The name Bredevoort appears for the first time on a list of properties belonging to the archbishop of
Cologne in 1188, who owned shares of the castle Bredevoort. Like
Bradford in England, the name refers to a broad
ford. When the count of
Steinfurt tried to sell his share of the castle to the bishop of
Munster and the count of Loon tried to sell his share to the count of
Gelderland, a conflict broke out between the bishop and the count of Gelderland. The fight lasted for almost two centuries. From 1326, after 4 years of battle between
Reginald II, Duke of Guelders and the
Prince-Bishopric of Münster Bredevoort was actual part of Gelderland. Between 1326 and 1697 the municipality of Bredevoort repeatedly changed ownership. The former municipality of Bredevoort was composed of the city, the castle Bredevoort, and the villages
Aalten,
Dinxperlo and
Winterswijk.
Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange conquered Bredevoort in the year 1597 on the Spanish occupation. The Spanish reconquered the city in 1606, but
Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange liberated the garrison and citizens who had retreated in the
Castle of Bredevoort. In 1646, lightning hit the
gunpowder tower of the castle, causing an explosion that destroyed parts of the castle and the town, killing Lord Haersolte of Bredevoort and his family, as well as others. Only one son, Anthonie, who was not home that day, survived. In the
rampjaar ("disaster year") 1672
Bernhard von Galen reconquered the city and occupied city and herrschaft for almost two years. In 1697 received
William III of England the city and herrschaft from the States of
Gelderland. From that day until 1795 the city and herrschaft was a personal belonging to the
House of Orange-Nassau. King
Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands is still Lord of Bredevoort. After centuries of war, its fortifications were demolished by its inhabitants. In 1818, the municipality of Bredevoort was dissolved to become part of the city Bredevoort under the newly formed municipality Aalten. ==Sights==