The Demise of The Zoudenbalchs: The Reformation and The Dutch Revolt
Having been politically engaged troublemakers par excellence in the course of the 15th century, the Zoudenbalchs, retired from prominent roles in public life during the course of the sixteenth. Whilst the family led a charmed life in their countryside castles in the Sticht (Prattenburg, Ter Meer, Zuylenstein) the social and political structure of the Netherlands was busy changing beyond recognition; first as a result of Habsburg centralisation, then as a result of the Reformation and the Dutch Revolt. The Zoudenbalchs however continued to remain strictly loyal to the Roman creed as Protestantism gained ground in the northern Netherlands. Little mention is made of their engagement in the internecine struggles of the Dutch Revolt but the Zoudenbalch's marriage politics clearly indicate that their loyalties lay with the Spanish Habsburgs rather than with their rebellious compatriots.
Protestant political primacy led to prohibitions being placed on public Catholic worship in the United Provinces. The Zoudenbalchs, as one of the principal remaining Catholic families of Utrecht, therefore discretely allowed their gothic palace in the Donkerstraat to be used to celebrate masses. The passionately Catholic Walravina Zoudenbalch, who became the mistress of the palace after the death of her brothers in 1599 felt this to be a holy duty. When knowledge of these secret masses became public in 1605 it led to riots by Protestant crowds gathered outside the palace who were incensed at the sacriliege. The city government of Utrecht therefore deemed it wise to forbid the Zoudenbalchs to continue these masses.
As practicing Catholics loyal to the Spanish king the family was excluded from public office in the northern Netherlands once Habsburg rule had been overthrown. Whilst retaining their wealth, they thus lost access to power and influence. Within two to three generations the energy of this once great family was spent and they were all but extinct.
The pious Walravina Zoudenbalch and her sisters Josina and Rutgera, became heirs to the senior branch of the Zoudenbalchs after the early deaths of their two brothers without progeny. These co-heiresses passed on the claims to the Zoudenbalch heritage and arms to their own children: the Ruysch van Pijlsweerd, the Van der Marsche and Kockman and the Van Holt(h)families. The remaining cadet branches of the Zoudenbalchs died out in the male line during the course of the 17th century.
Read more about this topic: Zoudenbalch
Famous quotes containing the words reformation, dutch and/or revolt:
“Go on then in doing with your pen what in other times was done with the sword; shew that reformation is more practicable by operating on the mind than on the body of man.”
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)
“The French courage proceeds from vanity—the German from phlegm—the Turkish from fanaticism & opium—the Spanish from pride—the English from coolness—the Dutch from obstinacy—the Russian from insensibility—but the Italian from anger.”
—George Gordon Noel Byron (1788–1824)
“As nature requires whirlwinds and cyclones to release its excessive force in a violent revolt against its own existence, so the spirit requires a demonic human being from time to time whose excessive strength rebels against the community of thought and the monotony of morality ... only by looking at those beyond its limits does humanity come to know its own utmost limits.”
—Stefan Zweig (18811942)