The property and rights of Thorn Abbey in the early years of its existence

Introduction

Ansfried—along with his wife Hereswind (Hilsondis)—founded an abbey in Thorn sometime during the last quarter of the ^10th century. The foundation can be regarded as a family monastery, presided over by Benedicta, the founders’ daughter. Such a foundation or shrine not only enhanced the family’s prestige, but family members also found their final resting place there, and their memory was kept alive through prayers offered on their behalf.

Donations of land and rights provided the family-based monastery with a solid foundation for its existence. The idea was that this would ensure the abbey’s long-term viability.

Medemblik, 'Lower Maasland' and 'Friesland'

The chronicle of Thietmar of Merseburg states that Ansfried “gave everything to St. Lambert for the salvation of his soul.” This is sometimes interpreted as a transfer of the abbey by the founder to his friend Notger, Bishop of Liège. This Notger appears several times in the history of the monastery. Not only was he involved in the completion of the Romanesque westwork of the abbey church, but he also played a key role in the acquisition and transfer of property and rights by the abbey. Thus, he appears as a beneficiary in a transfer of the important county of Huy by the very young Roman King Otto III in 985. This acquisition by Notger seems quite remarkable, since Ansfried had renounced it shortly before. Some historians see this as Ansfried’s first steps on the path from a secular to a contemplative spiritual life. Others interpret it more as an exchange in connection with Ansfried’s acquisition—also in 985—of properties in Medemblik, “Lower Maasland,” and “Friesland.” This was a donation to Ansfried by the aforementioned Otto III, made at the intercession of his mother Theophanu, which also involved Notger (charter no. 2). Theophanu wished to secure Ansfried’s support during politically uncertain times following the sudden death in 983 of her consort, Emperor Otto II.

Later, in a charter from 1292, we find the "Dutch-Frisian" goods listed as property of the Abbey of Thorn, and this ownership is confirmed by Roman King Adolf (charter no. 61). This charter states that at that time they were located in the diocese of Utrecht and that “the abbess and convent of the Abbey of Thorn are permitted to possess everything expressed herein as a privilege, peacefully and quietly, with the right and custom as the count (i.e., Ansfried) used it, without any impediment.” It is questionable whether this statement corresponded to reality, because nothing is known either from that time or from later periods regarding the abbey’s property in “Holland.” It is likely that they copied an old text indiscriminately.

Bree, Ophemert, and Kerk-Avezaath

The foregoing is not the only (early) transaction involving the abbey in which Notger was involved. A charter dated 1007 confirms Notger’s earlier donation of the churches of “Britte” (Bree or Beek?), Ophemert, and Kerk-Avezaath. The abbey’s ownership is confirmed by Roman King Henry II. It is stated quite eloquently that this is done “for the increase in ecclesiastical revenues and increase in heavenly remuneration” (charter no. 4). Uncertainty exists regarding the geographical designation “Britte.” Some see it as the later town of Bree, others as the village of Beek, located near Bree.

Henry II did not limit himself to real property. In the same charter, he also granted the abbey market and toll rights, as well as the so-called "districtum." A recent study has linked these three granted rights. These are said to be royal rights, conferring legal authority on the abbey not only to organize a market, but also to ensure "market peace" and to levy taxes on the goods traded. The abbey and its surrounding area thus gained independent legal immunity, with its own laws, which became the basis for the later imperial immunity—a status within the Holy Roman Empire that was independent of any secular ruler.

Perhaps by 1300 some debate arose regarding the legality of some of the abbey’s possessions, for in the same year as the “Dutch-Frisian” properties—namely 1292—its properties and rights pertaining to the churches of Britte, Ophemert, and Kerk-Avezaath were also confirmed by Roman King Adolf (charter no. 62). And the same royal recognition also applies to the rights of market, toll, and districtum.

Properties in the West Brabant area

While many of the goods and rights acquired by the abbey in its early period can be easily traced back to their origin, this is not the case for its extensive holdings in West Brabant, near Breda. The question of their origin inevitably leads us to the founding charter of 992 (charter no. 3). However, this document is undeniably a ^17th-century forgery. Nevertheless, at its core it reflects ideas—as later developed in Thorn—regarding the acquisition of ancient possessions in “the far west.”

The charter refers to the foundation as a "joint endeavor" of the spouses Ansfried and Hereswind (Hilsondis). The latter did not hesitate to contribute property and rights from her own holdings: the Church of St. Mary in Strijen, Geertruidenberg, the "villa" Gilze, the "villa" Baarle with the St. Remigius altar she founded, the “castellum” Sprundelheim with its appurtenances and a forest “between the two Marches,” and furthermore all rights to tolls, mills, property taxes, and road and waterworks, as she herself and her parents had owned and formerly received from King Swentibold. Although this list has been the subject of extensive historical criticism, it is an established fact that the abbey arguably possessed a “curtis” and other properties in Gilze from the early ^13th century onward, that it owned extensive lands, tithes, and property tax rights in Baarle (one curtis of which is also here, with the “hof te Loeven te Baerle” as the center), and that it owned tithes and curtis in Ginniken, Princenhage, Breda, Bavel, Meersel, Meerle, Meer, Etten, Leur, Sprundel, Alphen, Ulicoten, Rijen, Oosterhout, Wouw, Drimmelen, Ulvenhout, Chaam, and Galder. In charter no. 68 of 1299, many of these possessions are mentioned in an agreement between Abbess Guda of Rennenberg and the convent, on the one hand, and Jacob, parish priest of Gilze, on the other.

Historians believe that, despite being a forgery, the substance of the 992 charter need not be doubted. A transfer of original property in West Brabant by Hereswind/Hilsondis to the abbey, in whatever form, is quite possible.

In conclusion

It is worth noting that in its early years, the Abbey of Thorn was endowed with properties and rights scattered throughout what is now known as the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. This very quickly provided the abbey with a solid economic foundation. The properties and rights were often contested by secular rulers. Nevertheless, the abbey managed to withstand these challenges, often with the help of an extensive network of nobles and legal experts, until its dissolution in 1794.

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