizens were safe within the massive walls, a new home-grown threat was jeopardizing the developing economic vitality of the entire region. On every road and waterway that lead to Amsterdam the “Wild Men of the Forest” a collection of bandit gangs, motivated by greed, were disrupting the flow of people and merchandise to a city that was destined to become the greatest center of commerce in the world. Traditional Dutch Law forbade magistrates, sheriffs, and militias from taking action outside the immediate walls. It was an age-old custom to protect the people in the countryside from domination by the more powerful forces that controlled a city. Most of Amsterdam’s citizens hoped that the new commander would attempt to reach a non-violent solution with the disruptive bandits. On the other hand, Clifford van Weir had a reputation for being more of a warlord than a diplomat. These questions would soon be answered as the Baron and his horsemen were already approaching the city.

  The new commander and his two hundred cavalrymen completed the day-long journey in eighteen hours, purposely avoiding confrontation by arriving as the sun was rising over Amsterdam. The trip was uneventful except for hostile stares from gang members and shabby onlookers that the column had startled from sleep after approaching within five miles of the city. For the next few miles they awakened other men who met them with the same adverse stares. Drawing within a mile of the city, the atmosphere changed, crowds of cheering farmers offered mugs of warm beer to the troops, as they walked their horses the last mile of their journey. At the main gate, they were met by sheriffs who guided the column through the narrow streets lined by cheering people till they reached the center of the city. As they approached the main hall, the Baron could see a group of assembled estate members, magistrates, and others awaiting his arrival. The dignitaries were flanked by detachments of the three local militias in their finest military regalia.

  The smallest militia group, elderly nobles and wealthy merchants, mounted on magnificent horses, seemed to glow as the morning sun met their well-polished armor and weapons. The Baron made a mental note that this group would be the least helpful in a campaign against the wild men. The largest group, the common militia, were infantry whose members came from the guilds and were armed with pikes and other antiquated weapons. Yet his experiences told him this spirited and patriotic group would defend this city with their bare hands against any enemy invader. The third group was well-armed, mounted men armed with an assortment of matchlock weapons. These were the most highly motivated citizens in the city, skilled craftsmen, shipwrights and other assorted entrepreneurs, who, with training, would be well suited for the military campaign he planned. These Burgers were the backbone of the Dutch resistance to Spain. The Baron respectfully reviewed the militia detachments, praising each and stopping to speak with each military commander. It went unnoticed to onlookers that he had spent more time with the leader of the third group, mounted men known as the Clover Militia.

  The “Lord of the Droger Land” seemed embarrassed as the cannons on the city walls blazed forth a salute, and he reluctantly accepted a gift, a brace of expensive silver-plated match lock pistols presented to him. When the speeches ended, he had sheriffs lead his horsemen to their quarters. The Baron van Weir was pleased with the site of an old monastery chosen to accommodate his men. The old church and two large buildings were converted to barracks with fresh straw and new blankets provided for each of his soldiers as bedding. Such lodging was a luxury for troops used to the protection of only tarps or tents. The Baron noted the high stone wall, surrounding the complex, gave his men privacy and made the task of securing the facility easier. The Baron requested a detachment of sheriffs to guard the entrance ways while his men rested.

  Upon entering the makeshift barracks, his men found a host of the city’s matrons carefully tending large iron pots filled with a variety of wonderful fish or meat stews. Large tables were covered with freshly baked breads and biscuits and an assortment of cheeses. An abundance of wooden kegs of ale were donated by the cities best brewers; Amsterdam had a reputation for brewing the best beer in the Netherlands. The Baron particularly enjoyed the ale as he lunched with his men. His soldiers were anticipating a few days to enjoy the generous hospitality of the city, when the Baron unexpectedly confined them to the barrack’s area. After the fine meal, the Baron was escorted to a large house, adjacent to the complex, the former residency of the Catholic bishop. The house was designated as his official residence. It was a magnificent home but sparsely furnished, since most of the furniture had been looted following the bishop’s hasty departure. A housekeeper led him to a fresh bed for a brief rest. Once awake, he sent his scribe to the homes of the Chief Magistrate and High Sheriff (Schout), requesting them to meet with him immediately. The Baron was told that they were good men who could be trusted to give truthful opinions and most importantly, follow commands.

  Imprisonment for crimes was almost unknown in the sixteenth century Netherlands. A person convicted of a serious crime was usually put to death. Less serious crimes might be settled with compensation to the victim or banishment from the city. The laws of banishment were well known, and seldom used. If a per
son was banished from a city or walled town, the sentence was strictly enforced. A banished criminal was relatively free to roam the countryside as long as he did not come within a mile and a half of a town or city. This distance was clearly marked on Ban-Palen posts on every road and canal which led to Amsterdam. A banished person caught inside these posts were commonly put to death without trial. Banished persons had a difficult time finding employment and many roamed the countryside eventually committing other crimes. They were often referred to as the “Wild Men of the Forest.” Most were usually forced to live in the woods because any banishment usually barred their entry to the villages which dotted the countryside. The misuse of the traditional laws of banishment was the root cause of the present problems confronting the city; the very existence of these evil gangs was for the most part self-inflicted.

  For the previous decade, the judicial system in Amsterdam was corrupted by the negative influence of the Catholic Bishop. The supposed “Holiest of Men” used his influence to replace competent and honest magistrates and sheriffs, who were dedicated to maintaining good order, with dishonest and unscrupulous but loyal catholic laymen. He picked those ill suited to hold an office of responsibility. The men selected as magistrates and sheriffs became fixated on the Bishop’s and King’s goals of pursuing anyone suspected of following the Reformation. The bishop’s appointees also used the positions to enrich themselves. Corruption and bribery became commonplace. The proclamation of banishment became the universal tool of incompetent and lazy judicial officials for all secular crimes within the city. Murders and rapists, previously punished by death, received the same punishment as petty thieves, banishment.

  This left these hardened criminals the opportunity to commit similar crimes on innocent people outside the city walls. In Amsterdam, almost any accusation led to conviction and banishment to the countryside. The number grew substantially during the Bishop’s reign. It seemed the Catholic magistrates felt the ultimate penalty of death be reserved for heretics. The new policy toward banishment increased the numbers of the wild men surrounding the city. The career criminals, escaping the ultimate punishment, were able to organize other banished men into gangs that preyed on a specific roadway or canal leading to the city. At the beginning of the Spanish occupation, the wild men won some public sympathy by confining their attacks to those arriving from Spain to enforce King Philip’s will. The growth of the gangs was enhanced by new Protestant members fleeing the King’s oppression and had found sanctuary among them and stayed. The membership again swelled when Spain blockaded northern ports. The embargo created a pool of young unemployed men easily recruited into crime. The occasional violent act of a single wild man or two grew into eight loosely affiliated criminal organizations that controlled all the major roads and canals that approached the city. They attacked anyone whom they deemed vulnerable, committing violent acts when victims resisted. Farmers, merchants, and travelers were forced to pay tribute to ensure their personal safety and to maintain their possessions. The cost of essential items supplied by land rose dramatically for the city’s citizens causing suffering among the poor. The emboldened criminal gangs built eight “Thieves Villages” a few feet outside the Palen Posts yet far from any legal jurisdiction which might inhibit their activities. These inns and shops, taverns and warehouses, operated free of the excises taxes collected in Amsterdam. Goods stolen on the roadways were openly sold in these villages, with victims sometimes forced to repurchase their possessions. Items stolen in the city made their way to the thief’s marketplace. Prostitution and gambling became common at these locations. This bandit marketplace began to compete with legitimate merchants with the lure of less expensive untaxed merchandise. Even respectable citizens began making trips to these enclaves for the lower prices and immoral services not available in the city. The money spent helped the gangs become richer and more powerful.

  The Chief Magistrate at this time, originally from a Catholic family, was forced to hide his conversion to Calvinism, but suspicions remained. He was forced to resign his judicial position when Royal influences dominated the city. The High Sheriff, with a similar background, was demoted and delegated to checking weights and measurements in the marketplace. Since re-acquiring their positions under the new government, their efforts to diminish the power of the gangs had been inhibited by influential wealthy merchants with ties to the bandits. These rich merchants were increasing their fortunes by supplying tax free items such as beer, wine, and weapons to the criminal enclaves. These influential men reminded the magistrate and sheriff that they lacked legal authority to act on events past the Ban-Palen posts. This inhibited assistance to the small farming and fishing communities that lay beyond the city’s walls that were being ravaged by crime. These villages supplied the city with food and other important items. This commerce was not only being threatened, it was being taken over by the gangs.

  The Baron had prepared for his first meeting with the magistrate and sheriff. He listened intently to the frustration both men expressed when they told him of the legal barriers. They told him they had no authority to take action outside the city. They made mentioned of the merchants who had flaunted all attempts to bring to justice to those who committed grievous crimes outside the city walls. When there was a pause in the conversation, the Baron handed each a document with the seal of the Dutch Republic’s Estates General. The Hague had temporarily extended the lawful authority of both the Chief Magistrate and High Sheriff to a distance of ten miles from Amsterdam. The Baron warned them to restrain their use of this new jurisdiction until his own plans were finalized. He ordered them to prepare a “List of Scoundrels’ with the names of as many gang members as possible. The name of each man should be marked with an “X” if he were too leniently sentenced by the former corrupt magistrates. They were given a week to complete the list and told that the merchant collaborators’ names should appear at the very top of the list.

  The leaders of these gangs were no fools and the arrival of Clifford van Weir caused them alarm. They had their spies watching the movements of the Baron, and the cities gates were monitored so they might be forewarned should the Baron move against any of them. The Baron spent the next week playing the role of a congenial leader getting to know his constituents. At his first meeting with the city estate he had serious discussion regarding the city’s defenses and the need for an allotment of funds to pay his troops. He also bantered good-humoredly about the inadequate furnishing at his home. He told the council he planned to activate units of the different militias for “training.” When some nobles and rich merchants objected to training with ordinary soldiers, he acceded to their objections and promised to limit the activation to the Clover Militia and a few selected units of the Common Militia.

  Every day he lunched at the home of a noble who had gathered his friends and family for the occasion. When requested he would tell stories about battling the Spanish but mostly listened to his hosts and their friends. These conversations were in French, the language of the Dutch aristocracy. He had trouble hiding his distaste for newer nobles whose titles were purchased recently and still had difficulty with the language of true nobility. The Lord of the Droger Land was more at home in the market places he visited each morning. Each market was identified by the product sold, and he tried to visit a few markets every morning. His retainers carried a few bags of freshly baked pastries, which he gave to the poor children he encountered on the narrow streets. While the prices in the fish and vegetable markets had remained stable, the soaring costs at the cheese, grain and meat marketplace were becoming a problem for people of modest means. The lack of affordable staples made life unbearable for the poor, and the high prices could be traced directly to the activities of the gangs.

  After his lunch with the nobles, the Baron ended his day with a tour of the ethnic enclaves whose diversity contributed much to the economic health of the city. The first afternoon was spent in discussions with the growing community of Dutch merch
ants from Antwerp who had fled the Spanish persecutions in the south. These men once controlled the grain trade in Europe and were rebuilding their networks with the hope Amsterdam would become the center of these new operations. On the second day of these visitations, the Baron activated the Clover Militia, who disappeared within the old monastery walls to train with his horsemen. At his luncheon with nobles the next day, he showed some interest in a suggestion regarding negotiations with gang leaders for safer, freer and less expensive access to the city. It was a ploy on his part to lure the gangs into complacency. That afternoon he visited neighborhoods where Catholics had begun to cluster following the Protestant takeover. Two years earlier the Catholic residents had been banned from possessing arms or participating in militia activities. They requested reconsideration regarding the matter claiming loyalty to the city. The next morning rumors spread across the city that groups of armed Catholic horsemen were being admitted to the monastery grounds. For the rest of the week the Baron continued his trips to the market places, his luncheons with the nobility and discussions with different ethnic groups. Once such meeting was with former Spanish and Portuguese Jews, who held all but a monopoly on the trade in precious gemstones. They were the largest group of money lenders in the city. He also visited with was the growing community of French Huguenots and their families who had fled the terror of one or more of the first five religious wars in France, knowing the warfare would continue. He received a warm welcome and pledges of support from his fellow Calvinist who disliked any version of anarchy.