Clovis Middle Ages in the region of the Maas

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Middle Ages - SELFKANT

IIn the regions on both sides the Maas after the departure of the Romans ripuarischen Franconias established themselves.

Although Franconias had defeated the Romans and the Gallier, they turned out nevertheless slowly under the influence of the Roman gallischen culture. In the year 506 the Franconia king Clovis from the house of the Merowinger, which late Ludwig called itself, let itself be baptized. He was the first Christian Teuton king. 30,000 Franconias followed its example. Also ripuarischen Franconias recognized Clovis as a king, living in our area, on. Their area was incorporated the Frankish realm.

From all realms, which created the Teutons in Western Europe, the Frankish realm attained the greatest importance. After death Chlodwigs (Ludwig), which from 465 to 511 lived, expanded its sons the realm also since Burgund, Provence, Brittany, Thuringia and Bavaria. The realm developed by Chlodwig fell apart thereafter however again in 4 partial states. Our area belonged at that time to Austrasien. Capital of this state was Metz.

This Merowinger realm covered the country between Maas, Ardennen and Vogesen. Weak kings were expressed a following Clovis. They were called also illusory kings, because those held house Meier the actual work. The house Meier Pippin of Herstal became after a victory over a rival with Tertry in the year 687 house Meier of the whole Frankish realm. His son and successor Karl Martell, whose victory was over the Arabs with route and Poitiers in the year 732 of crucial importance for the further development of the evening country, interspersed that the office of the house Meier became hereditary. Karl's son Pippin the small one set off in the year 751 the last Merowingerkoenig and could with papal benediction to the king be proclaimed. After Pippins death in the year 768 followed in its son the Karl, who should enter as a Karl the large one history of the evening country. The dynasty of the Karolinger was designated after it. Karl the large one renewed in the year 800 the Roman Kaisertum as Christian universal rulers. Under its government Aachen became the political center of Western Europe. From Aachen into air line only 25 km separate us. One can say thus also right that the Selfkant for the heartland of the large realm of Karl of the large one belonged. Karl built numerous Pfalzen in the closer and further environment. The imperial palace in Meerssen became most well-known. In direct proximity of the Selfkants the Pfalzen in fount, Susteren and genuine was established.

Karl's successor his son Ludwig was the pious one (814 - 840). Contrary to Karl he was a weak and resolutionless prince. For his death in the year 840 his oldest son Lothar - in contradiction to the Frankish vomit, each child the equivalent large inheritance assigned - required whole realms for itself. From this a serious brother controversy developed. In the year 843 the so-called hereditary contract was closed by Verdun. The unit of the realm was lost. The present Treaty entailed practically the formation of national states. The early dream of united Europe was so suddenly destroyed. The historical researchers see the cause of this division in the Germanic vomit, according to which the area of a prince was possession under private law of the prince and not public possession.

In the year 847 the three grandchildren of Karl of the large one in the imperial palace in Meerssen met. When this meeting the arrangements made in Verdun were again confirmed and a common occurrence against the always more dreister becoming Normannen was specified. In the year 855 died Lothar I., to who the so-called central realm had been given. Still before its death it had divided the central realm among its three sons into three parts, in Lorraine, Burgund and north Italy. Over Lorraine Lothar should govern II.. It died 869 without legal inheriting. Its two uncles Karl the bald one and Ludwig the German distributed then by the contract of Meerssen in the year 870 Lorraine under itself. The contract of Meerssen should become the cause of the century-long controversy between France and Germany over Lorraine. The area east the Maas came at that time to the east realm.

Into this time fall also the ideas of the Normannen, which put on a strong fortress in Ascloa (the today's ASS ASS north of Roermond). From Ascloa pluenderten it the whole Rhine and Maasland. Karl of the thickness, the youngest son of Ludwig of the German, could probably encircle and besiege but not conquer the fortress Ascloa. Only after a defeat with lions in the year 892 the Normannen could be finally driven out from our regions. Temporarily here then the Swentibold used of the German emperor as a king prevailed. The aristocracy resisted however this strange king. It fell in the year 900 in a battle with Urmond to the Maas and in the pc. Amelberga abbey in Susteren was buried. Since this time the country carries the name "the country Swentibolds" between Selfkant and Maas.

During the Normanneneinfaelle the threatened population could hardly count on assistance of the emperor removed far. The defense of the threatened areas to the Mark and gau count leave, which won thereby the sympathy of the population and became gradually more powerful. The subjects regarded therefore not the emperor, but the count, in whose area they lived, as their actual prince. In the country between Rhine and Maas so many small states developed.

In this time the place millen played the prominent role in the Selfkant. History Millens as an administrative centre of the Selfkants begins already in the high Middle Ages. In the historical books of the duchies the name of the place millen seems to Brabant, funds and Juelich frequently. These three duchies were at that time core-German areas and belonged all to the holy Roman realm of German nation.
A document arranged from the year 1144 (Lacomblet, documents I No. 351) reported that under the government of the abbott Kuno (1105-1126) were the Benediktinerabtei victory castle of the Luetticher Kanonikus William its four nephews, the member of the house millen, to transfer their rights at the Millener church the compartments victory castle. Since one later contested the founder the donation, in the document of 1144 the legal relations, in particular between the monks and the minister, were specified. The patronage of the parish church remained with the house millen. The Propstei kept after its establishment Reliquien hl. of the Quirinus, which was very much admired in the Middle Ages already short. Thus became millen a place of pilgrimage temporarily.

The sex of the Mr. von Millen, which resided once on the castle millen, can be retraced into the year 1199. In the year 1199 in an alliance of the duke by Brabant with the count Otto von Geldern a Theodorich is mentioned by Milne. The documentary occupied history of the place can be retraced even into the year 1118.
The oldest construction units of the church in millen come according to opinion of the specialized scientists from the time around the year 1000.
The Mr. von Millen (and/or Milne were called at that time, like them) to have in the early Middle Ages an outstanding and richly wealthy aristocracy sex to have been. That is to be derived from the historically guaranteed fact that Gottfried of millen with mechanical tilde, which oldest daughter of the duke Reinald and/or pure hard II. was married by funds. Mechanical tilde of funds brought Vuecht (forest damp) to its husband as body breed also into the marriage. The fate Millens and Waldfeuchts should remain long very closely connected thereafter many centuries. The Mark count at that time and later duke of Juelich were married with Maria von Geldern, a sister of the mechanical tilde by funds. The Mr. von Millen was thus verschwaegert with the Mark count and later duke of Juelich. From mechanical tilde of funds, the woman of the gentleman von Millen, the speech will be still in more detail.

From 1216 to 1237 a Goswin of Milne was cathedral gentleman to Cologne and Propst to Utrecht. Around 1282 Arnold of millen, gentleman sold to millen,

Hauert (Havert?) and Anselm its goods at Dietrich von Heinsberg. From this Dietrich von Heinsberg Dietrich count von Loos and Ciny, gentleman descends to Heinsberg. Gottfried of millen (the husband of the mechanical tilde of funds) was the Erstgeborene of the count Theodorich von Loos and Ciny, Mr. to Heinsberg and bright mountain, a brother of Dietrich von Heinsberg. Gottfried of millen made its will on 20 January 1342 and bequeathed to its natural son Gottfried among other things a meadow with millen and the jurisdiction in the mansion Tudden (supposed Tueddern). Approximately at the same time became mechanical tilde of funds, which wife Gottfrieds of millen entangles, for the first time into the very lengthy succession controversy over the duchy funds. When duke Reinald and/or pure hard of funds suddenly died in the year 1343, it left two sons, i.e. Reinald (or also pure hard called) and Eduard, who originated however both from its second marriage. The three daughters from first marriage were entitled after the marriage contract of their nut/mother and due to the conditions over the succession in the female line, which Reinald had been imposed by king Adolf, to the succession. From the three daughters two were married, the oldest, mechanical tilde - as already a while ago mentions - with the Mr. von Millen and the youngest, Maria, with the Mark count von Juelich. Third was Aebtissin of a monastery and separated thereby from the succession. Only the Mark count von Juelich seems to have made at that time a requirement on the succession, but the existence male inheriting seems to have held it then nevertheless from the penetration of its requirements. Thus then first Eduard became duke of funds.

When Dietrich von Heinsberg inherited the two large counties Loos and Ciny in the year 1333 (after other sources possibly also only 1343) from its nut/mother, it pawned the three glories millen, course ELT and forest-damp to the duke Reinald of funds and its brother Eduard against 24.000 old sign. With it course ELT began and forest-damp a jerky time for millen. The three glories became in the process of the entangling resulting from this verpfaendung the zankapfel between the territorial gentlemen at that time.
As a duke Reinald of funds - which occurred at that time more frequently - in financial difficulties ruled, he continued to himself pawn the three glories on 22 August 1364 at the counts Johann von Moers, whereby however a buy-back right became to ausbedungen.

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Between the duchies Brabant and funds a controversy over the inheritance of the become extinct house falcon castle developed in the year 1366 (holl.: Valkenburg). When Wenzel of Luxembourg in the name of his wife, who last duchess from the house Brabant had bought up, between 1361 and 1378 the county falcon castle, it wanted to use the verpfaendung, in order to bring also millen into its possession. Johann of Moers was received on that and pawned to millen on 26 March 1378 at duke Wenzel of Brabant and Luxembourg. The pledge Schilling and its annual interest were imposed upon to the city Maastricht. It excited thereby the Unwillen Eduard von Geldern, who saw herein an encirclement attempt of of Luxembourg brabantischen power. In order to meet the threat, Eduard von Geldern offered an alliance on on the condition that he could the pledge total for millen, Gangelt and forest-damp pay back. Wenzel of Luxembourg dealt however not on this supply, but rejected it with insulting way. This development entailed controversy and war.

Around the glories millen, Gangelt and conflict forest-damp developed remained limited, how very often with military conflicts the case is, not to his starting point, but drew far sets. The entangling, which resulted from the verpfaendungen, are almost a test case for it how small causes can have large effects. Before we die on that more in greater detail, we must throw however first still another view of the further development in the duchy funds, with which history Millens was very closely linked at this time.

Because the duke of Juelich had broken allegedly in the year 1369 the land peace closed between Karl IV. and duke Wenzel of Brabant, the duke of Brabant engaged the battle to the duke with of Juelich in the year 1371 into the area of the duchy Juelich and supplied on 22 August 1371 with Baesweiler. The Juelicher was back-driven initially, but the battle call of the duke of funds suddenly erschallte on the battleground. The young duke Eduard, who had celebrated even in Holland its wedding with Katharina of Holland, had hurried his confederate immediately on the message from the brabantischen assault to assistance. Like an eddy wind he fell with his riders on the completely surprised brabantischen troops, freed themselves its blood relatives and an amount of army leader of the duke already caught of Juelich and took for his part the duke prisoner Wenzel of Brabant with a large number of its knights. The remaining brabantischen troops were driven apart. When it issued one instant verschnaufte and its helmet after the shining victory, an arrow from the own series met it suddenly. A compatriot, whom it had personally insulted, taught thereby a deadly wound to him. It died three days later at the suffered verwundung at the age of hardly 35 years.

The duke of Juelich led the caught duke Wenzel of Brabant, to which of his brother Karl IV. the title Vikar of the realm had been lent north the alps ", into the with difficulty accessible castle Nideggen to the Rur.

After the death of the young duke Eduard its brother Reinald became - which Eduard had thrown because of differences over the succession in the prison - from the dungeon gotten and to the duke proclaimed. Its health had suffered however in the prison so much that it died already three months later. These deaths entailed a vortex of internal Zwistigkeiten in funds. Two women could raise due to the document king Adolfs requirement on the duchy. Mechanical tilde had its first husband, whom von Millen lost gentleman, already early. She had married thereafter the count von Kleve, in addition, this marriage was only from short duration. Her sister Maria was the woman from the Mark count to the duke William of Juelich, ascended in the meantime. Mechanical tilde appointed itself to its rights as the oldest daughter and Maria, although the youngest of the three sisters, on the rights of her son, the seven-year-old of young duke William of Juelich, which was now the only male branch of the old geldrischen sex.

In order to go to possible difficulties out of the way, mechanical tilde married to be enough and powerful nobleman Johann of Blois, Mr. von Schoonhoven and Gouda, count von Blois and Avesnes as well as owner of large goods in Holland, sea-country, hen gau and France. Briefly after this marriage it came to military conflicts, which should last from 1372 to 1379. Johann of Blois had, like a French contemporary it once expressed, femme et guerre " (Mrs. and war) married. It came to the education of a powerful coalition, which wanted to transfer the count and the countess from Blois the duchy funds. Some sections of the duchy opposed them however resistance and decided for the young duke William of Juelich. Nevertheless the married people already left themselves in February 1372 as duke and a duchess huldigen. It was now the question, as the emperor would decide.

The old duke William of Juelich kept at this time still the brother imprisoned of the emperor, duke Wenzel of Brabant. It refused persistent releasing this. When the emperor appeared however in the year 1372 with a large armed force in Aachen and got ready to itself to bring the Juelicher duke with force to the reason this gave in and gave to its high prisoners against a substantial ransom the liberty. The emperor belehnte now as return the young duke William of Juelich with the duchy funds. Because of the minority of the young duke the duchy should be administered however for the time being by the old duke of Juelich. Thus the house Juelich in funds came to power.

The duchy had to be conquered however still to a large section. The strange to the fact is that the requirements of the young duke William of Juelich, which was a nephew of the Mr. von Millen against its aunt, who widow of the gentleman von Millen had to be interspersed. Probably left Johann of Blois already soon its wife and withdrew themselves to Holland, but mechanical tilde and her confederates did not give the fight up so fast. In different sections of the duchy the fight wogte back and forth. After fights for many years one had then reconciled oneself however nevertheless. According to a declaration/agreement between count Johann von Blois and the duke of Juelich a part of the duchy funds was placed immediately under juelische administration. The remaining areas were surrendered to young duke William up to the majority to mechanical tilde.

With contract from 24 March 1379 mechanical tilde and count Johann von Blois did without its rights and retired the duchy funds completely at duke William from Juelich. Thus the young duke William of Juelich took over the whole duchy funds. The ritterliche figure of the first geldrischen duke from the house Juelich brought the Rittertum of these days in opinion of the historians to new bloom. Tournaments and weapon plays were its passion and war fame its ideal. In the large war between France and England he participated as a confederate of the English king and followed thereby the traditions of its house.

The enmity with Brabant, which forest-damp still always further-smoldered because of the mutual requirements on millen, Gangelt and, was again deepened by the attitude of the young prince. Brabant was at that time closely connected with Burgund and France. Hundred years after the large war around Limburg faced each other Brabant and funds again as embittered enemies. Immediately after the death of the duke of Brabant in the year the courageous duke William raised 1381 from funds requirement on millen, Gangelt and Vuecht (forest damp), which as old allodiums (free goods) of the Mr. von Heinsberg pawned and had been further-pawned.

Special meaning came to these allodiums because of their position at the large trade route of Cologne to the Maas. From these requirements of the young duke developed already soon serious difficulties, which expanded to military conflicts.
In the year 1386 it came with Grave to heavy combat between brabantischen and geldrischen troops, which ended with a defeat of the troops of the duke of Brabant. The year 1387 passed with skirmishings and negotiations, but in the next year a large brabantisch burgundisches army before Grave emerged, which was driven apart however by a shining victory of the courageous duke William with Ravenstein. The defeat of the French policy in these regions was not so easily accepted however. One reflected rather upon revenge. This Rachegelueste felt both Philipp of Burgund as well as the French aristocracy.

A large French army, which became estimated on 60.000 to 100,000 men, should bring the duke of Juelich to the Raison. After a laborious march by the Ardennen, with which on requests of the duchess by Brabant for the indulgence of its subjects the march was avoided by brabantisches area, this large armed force marched into the duchy Juelich. One wanted the young England-friendly duke by this march crosswise by the area of its father, where he should become once duke, intimidates and for its over courage to punish. King Karl VI. of France stated the army, in order to take to revenge for those its uncle angetane disgrace.

The old duke of Juelich tried to mediate in this unequal fight and to tune the king of France benevolently. Its son did not have however by any means the intention of submitting so easily. It strengthened its geldrischen fortresses and worried the French army by continuing excursions and small skirmishes, which it undertook together with the groups of riders of the Linfars around-pulling in the Maas and Rhine country ". The large French army could maintain ground in the winter in the exploited Juelicher country only laboriously. Although the duchess of Brabant let daily large quantities of food transport, the supply of the troops was most unsatisfactory.

The duke of funds did not want to place itself to a decisive battle in view of the French supremacy. Only occasionally it emerged in the proximity of the French main armed force, thus before Roermond and in some other places. The Juelicher area had to suffer in this time much from the encroachments of the burgundischen troops, whereby also the Heinsberger country did not remain spared. In the spring 1388 Geilenkirchen, Heinsberg and the castle Leiffarth were destroyed.

The efforts of the duke of Juelich to mediate between the king of France and its persistent son were rejected further persistently by this despite that suffering the population. Only on 12 October 1390 the duke of funds gave to the urgent requests of the archbishop of Cologne hearing to release the country nevertheless of troubles of the French troops which penetrated ever more deeply into the neighbouring areas and plundered these. It closed therefore peace with Burgund and France and made Grave available, one of the zankaepfel, the king of France.

This again transferred Grave of the duchess from Brabant. It attached hieran however the condition that it is subordinated to the administration of the Mr. von Cuik, a friend Gelderns. On the next day the young duke in French field stocks appeared, without degrading itself however before the powerful king, who had not been able to defeat it despite its enormous supremacy. Thus the requirement Brabants on Grave was recognized; but this campaign had been able to bring in neither Burgund nor France fame. To millen, Gangelt and Vuecht (forest damp), around which it to the outbreak of hostilities had come, continued to remain with Brabant. But William had defied quite alone the powerful French kingdom, and made well-known and famous its names in completely west and Central Europe.

Hereby the different campaigns were terminated. Although it did not come between Brabant and funds yet to a peace treaty, they assumed a proposal for mediation of the bishop von Luettich nevertheless. One agreed to close up to the spring of the next yearly an armistice. Toward end of the armistice duke William was however again eagerly endeavored to prepare for the continuation of the fighting.
It modified however its intention, when it experienced that duke Philipp of Burgund preparations met, in order to come Johanna of Brabant to assistance. These immediately 600 lance riders sent into the disputed area. Aldenhoven and Linnich came up in the year 1932 in flames. In order this time was surrounded Geilenkirchen with barrier and ditch, in order to be able to protect itself from the continuing assaults. Also the attachments of Gangelt and forest-damp decrease/go back to this time.

Under these circumstances duke William decided to a comparison. On 23 October 1399 the peace between funds and Brabant was closed, whereby the three contentious glories millen, Gangelt and Vuecht remained with Brabant. Although the controversy was not yet finally decided over millen thereby, nevertheless any longer for it one did not fight.

Duke Johann IV. of Brabant found then finally an acceptable solution for the relations of the three contentious glories with the duchy Juelich. On 13 November 1420 it transferred millen, Gangelt and Vuecht as hereditary Lehen at Johann II., the Streitbaren " from Heinsberg. After the house Heinsberg under it had experienced a short bloom time again, came under its young the deceased successors to a rapid expiry. Johann II. had the three glories Gangelt, millen and Vuecht its youngest son, who von Luettich transfer later bishop.

This transferred the three districts of his sister Maria von Heinsberg, who was married with the count Johann von Nassau Nassau-Dillenburg. After their death in the year 1459 the three glories arrived into the common possession of Johann IV. of Heinsberg Nassau and Engelbert of Nassau Dillenburg Vianden. From these two the duke of Juelich acquired the three glories in the exchange in the year 1499 against the counties Diest and Sichem. Thus a controversy for many decades was finally attached and to the whole Selfkant juelischer possession.

From the again-acquired possession the office millen was formed. The manor-house of the castle millen became seat of the office man of the duke of Juelich. This office millen belonged then up to occupation by the French revolution armies in the year 1794 without interruption to the duchy Juelich. To this office to millen altogether 70 localities belonged and single farmsteads, under it also the two land small towns Gangelt and forest-damp. The long history, on which millen can look back, is still clearly noticeable in its local picture and in its monument-worth buildings. The wheel of history left more visible tracks in millen than in the remaining places of the environment. The neighboring place Tueddern is older, but the tracks from its earlyhistorical epoch are up to quite few - which besides only by experts are recognizable - smeared.

In millen against it still some buildings from its bloom time remained intact. The church in millen belongs to the oldest, most venerable and art-historical most interesting architectural monuments of the closer and further environment. The Apsis in the year 1150 of the built Quirinuskapelle is particularly praised by specialists because of their pure romanischen style. The castle millen with the agegrey walls of their also today still very wuchtigen and impressive castle tower is a stone witness of former power and glory. Besides the manor-house and the Propstei restored some years ago are still quite living memories of passed times.

To the office the four localities Tueddern, resistance, Suesterseel and Hillensberg did not belong to millen. They originally belonged to Sittard, which possessed whale RAM von Monschau since 1235 as Lehen of the diocese Luettich. 1318 Sittard was conquered by the duke of Brabant. It seems a little later to have made however a verpfaendung at Heinsberg. 1334 Dietrich von Monschau appears as a Mr. von Sittard, whom he had received from the duke from Brabant as limburgisches Lehen. The duke of Juelich bought then in the year 1400 Sittard of inheriting the house Monschau Falkenburg, to the count to Salm. Johann I. appears temporary of Heinsberg as a Mr. von Sittard. He pawns Sittard at Moers, but since 1494 Sittard was again in the possession of the duke of Juelich. The four villages Tueddern, resistance, Suesterseel and Hillensberg belonged to the main court Sittard of the office fount. In the year 1709 the office fount was divided into two offices and raised Sittard to an independent office. This jurisdiction was transferred in this time the juror banks. One of these juries had their seat in Suesterseel.

Also the development of these Selfkantdoerfer became from time to time very jerky. Against 1530 the Selfkant from Hollandismprotestantismusism came for the first time with the smprotestantismusism, with the Wiedertaeuferbewegung, in contact. Centers of this movement developed in the villages Hoengen, Havert and Saeffelen. Prominent headings under the Wiedertaeufern were the Vikar of Hoengen, Gielis of Breberen, which assumed the new teachings almost with the whole municipality, its kuester, January of stevens from Saeffelen and Heinrich of tonegladly, which had its fixed domicile in Hoengen. Despite the suppression of the new theory by the duke of Juelich this could do itself to in 17. Century inside hold. Still a Wiedertaeufer from Saeffelen married 1647 faith companion from Broichhoven. Only with the end 17. Century disappeared the Wiedertaeuferbewegung in the Selfkant.

Entire 16. Century was fulfilled of continuing wars. In the Geldri succession war in the years 1542 and 1543 the Selfkant was heavily carried forward. Heinsberg was conquered on 13 October 1542 after long siege, likewise Gangelt, Sittard and Susteren. The imperial troops caused large damage in the office millen. Fount, millen and forest-damp came up in flames. The office man of millen, Franz of Hanxler, lost 12 tenant farms, 3 locks and different mills by fire. Gangelt wanted to redeem itself by a ransom, but it came differently.

On the Westerheide an imperial soldier was killed and a number of horses was stolen. Gangelt had to pay for and up to some houses and choir of the Kirch was completely burned. Small combat on the Westerheide saw the Juelicher as a winner, had however no lasting success. The imperial ones pulled then after Saeffelen and Hoengen and carried there many inhabitants forward as hostages, until the robbed horses were refunded. The duke of Juelich prepared now a large army, in order to back-conquer its duchy; the imperial ones kept Heinsberg, Dueren and Susteren filled, while Sittard and Juelich were given up.

Dueren and Susteren came again into the force of the duke. Heinsberg was besieged by 22 March 1543, until the imperial ones frightened and from there on Sittard pulled the city, while the Juelicher collected itself in Roermond and pulled from there against the enemy. On 24 March 1543 it came with resistance to a bloody battle between the imperial ones and the troops of the duke William of Juelich, which were strengthened by troops of his brother-in-law, the cure prince by Saxonia. The fight began at 2.00 o'clock in the afternoon and one while had already taken, when a storm wind with enormous workstation rain turned the things in favor of the duke William of Juelich and the cure prince allied with it of Saxonia. The duke of Aerschot, which befehligte the imperial army, was destroying struck and had to leave 2,500 men on the battleground. The pleasures of this battle are to have been buried after the excessive quantity in the so-called Kemper Kuhl with resistance. Prince Renatus von Oranien, who was allied with the imperial ones, raechte this defeat by a victory over the Juelicher before Heinsberg on 20 June 1543.

During the siege Maastrichts by Farnese from March to at the end of of June 1579 curved the Netherlands troops pluendernd in the office millen around and caused large damage. A request for protection by a crew with the duke of Juelich did not have a success, so that the inhabitants themselves had to set up a troop crowd for their security, which cost them 14,000 guldens. In February 1592 many inhabitants of the offices millen, Geilenkirchen, Heinsberg and Wassenberg were taken prisoner by the soldiers of the count von Moers allied with the Dutchmen; to 1594 this Freibeuter touched by the country and caused in the whole area large damage.
Contemporary recordings give a picture of the large and heavy Drangsalen that time: The Spanish troops arranged 1578 in the office Sittard damage at a value of 6.466 Talern in January. At the same time in the villages Suesterseel, Tueddern, resistance, Broeksittard and Hillensberg damage for 2.019 Taler were caused. Damage was caused to the subjects of the office millen at a value of 23.578 Taler. During the siege of the city Maastricht in the year 1579 in the office millen damage at a value of 1.161 Talern was caused again. In the same year in millen, Havert, Isenbruch and scarf break damage was caused in values of 7.720 Talern. In the years 1579 to 1583 the Spanish troops in the office Sittard caused damage at a value of 15.929 Talern again.

From the year 1586 reported that in the office millen four humans killed, wounds it is taken prisoner 13, 8 and further 8 - as also the dead ones and wounded one - was output-robbed. Except the horses still 3,180 Taler at cash cash were robbed from them. On 13 February the Spanish captain Antonio of the Aguaia with 98 horses and 128 persons in the office millen took quarter 1589. During the only six days these troops for 1.036 Taler damage arranged continuing quartering. The Spaniard George Cresca plundered from the two offices millen and fount 450 crowns and by a quartering for 480 Taler damage added again. With later quartering in the two offices for 2.884 Taler damage was caused again.

The Selfkant in the second half of the thirty year's war suffered heavy devastations. Probably our area was still for a long time not afflicted most badly by this war, but it brought nevertheless very much mischief, particularly since since 1621, when the Netherlands war of liberation broke out after twelfe-year-old deadlockdeadlock deadlock again. From most the localities living in the proximity of the Netherlands boundary had to suffer. The constant Durchzuege and quartering of the mercenaries presented large victims to the inhabitants. The troops switched and walteten in the country with unbelievable rawness.

A refusal to correspond to the exaggerated requirements was answered with military Exekution. Therefore one sought to turn this danger away by as high a performances at cash and other supplies as possible. Thus Gangelt was attacked briefly and gepluendert before Easter 1636 by the imperial troops which are situated in Sittard, likewise in the July of the same yearly of the Dutch crew in Roermond. If it became too bad, then the desperate inhabitants rotted themselves together and struck down the mercenaries. It was worst in the years 1642 to 1644, where those lived to Hessen terriblly in our area. At the beginning of 1642 a franzoesich weinmarsche department crossed the Rhine with Wesel and connected themselves there with the Hessen under count Eberstein. Moved from the Maas ago the imperial field Mr. Lamboy against to them, however on 17 January with Huels completely one struck. The hessian and weimarsche war people poured now in the Siegestaumel over the whole area and lived the summer through in terrible way. Women and virgins were violated, the men in the chimneys were hung up and burned. Whole localities were abandoned the destruction. Gangelt was three times gepluendert in this time, on 4 March 1642, at the end of of October 1643 and on 24 October 1644.

Also into the Durchzuegen of Austrian, French, English and hannoverscher troops in the wars of Ludwig XIV. as well as in the Spanish succession war it came to large losses has and property Suesterseel on 23 February 1702 by troops of the duke by Marlborough (an ancestor Winston Churchill) heavily was gepluendert on and devastated. The inhabitants of Suesterseel had to pay a large total ransom. Even the church was not spared, even the Paramente and the holy containers were robbed. Minister Matthias Cleven, which wanted to oppose this plundering, was dragged from his dwelling and shot short hand.

During the many wars 16. and 17. Century and large Pestepedimien broke to the following NOT and hunger times out in the Selfkant repeats. In the year 1666 the plague raged in Saeffelen so violently that the inhabitants in their NOT undertook an asking bittprozession to hl. the Rochus in forest damp. From fear of an infection the forest-damp concluded however the city gates. On requests of the barrier drivers the fixed image hl. of the Rochus was set up however outside of the stadtmauern, so that the Saeffelner could hold an asking devotion at least in the free one. After the excessive quantity the Pestepedimie is to have faded away on it. From gratitude the Saeffelner donated a silver Pilgerstab hl. to the Rochus in the year 1667. This staff has the inscription: Pagus Saffelen Dono Dedit Anno 1667. The staff is kept today still in forest damp and decorates the figure hl. of the Rochus.

Approximately at the same time the so-called Schwarze clasped death " also in stone. It raffte there almost all inhabitants away. From fear of a renewed transfer of this very much sticking on infection the few survivors returned no longer to the original settlement at the cattle route, but created a new place at the road from Havert to stone.

Only around the center 18. Century occurred an improvement of conditions. In the times of distress of continuing wars however dangerous gangs of robbers had developed, which drove their nuisance under the name Bockreiter " still for a long time. The support riders, whose Untaten lives on still today in the vernacular, occurred in the main in the years 1741 to 1745 and from 1762 to 1772. At that time were armed robberies, thefts, failures, plunderings and plundering at the agenda. It exists a copy of a protokollarischen hearing over a failure theft, which on Saturday, which 13 July 1770 was committed, on house stone with Havert and also the support riders is charged. In the lists of the members of these gangs also names of inhabitants at that time of the Selfkants appeared. The authority tried to order to the gang nuisance and the tide of the acts of violence by drastic and deterring measures stop. The executing were only buried for example after they had hung some days for deterrence on the Galgen.