Castle_of_LaarneB
Belgium - Laarne
More about Kasteel van Laarne
Laarne Castle is a castle in the Belgian municipality of Laarne. It dates from the 11th or 12th century. The castle was originally a moated castle. After a restoration in 1962, it now serves as a museum. Of the original castle, only the quadrangular keep tower now remains. (A keep is the most important, best fortified tower of medieval castles). The keep of Laarne Castle is built of Balegem stone and has two small corner towers with stone spires. The keep was connected to defensive towers by walls. The latter were round and also had stone spires. The pointed roof of the keep dates from the second half of the 17th century. Over time, the battlements, the trap bridge and portcullises disappeared. A fixed bridge with three arches and a baroque front building replaced it. In addition, the connecting walls between the defensive towers were replaced by residential areas. These are characterized by large windows with cross frames. Thirteenth and fourteenth centuryBeatrix van Massemen, daughter of Diederik, is explicitly mentioned as lady of Laarne between 1213 and 1222. She was married to Gerard van Zottegem, the second son of Walter, Lord of Zottegem. They had at least ten children. Their son, Giselbrecht van Zottegem, survived his older brothers and became lord of Ressegem, Leeuwergem, Massemen, Laarne and Kalken. On the occasion of his marriage of Matilda of Bethune, daughter of the lord of Dendermonde, he was granted the lordships of Laarne and Kalken in 1228-1229. According to E. Balthau, he probably had the "court of Laarne" built shortly afterwards, the predecessor of the castle. Various military activities are known of him. In 1214-1215 he, with two of his brothers and other Flemish nobles, was a mercenary in the service of the English king John without Land during the revolt of the English nobles. This would lead to the Magna Charta in 1215. In 1217-1218 he took part in the 5th Crusade in Egypt, which would lead to the defeat of the Christian army at Damiete in 1218.
Castle_of_LaarneB
Belgium - Laarne
More about Kasteel van Laarne
Laarne Castle is a castle in the Belgian municipality of Laarne. It dates from the 11th or 12th century. The castle was originally a moated castle. After a restoration in 1962, it now serves as a museum. Of the original castle, only the quadrangular keep tower now remains. (A keep is the most important, best fortified tower of medieval castles). The keep of Laarne Castle is built of Balegem stone and has two small corner towers with stone spires. The keep was connected to defensive towers by walls. The latter were round and also had stone spires. The pointed roof of the keep dates from the second half of the 17th century. Over time, the battlements, the trap bridge and portcullises disappeared. A fixed bridge with three arches and a baroque front building replaced it. In addition, the connecting walls between the defensive towers were replaced by residential areas. These are characterized by large windows with cross frames. Thirteenth and fourteenth centuryBeatrix van Massemen, daughter of Diederik, is explicitly mentioned as lady of Laarne between 1213 and 1222. She was married to Gerard van Zottegem, the second son of Walter, Lord of Zottegem. They had at least ten children. Their son, Giselbrecht van Zottegem, survived his older brothers and became lord of Ressegem, Leeuwergem, Massemen, Laarne and Kalken. On the occasion of his marriage of Matilda of Bethune, daughter of the lord of Dendermonde, he was granted the lordships of Laarne and Kalken in 1228-1229. According to E. Balthau, he probably had the "court of Laarne" built shortly afterwards, the predecessor of the castle. Various military activities are known of him. In 1214-1215 he, with two of his brothers and other Flemish nobles, was a mercenary in the service of the English king John without Land during the revolt of the English nobles. This would lead to the Magna Charta in 1215. In 1217-1218 he took part in the 5th Crusade in Egypt, which would lead to the defeat of the Christian army at Damiete in 1218.