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Dirk I, Count of Kennemerland,
(900- 939)
Born circa 900
mentioned 916
Died 6 October 939 ?
Married Geva
Died 11 January
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The area now known as Holland was formerly known as Friesland, or
At that time, Friesland covered the area from the mouth of the river
Weser (near Germany's Bremen) to nearly inside modern Belgium. Today
this area is divided into five provinces: Zeeland, South-Holland,
North-Holland, Friesland and Groningen. However, the area ruled over
by these counts was only a very small section of the total. From when
the first known count lived around the year 889, it took until 1100
before his descendants became known as Counts of Holland. Apparently
the name Holland was derived from the word 'Holtland', which meant
either 'Land with a hollow' or 'wood (hout/holt) land'.
In 922, Count Dirk I received (from Charles The Simple, King of
the West-Franks, or France) the church in Egmond and its estates which
became the centre of his county. In 925, while formally belonging to
the Lorraine area, Holland became part of the Holy Roman Empire.
However, the Count and his subjects preferred to think themselves
independent of any overlord; accordingly they made their own alliances
as they saw fit.
Source: Leo van de Pas |
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