Zaltbommel was an important town in the Middle Ages. It withstood various sieges by the Spanish during the Eighty Years’ War and was home to Maarten van Rossum, Charles, Duke of Guelders’ most notorious general and Zaltbommel’s most famous inhabitant. The Maarten van Rossum House provides an interesting insight into the town’s history.
Bommel
The most important trading towns in the Middle Ages such as Tiel, Utrecht, Deventer and Nijmegen were located along the country’s main rivers: the Rhine, Maas and Waal. It was not until much later, from the 16th century onwards, that the towns and cities in the province of Holland took over. The first mention of Zaltbommel, known then as Bomela, dates from as early as 850. In 999, it was granted the right to charge a toll and the right to mint its own coins. From then on, it expanded into a major trading town and was rewarded in 1231 with its city rights.
Maarten van Rossum
The most famous inhabitant of Zaltbommel is undoubtedly Maarten van Rossum, who was born here in approximately 1478. Maarten van Rossum’s fame and notoriety stemmed from his time as general to Charles, Duke of Guelders, the last of the duchy´s dukes. During his service to the duchy, Van Rossum captured the city of Utrecht, plundered the Duchy of Brabant and the County of Holland, and even threatened The Hague and Antwerp. He owned several estates, including Cannenburgh Castle in Vaassen and the Duivelshuis (Devil’s House) in Arnhem. He commissioned a mansion in Zaltbommel in 1535, which now houses the Maarten van Rossum museum.
Eighty Years’ War
Forty years later, during the Eighty Years’ War, Zaltbommel was quick to choose the side of the Protestants and the House of Orange. That did not meet with the Spaniards’ approval of course, who proceeded to besiege the town in 1574 and in 1599. Nonetheless, the town stood firm. Zaltbommel has not grown excessively in the subsequent centuries and has managed to retain its mediaeval character as a result. A large section of the town walls are still standing, for example.
