Radboud Castle
Count Floris V of Holland (reigned 1256-1296) subjugated West Friesland between 1282 and 1289. He encountered little resistance, especially after the Omringdijk was severely damaged by a storm surge at the end of 1287. This caused major flooding inland. The situation of the West Frisians had become hopeless. In 1289, they finally surrendered.
To keep West Friesland under control, Floris had five castles built on the Omringdijk. Since the dike enclosed the area, it formed the ideal position. The castles were all imposing brick residences and military bases, from which troops could quickly deploy and where people could protect themselves against attackers. The castle in Medemblik is the only one still standing. It has long been called Radboud, after a Frisian king (648-719). Tradition has it that, like Floris, he had his castle here.
The Omringdijk was ravaged by storm surges in 1287. Floris had an interest in ensuring that the West Frisians repaired it quickly. To organize this, he appointed two bailiffs. One of them resided in Radboud Castle. They not only administered the region, but also acted as dike reeves, the highest supervisor the dike on behalf of the count. This supervision the annual dike inspection, during which the bailiff inspected the Omringdijk from start to finish.
1296: Floris was not yet dead when the West Frisians attacked his castles. The assault on Radboud was unsuccessful, although the bailiff was killed. When the West Frisian army suffered a crushing defeat in the neighbourhood Alkmaar a year later (illustration), the resistance against Holland was broken. The fortified castles gradually lost their function. Only Radboud remained as the bailiff's residence until the West Frisian bailiwicks were abolished in 1414.
In 1608, the States of Holland sold the castle to Medemblik. Because it no longer served a defensive purpose, part of the fortress had already been demolished. Medemblik now used it to house the militia. In the centuries that followed, Radboud slowly but surely fell into disrepair due to poor maintenance.
In the nineteenth century, Radboud was in a state of disrepair. Medemblik had become such a poor town that it wanted to sell two towers for demolition. The proceeds were to be used to help the poorest of the poor. Although King William II (1840-1849) managed to prevent this, the towers were demolished after his death. The dikes had to be reinforced and, due to a lack of sufficient rubble, everything could be used.
Nothing seemed to be able to save Radboud from ruin. Fortunately, in 1889, the government decided to purchase the castle. A major restoration followed to restore it to its former glory. The result is impressive.