Jan van Schaffelaar

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Jan van Schaffelaar was a cavalry officer working for David of Burgundy, the Bishop of Utrecht during the Hook and Cod wars. He was probably born in the region of Barneveld.

1 Historical significance
2 Recognition
3 Name
4 References

[edit] Historical significance

The church Jan van Schaffelaar jumped off, as it is today. Van Schaffelaar's monument can be seen slightly left of the church.

The oldest written description of Van Schaffelaar's actions is found in a chronicle from 1698 by the historian Antonius Matthaeus of Utrecht. According to this chronicle, on July 16, 1482, troops from castle Rosendael near Arnhem under the command of Jan van Schaffelaar got into conflict with troops from Amersfoort and Nijkerk. The troops from Rosendael captured the church and tower of the village of Barneveld, but they were shot at with cannons, killing four or five. After negotiations, their opponents stated that they would accept their surrender only if the defenders would throw their commander from the tower. The men were unwilling to do so, but Van Schaffelaar stated that he would have to die some day and that he did not want to cause his men trouble. Having said this, he put his hands to his sides and jumped off the tower. Despite the great height of the tower he was not immediately killed, but was finished off by his enemies.

Other versions expand on this account by stating that the troops under Van Schaffelaar were promised safe passage from the tower. In some versions, the demand was that Van Schaffelaar be turned in. Van Schaffelaar surprised his opponents by turning himself in in such a way that he would not be alive for long.

When the church was restored in 1978, remains were found that suggest that Van Schaffelaar was shot after his fall, causing a pin from his visor to enter his skull. He died because of internal bleeding caused by his fall or a blow from a weapon. He was initially buried in a mass grave near the tower and later transferred to the family grave of the Hackfort family in the choir of the church.

[edit] Recognition

Jan van Schaffelaar became a minor Dutch hero. He features in several novels and poems, De Schaapherder by J.F. Oltmans being one of the better known ones.

On September 15, 1903 among great festivities, a statue was erected in his honour near the tower that he jumped from.