Duke Albrecht I took Delft's city walls and important city rights after a month-long seige during the dispute between the Hook and Cod political factions

Date: 
March 11, 1359

In Dutch, it's the Hoekse en Kabeljauwse twisten, the Hooks and Cods dispute. It lasted for a hundred years, and Delft, with about 6,500 inhabitants, played a very minor role.

  • The commerce-minded citizens of Delft were Cods, as were the citizens of other cities.
  • The Hooks favored more power for the rural landholders, who often had noble titles.

In 1359, Delft was beseiged for a month by Hook forces. The seige was successful. After the surrender, Delft's walls and gatehouse were torn down for the materials to build the headquarters in den Haag of the Hook victor, Duke Albrecht of Bavaria (1336-1404). As punishment, a thousand men and five hundred women, citizens of Delft, had to kneel in front of Albrecht and ask his forgiveness, a story that has been embellished by legend.

Thirty-five years later, in 1394, Duke Albrecht gave permission for the citizens of Delft to re-build their walls.

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