Egmond

The area around Egmond was first settled since around 900 A.D. and since that time the residents have been in a constant battle with the North Sea. The All Saints Flood of 1570 swallowed 50 houses and in November 1741 the sea claimed another 36 houses as well as the church and its tower.

(See the diagram below that details the constant incursions of the North Sea into Egmond).

The Graafs van/Counts of Holland founded the Egmond Abbey in the early 900’s and expanded it subsequently thereafter.

Dirk/Theodoric (bet. 875/900 - 939), became the Graaf van Frisia/Count of Friesland and Graaf van/Count of Holland (about 921) when he inherited the title from his (step?) father, Gerulf (der Jungere) Graaf van Frisia/Count of Friesland. Gerulf is reputedly the founder of the “House of Holland”.

In 922 Dirk donated the land and built a “nunnery”, the predecessor to Egmond Abbey.

Dirk is the 30th Great Grandfather of HCP and is thought to be the son of Gerulf, Graaf van Frisia

It is not known where Dirk was born and he died in the year 939 in Koblenz, Rheinland Pfalz (now Germany).

Dirk II/Theodoric II (bet. 920/930 - 988), was born in Egmond and inherited his father’s titles of Graaf van Frisia/Count of Friesland (west of the Vlie) and Graaf van/Count of Holland.

In 950, Dirk II rebuilt the nunnery into a stone building, Egmond Abbey, to house the relics of St. Adalbert (d. 710). Around 970 the Abbey was given to the Benedictine monks and converted to a monastery.

Dirk II is the 29th Great Grandfather of HCP.

Arnulf /Aarnout was born in 951 the son of Dirk II and Hildegaarde van Vlaandaren*, was the Graaf van/Count of Holland and the Graaf van/Count of West-Frisia.

Arnulf was the first count to come into conflict with the West Frisians and was killed in battle in Winkel, West Friesland in the year 993.

Arnulf is the 28th Great Grandfather of HCP.

Siegfried/Sicco van Holland was born between 982 and 985 in Ghent and was the son of Arnulf/Aarnout and Liutgaard van Luxemburg.

Sicco’s planned marriage to Thetburga van Staveren (Frisian: Tietje) was “not well received” (because of class differences) by Sicco’s brother Dirk (the Count of Holland) and therefore the marriage was also not sanctioned by the Church.

Sicco van Holland died in Egmond in 1030.

Sicco and Thetburga are the 27th Great Grandparents of HCP.

Buried at Egmond Abbey:

-Dirk, the initial benefactor and founder of the Abbey.
-Dirk II (the son of Dirk) and his wife Hildegaarde van Vlaandaren (daughter of Arnulf, Graaf van Vlaandaren).
-Arnulf/Aarnout (the son of Dirk II) and his wife Liutgaard van Luxemburg (daughter of Siegfried, Graaf van Luxemburg)
-brothers Dirk III, Graaf van Holland and Siegfried/Sicco van Holland (both sons of Arnulf/Aarnout

*Note: Hildgaarde van Vlaandaren is a direct descendent of Charlemagne/Karel de Grote, Koning der Franken. She is 6 generations removed and is the namesake of her 4th Great Grandmother, and Charlemagne’s second wife, Hildegard. Although Charlemagne had a number of wives and concubines, it was the sons of Charlemagne and Hildegard (Pepin and Louis) that became the kings of Europe.