Castle Loevestein (Slot Loevestein in Dutch) is a medieval castle built by the knight Dirc Loef van Horne in 1368. It was built at a strategic location in the middle of the Netherlands, there where the Maas and Waal rivers come together (just west of current day villages Poederoijen and Brakel, in the municipality of Zaltbommel, in Gelderland). Originally it was simply a large stone building, used to charge toll for boats on the rivers. In the 17th century it was expanded into a more modern fortress with earth walls, two moats, an arsenal, and housing for a commander and soldiers. The castle soon became a prison for political prisoners. A famous resident was Hugo de Groot (Hugo Grotius) who was serving out a lifelong sentence since 1619. In 1621 Hugo de Groot managed to pull off a daring and famous escape in a book-chest. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... A silver statue of an armoured knight, created as a trophy in 1850 For the chess piece, see knight (chess). ... Events Timur ascends throne of Samarkand. ... The Meuse(Maas) at Maastricht Length 925 km Elevation of the source 409 m Average discharge 230 m³/s Area watershed 36 000 km² Origin France Mouth Hollands Diep Basin countries France - Belgium - Netherlands The Meuse (Dutch Maas) is a large European river rising in France, flowing through Belgium and... Edited Satellite image of the Rhine-Waal fork, showing the beginning of river Waal (green). ... Zaltbommel is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands. ... Capital Arnhem Queens Commissioner Jan Kamminga Area  - Total  - % water 2nd 5137 km²  ?% Population  - Total (2004)  - Density 4th 1,966,929 379/km² Anthem Ons Gelderland For the historical duchy also called Gelderland, see Guelders Gelderland (English also Guelders) is a province of the Netherlands, located in the central eastern... The word toll has several meanings. ... The moated manor house of Baddesley Clinton in Warwickshire, England Moats were deep and wide water-filled trenches, to provide a barrier against attack upon castle ramparts or other fortifications. ... An Arse is an establishment for the construction, repair, receipt, storage, and excretion and issue of weapons and ammunitionand random iraqis. ... A political prisoner is anyone held in prison or otherwise detained, perhaps under house arrest, because their ideas or image either challenge or pose a real or potential threat to the state. ... Hugo Grotius Hugo Grotius (Huig de Groot, or Hugo de Groot; 10th April 1583 - 28th August 1645) worked as a jurist in the Dutch Republic and laid the foundations for international law, based on natural law. ... Events May 13 - Dutch statesman Johan van Oldenbarnevelt is executed in The Hague after having been accused of treason. ... Events February 9 - Gregory XV is elected pope. ...

Until the Second World War Loevestein Castle was part of the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie, the main Dutch defense line.

Currently the castle is used as a medieval museum.

External links

• home page (in Dutch)