Chronology of events: 1246--1583

For some events, the year is certain but the month and day are not. Example: We know only the year for the collections of Leeuwenhoek's letters published in Dutch during his lifetime.

For other events, the season or month are certain but the day is not. Example: Leeuwenhoek mentions that someone visited him "last month".

On the other hand, many events did indeed happen on the first day of a month. Example: public appointments to Delft's city offices took effect on January 1 of each year. Thus:

  • A date of January 1 in a given year may indicate that the year is certain but the month and day are not.
  • A date of 1 in a given month may indicate that the year and month are certain but the day is not.

Unless otherwise indicated, for events in England, the date given is Old Style, 10 days behind the Dutch Republic's New Style until 1700 and then 11 days behind.

Date
April 15, 1246 Count Willem II granted Delft city rights
June 12, 1246 Beginning of Delft's annual June market
January 1, 1250 Construction began on Oude Kerk
October 23, 1266 Count Floris V granted Delft freedom from tolls on imports and exports
January 14, 1267 Count Floris V granted the citizens of Delft complete freedom from tolls in his whole county.
November 30, 1268 Count Floris V expanded the size of the city
May 5, 1280 Count Floris V granted the citizens of Delft the right to charge taxes on dry goods
September 29, 1295 Count Floris V granted Delft's citizens the rights to a meathouse and breadhouse and the income from them.
December 14, 1299 Count Jan II confirmed the rights granted by Floris V
May 1, 1310 Count Willem III granted the citizens of Delft their own secular court.
November 27, 1342 Count Willem IV granted Delft a variety of rights over its own commercial affairs
December 20, 1342 Count Willem IV granted Delft the right to choose its own city secretary
January 1, 1350 Oude Kerk tower completed, already leaning due to subsidence
May 3, 1355 Count Willem V gave Delft permission to build bulwarks topped by walls around the city
March 11, 1359 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
August 11, 1381 Nieuwe Kerk construction began; completed in 1655.
January 1, 1383 Construction began on Nieuwe Kerk
January 1, 1389 Construction began on the moat around the city
January 1, 1389 Duke Albrecht I established an elected water board
September 8, 1389 Duke Albrecht I extended to the citizens of Delft permission to dig a canal to the Maas River
July 6, 1394 Duke Albrecht I gave the citizens of Delft permission to build a new city wall
August 13, 1396 Duke Albrecht I restored Delft's city rights
September 6, 1396 First stone laid for the tower of the Nieuwe Kerk
January 1, 1400 Construction of Oostpoort, establishment of Delfshaven
January 1, 1400 Delft had around 6,500 inhabitants
December 20, 1417 Countess Jacoba issued a charter for management of Delft's administrative and financial affairs.
February 28, 1425 Jan van Brabant extended Delft's city rights to those living along the Schie
July 3, 1428 Duke Philip of Burgundy and Countess Jacqueline of Bavaria signed the Reconciliation of Delft ending the Hook and Cod wars
June 30, 1436 Duke Philip of Burgundy granted the Marktveld to Delft
September 7, 1445 Duke Philip of Burgundy issued a charter for Delft city fathers to appoint the first city council.
April 1, 1449 Duke Philip of Burgundy gave the city permission to continue building the city wall and towers.
July 13, 1450 Duke Philip of Burgundy granted Delft permission to build a watermill at the end of the Geerweg
September 6, 1496 Nieuwe Kerk tower completed
May 3, 1536 Fire destroyed a third of the houses in Delft.
January 1, 1555 great great-grandfather Jan Jacobs Hogenhouk (1539-1586) appointed magistrate in 1555-1557, 1559, 1561-1564
January 1, 1555 great-grandfather Cornelis Dircks Verburch (-1576) married Magdalena Jans van den Eyck
January 23, 1557 great-grandfather Sebastian Cornelis van den Berch (-1605) married Neeltje Jans Hogenhouck
January 1, 1558 great-uncle Cornelis Philips Leeuwenhoek born
January 1, 1559 great great-grandfather Jan Jacobs Hogenhouck bought land in Rijswijk
January 1, 1559 great-grandfather Philips Thonis Leeuwenhoek baptized (before 1559)
January 1, 1560 Delft had around 14,000 inhabitants
January 1, 1560 grandmother Margriete Cornelis Verburch (1560-1616) baptized
January 1, 1560 great great-grandfather Jan Jacobs Hogenhouk (1539-1586) appointed to Veertigraad, served 1560-1586
November 10, 1561 great great-grandfather Jan Jacobs Hogenhouk (1539-1586) appointed church warden, Nieuwe Kerk
January 1, 1565 great great-uncle Cornelis Cornelis van den Berch married Immetje Jans Hogenhouk
January 1, 1566 grandfather Jacob Sebastians van den Berch (1566-1615) baptized
August 24, 1566 Beeldenstorm spread to Delft
January 1, 1568 great-uncle Pieter Sebastians van den Berch (1568- before 1612) baptized
January 1, 1568 wife's paternal grandfather Arnoldus Hendricks Swalmius baptized
January 1, 1570 great-uncle Johan Sebastians van den Berch (1570-1644) baptized
January 15, 1570 great great-aunt Aeltje (Alida) Jans Hogenhouck (1550-1581) married Jacob Ewouts van der Dussen (1530-1599)
November 10, 1571 great-grandfather Sebastian Cornelis van den Berch (-1605) appointed church warden, Nieuwe Kerk
July 27, 1572 Delft surrendered to the Geuzen (Beggars)
December 31, 1572 Willem of Orange chose Delft as his headquarters during the Revolt
January 1, 1573 great great-grandfather Jan Jacobs Hogenhouk (1539-1586) appointed mayor
January 1, 1574 great great-aunt Aeltje's son Ewout Jacobs van der Dussen (1574-1653) baptized
July 30, 1574 The State of Holland decided to flood the country to impede the Spanish invasion
January 1, 1575 great-grandfather's nephew Claes Hendriks Verburch appointed to Veertigraad, served 1575-1609
January 1, 1576 great great-uncle Jacob Ewouts van der Dussen (1530-1599) appointed to Veertigraad
January 1, 1576 great-grandfather Cornelis Dircks Verburch (-1576) buried in Oude Kerk
September 16, 1576 great great-uncle Maerten Jans Hogenhouck (1550-1613) married Catharijne Adriaens van der Dussen (1555-1617)
January 1, 1577 great great-uncle Jacob Ewouts van der Dussen (1530-1599) appointed magistrate, served 1577-1581
January 1, 1578 wife's great-uncle Hendrik Hendriks Swalmius (1578-1649) baptized
January 1, 1579 great- great-uncle Jacob Adriaens van der Dussen (1546-1608) appointed to Veertigraad
January 1, 1579 great-grandfather Sebastian Cornelis van den Berch (-1605) appointed to Veertigraad, served 1579-1605
January 1, 1580 great-aunt Neeltje Jacobs van Adrichem (1580-1643) baptized
April 5, 1580 cousin Abraham Maertens Hogenhouck (1580-1641) baptized
January 1, 1581 great great-uncle Maerten Jans Hogenhouck (1550-1613) appointed magistrate in 1581, 1582, 1583, 1596
July 26, 1581 Act of Abjuration proclaimed independence of the new Dutch Republic
January 1, 1582 great great-uncle Gerrit Jans van der Eyck appointed to Veertigraad, served 1582-1620
January 1, 1582 wife's great-uncle Elezaar Hendriks Swalmius (1582-1652) baptized
January 1, 1583 Holland switched to the Gregorian calendar
December 18, 1583 great-uncle Cornelis Sebastians van den Berch married Fijtgen Pieters van der Burch