S5·E4 Kasteel Ammersoyen

Description: In 1350 Dirk van Herlaer ordered Castle Ammersoyen to be built along a branch of the river Maas. Contrary to other medieval castles, Castle Ammersoyen was built according to a fixed plan. Four wings were erected around an inner-court with four heavy towers at the corners.

History: In 1386 the van Herlaer family lost Castle Ammersoyen to the duke of Gelderland who captured the strategically situated castle.

The Duke gave the castle to his illegitimate son, who sold it to Johan van Broekhuyzen, Lord of Waardenburg, in 1424. In the next four hundred years Ammersoyen only passed into other hands by inheritance.

In 1496 Walrave van Broekhuyzen married Otto Van Arkel, member of a well-known family. Under the succeeding five generations of this family Castle Ammersoyen was given its final structure.

In 1574 the Spanish followed. Most damage however was done by a fire in 1590.

Because of a shortage of money the Arkel family was not able to restore the heavily damaged castle u