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House van Eeden

The House of Eeden (Dutch/Flemish: Van Eeden, German: Von Eeden) is a medieval Germanic family recorded in the heraldry of the Dutch - and Belgian noble families. They were influential members of the aristocracy and held the titles of Marquess, Earl, Baron, Stadtholder and Jonkheer, mainly in the provinces of South Holland, Utrecht, Zeeland and the former County of Flanders.

History

The House of Eeden (Dutch/Flemish: Van Eeden, German: Von Eeden) is a medieval Germanic family recorded in the heraldry of the Dutch - and Belgian noble families. They were influential members of the aristocracy and held the titles of Marquess, Earl, Baron, Stadtholder and Jonkheer, mainly in the provinces of South Holland, Utrecht, Zeeland and the former County of Flanders.

The family originated from the lands around Hoeksche Waard in South Holland during the late 13th century and mainly settled in the areas of Schobbe en Everocken, which was later renamed as Mijnsheerenland after the St. Elizabeth's flood. The town was restored and re-dyked in 1437-1438 by the knight Lodewijk (Louis) of Praet of Moerkerken, during which time the families became closely associated.

Due to the location of the family estates, being on the banks of the Oude Maas river and the Binnemaas lake it is believed that they originally chose the name "Van der Eeden" which means "dweller by the water" or possibly "on an island in the river" given that the Hoeksche Waard is situated on an island. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Johannes van der Eeden. which was dated C.1680, Amsterdam.

Later, as was the custom during the time, the family name was shortened to "Van Eeden" when they were formally elevated to the ranks of the Dutch nobility as the Marquess (Dutch: Markies/Markgraaf) van Eeden by William of Orange after the Dutch Revolt against the Spanish Habsburgs (1568–1648). Prior to this, under the stewardship of Lodewijk (Louis) of Praet they served as the Barons van Moerkerke-Damme in the western province of Flanders. In recognition of their denouncement of the Holy Roman Emperors' (Habsburg) dynastic rule over the Netherlands, they were also granted the land and title of Earl (Dutch: Graaf) van Mijnsheerenland, ending their close connections with the Counts of Flanders, who at the time still swore allegiance to the Habsburgs. Regardless of their denouncement, they retained the Barony of Moerkerke-Damme, which is normally bestowed upon the eldest child of the Marquess van Eeden.

They governed the area of Binnenmaas under the rule of the Dutch government and the Kings of Orange until 1795 when the nobility was abolished by the Batavian Revolution. With the establishment of the Sovereign Principality of the United Netherlands in 1813, the rights of the nobility were restored, and the peerage regained official status, but without the rights and privileges of government or feudal lordship over previously held territories.

Current Family Members

From the 17th-20th centuries the family spread across the globe, with decedents settling in South Africa, United Kingdom, Germany, North America, South America, Australia and New Zealand.

Ryno Josua Francois, The Marquess van Eeden, Earl van Mijnsheerenland, is the current head of the dynastic line van Eeden. He is married to The Marchioness Meike Annemarie Engberts-van Eeden, Countess van Mijnsheerenland, with whom he has a daughter, The Lady Sophia Marie van Eeden, Viscountess van Moerkerke-Damm