Amsterdam
Netherlands
Links:
City of Amsterdam home page
Lycos City Guide to Amsterdam

1530

25 December 1530
Jan Volkerts Tripmaker, one of Melchior Hoffman's key apostles, arrived here and began baptizing. One year later Tripmaker was arrested and executed at The Hague.

1533

December 1533
Jan Matthijs reinstated the practice of adult baptism, which had been suspended two years earlier by Melchior Hoffmann. Matthijs himself was baptized at this time.

1534

January 1534
Anabaptist preacher Dirk Snyder and his followers marched naked to the city's marketplace, where they were arrested, then confined in the Ratthaus.
18 March 1534
Anabaptist revolutionaries planned to initiate a riot during a religious procession, kill the priests and monks, trample on the sacrament, and then take control of the city. However, the authorities were tipped off ahead of time and came prepared to repel the attack.
21 (or 22) March 1534
Bartholomew Boekbinder, William Kuiper & Peter Houtzager marched through the streets with drawn swords, exhorting people to repent. Their action became known to history as the "Demonstration of the Sword Bearers". They were motivated in part by the city's prevention of a boatload of Dutch Anabaptists from leaving for Munster. Boekbinder, Kuiper & Houtzager were executed a few days later in Haarlem.
May 1534
Gerrit van Campen, surgeon and revolutionary Anabaptist, was beheaded for plotting to overthrow the city government.
Meynaart van Emden, a young Anabaptist described as a "weaver with a limp", broke out of the city prison.
31 December 1534
Grietje Arentsdochter, a maiden from Limmen near Alkmaar, was drowned to death in the presence of the court.

1535

February 1535
A group of Anabaptist men & women, under the leadership of their "prophet" Hendrik Hendriksz, ran naked through the streets announcing the imminent Final Judgement.
6 March 1535
Jan Pauw (a rigging block maker), Arent Janssen of Gorckum (a tradesman), Barent Claeszoon of Swol (a fuller), Jan van Genck, Hendrik Biesman of Maastricht, Cornelis Willemsse of Haarlem (a cabinetmaker), Arent Jacobssen Keyser of Monnikendam and Willem Janssen of Zutphen were beheaded on the scaffold. Their heads were then placed on stakes and their bodies upon wheels.
10 May 1535
Jan van Geelen and about 40 of his revolutionary Anabaptist comrades attacked the city hall in an attempt to overthrow the government. They gained access to the building by way of one of the Chambers of Rhetoric, probably with the help of a chamber member. A fierce battle ensued in Dam Square. A number of citizens, including former mayor Pieter Colijn, were killed.
15 May 1535
Jan Jacobszoon the Norman, Adriaen Corneliszoon of Sparrendam, Gerrit Claessen of Oude-Niedorp and 7 others were beheaded.
That night, Baef Claesdochter, Grietje Maes, Barbara Jacobsdochter, Breght Alberts, Adriana Ijsbrantsdochter, Trijn Jansdochter and Lysbeth Jans, daughter of Leentgen and sister of Adriana Jans, all "maidens", were drowned to death by having stones tied around their necks and being thrown into the water from the Herring Packers (Holy Cross) Tower.

1569

January 1569
Pieter Pietersz was arrested and tortured under suspicion of heresy. Pieter was a ferryman on the Amstel River and had used his boat as a secret Anabaptist meeting place.
26 February 1569
Pieter Pietersz was burned at the stake on Dam Square.

1571

10 November 1571
Anna Hendriks, an Anabaptist who lived on Sint Jannstraet, was turned in to authorities by an informer. Female heretics were usually executed by drowning, but Anna was burned to death. She was tied to a ladder in Dam Square, had her mouth filled with gunpowder, then was cast onto a bed of burning coals.

1648

Galenus Abrahamsz became preacher of the United Mennonite congregation called "by het Lam" (near the Lamb) at Singel 542. Galenus was viewed with suspicion by conservatives because his personal confession of faith made no mention of the Trinity or the divinity of Jesus.

1655

The new city hall was completed.


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