Unlocking the Oldest Letter Collection in Middle Dutch
Huygens Institute and Gelders Archief make letters from Mechteld van Gelre (c. 1325-1384) accessible to scholars and the general public
The Huygens Institute and the Gelders Archive are collaborating to make a unique medieval source accessible: letters to Duchess Mechteld van Gelre. The PICA Foundation is providing funding for this project through its Connected Digital Heritage programme.
Image: letter with seal. Image: Gelders Archive.
The Gelders Archief holds a unique collection of medieval letters: 184 letters addressed to, written by, or relating to Duchess Mechteld of Guelders (c. 1325-1384). The collection is the oldest and largest collection of letters in Middle Dutch.
A powerful medieval woman
Mechteld van Gelre (c. 1325–1384) was a prominent noblewoman from the House of Wassenberg who played an important role in 14th-century power politics. As the daughter of Duke Reinoud II of Gelre, she claimed the ducal title of Gelre after the death of her brothers and fought for years in the Gelre succession war to retain her rights, supported by the Heeckeren faction.
It was unusual at this period for a woman to function as the centre of power.
However, she lost the battle and had to accept that Duke William I of Guelders ascended the throne. Nevertheless, she continued to call herself Duchess of Guelders and Countess of Zutphen and retained political influence in the region.
Politics and personal life in the late Middle Ages
The letters, written between approximately 1365 and 1380, kept Mechteld informed of what was happening in the areas she ruled. Most of the letter writers were Mechteld’s political and military allies, but she also received letters from family members, friends and servants.
The letters provide a unique insight into the political and personal life of the late medieval Netherlands. They are also an important source for, for example, the Dutch language and naming conventions in this region and period.
Importance for historical and linguistic research
The collection is digitally available at the Gelders Archief, but is not yet optimally digitally usable and reusable for scientific research. This is precisely what both the Huygens Institute and the Gelders Archief want to work towards: making historical sources accessible in a sustainable and broad manner.
