Skaters in the “Zaanstreek” in the 17th century
Coming by plane to Amsterdam one sees, with nice weather, pieces of land floating in water. This area is called the “Zaanstreek”. This was the area where Claas Caeskoper skated and I with my friends still went skating 4 centuries later. I have never realized the very special history of the region. Here I like to tell something about it on the basis of a fantastic book edited by Eelco Beukers and Corrie van Stijl.
Although one may think that this is a natural area like a delta of a river, it is not at all true. Before the Middle Ages this area was covered by a high level of peat that at some places was nearly 4 meters above the water level and went over a distance of 2 to 4 km down to a river connected to the sea. By telling the story of what people did to transform this area into the land that we can see now, we will meet all the groups of people who worked in this area and we will see that Claas Arisz Caeskoper and his friends and family were not the only ones in this area who skated.
Although one may think that this is a natural area like a delta of a river, it is not at all true. Before the Middle Ages this area was covered by a high level of peat that at some places was nearly 4 meters above the water level and went over a distance of 2 to 4 km down to a river connected to the sea. By telling the story of what people did to transform this area into the land that we can see now, we will meet all the groups of people who worked in this area and we will see that Claas Arisz Caeskoper and his friends and family were not the only ones in this area who skated.
From an uninhabited to a rich agricultural area
This area was nearly uninhabited before the Middle Ages because the peat was too wet to be useful. Around 1100 farmers started to clear the peat by digging parallel ditches in the peat by which the water in the peat could run into the river at the bottom of little hill. In the first phase they did this for the land close to the river. In this way small stripss of land were created. If the strips were dry enough they built their houses there and started to use it for agriculture. The next phase was to continue the ditches higher up the hill to extend their land. Then the houses were also moved up the hill. Finally in the third phase they extended the land even further up till the top. At the other side of the top of the little hill the same process took place by other farmers and in order to separate their properties they created a wider canal. By this activities the structure of the land was created that we still can see now from the plane.
This clearing process of the peat takes the water out of the peat and so the level of the land went down till around 1400 all the new land could be used for agriculture
However the process of sinking of the soil went on and around 1500 all soil was gone down to the level of the sea. Then the soil was too wet for agriculture and the farmers changed to cattle breeding. At some point in time there were so many cows in these meadows that an Italian visitor suggested that the richest farmers of the world were living in this area. However, to feed a family of 4 or 5 persons by cattle breeding requires more land than working in agriculture. Therefore many families sold their land and went to other jobs or even out of the region. Some cattle breeders stayed and bought the land of others. So there was from 1500 onwards only a limited number of people who were cattle breeders.
The milk was mainly used for the production of cheese because the milk could not be transported fast enough for consumption. There was, of course also people involved in buying and selling cheese, called “caes” in Dutch at that time. The father of Claas Arisz Caeskoper was a trader in “caes” and therefore used the name Caeskoper ( cheese trader). He was rather successful in the cheese trade and could also invest in other activities.
This area was nearly uninhabited before the Middle Ages because the peat was too wet to be useful. Around 1100 farmers started to clear the peat by digging parallel ditches in the peat by which the water in the peat could run into the river at the bottom of little hill. In the first phase they did this for the land close to the river. In this way small stripss of land were created. If the strips were dry enough they built their houses there and started to use it for agriculture. The next phase was to continue the ditches higher up the hill to extend their land. Then the houses were also moved up the hill. Finally in the third phase they extended the land even further up till the top. At the other side of the top of the little hill the same process took place by other farmers and in order to separate their properties they created a wider canal. By this activities the structure of the land was created that we still can see now from the plane.
This clearing process of the peat takes the water out of the peat and so the level of the land went down till around 1400 all the new land could be used for agriculture
However the process of sinking of the soil went on and around 1500 all soil was gone down to the level of the sea. Then the soil was too wet for agriculture and the farmers changed to cattle breeding. At some point in time there were so many cows in these meadows that an Italian visitor suggested that the richest farmers of the world were living in this area. However, to feed a family of 4 or 5 persons by cattle breeding requires more land than working in agriculture. Therefore many families sold their land and went to other jobs or even out of the region. Some cattle breeders stayed and bought the land of others. So there was from 1500 onwards only a limited number of people who were cattle breeders.
The milk was mainly used for the production of cheese because the milk could not be transported fast enough for consumption. There was, of course also people involved in buying and selling cheese, called “caes” in Dutch at that time. The father of Claas Arisz Caeskoper was a trader in “caes” and therefore used the name Caeskoper ( cheese trader). He was rather successful in the cheese trade and could also invest in other activities.
The first industrial area at the Zaan
Around the same time another spectacular development took place in this area. This region with all its water and canals was very well equipped for transport over water. Also the presence of the booming town Amsterdam with its big harbor and trade close by, was a favorable characteristic for development of industry, especially the dirty one that was not allowed anymore within the borders of Amsterdam. Because the Spanish occupied Flanders the protestant people left there and went to the North and brought their technical knowledge with them. Especially the knowledge about the use of Windmills for industrial production has led to a booming development in de “Zaanstreek”. There have been built 1100 windmills in this area for different purposes. It started with windmills for sawing for the ship building, then windmills for production of paper, windmills for oil production of oil, windmills for production of paint, windmill for production of biscuits, windmills for the production of sails of ships and last but not least windmills were built to pump water from a lower to a higher level to dry new land.
Around the same time another spectacular development took place in this area. This region with all its water and canals was very well equipped for transport over water. Also the presence of the booming town Amsterdam with its big harbor and trade close by, was a favorable characteristic for development of industry, especially the dirty one that was not allowed anymore within the borders of Amsterdam. Because the Spanish occupied Flanders the protestant people left there and went to the North and brought their technical knowledge with them. Especially the knowledge about the use of Windmills for industrial production has led to a booming development in de “Zaanstreek”. There have been built 1100 windmills in this area for different purposes. It started with windmills for sawing for the ship building, then windmills for production of paper, windmills for oil production of oil, windmills for production of paint, windmill for production of biscuits, windmills for the production of sails of ships and last but not least windmills were built to pump water from a lower to a higher level to dry new land.
This was such a big industrial business area that 50 to 60% of the population worked in this business and only 10% in the agriculture. The windmills were built with capital of different investors of whom each had some share of the windmill. This could vary between a ½ till 1/12 or even less. It will be clear that only rather successful business people could afford this. Besides these business people there were of course people who were working in the windmills and in the ship yards and people who took care of transport of goods.
Besides jobs in the industry and agriculture there was also fishing with so much water around and the sea so close by. Finally for the poorest people there was still the possibility to collect peat that was everywhere to dry it and sell it for heating of the houses around but also in Amsterdam.
Besides jobs in the industry and agriculture there was also fishing with so much water around and the sea so close by. Finally for the poorest people there was still the possibility to collect peat that was everywhere to dry it and sell it for heating of the houses around but also in Amsterdam.
His son Claas, after his basic schooling, started to work temporarily in the windmill, The Pink, where his father had shares and learned besides book keeping. When he was 21 he married Hillegond
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The Caeskopers
The father of Claas Arisz Caescoper belonged to the relatively rich business people. Around 1550, the birth date of the skater Claas, his father bought shares of windmills that produced oil for lamps and food from seeds. It turned out that the later trade was much more successful than the cheese trade and so he continued with that and the Caeskoper became and oil trader. This was also the work he suggested to his sun to do. |
Hillegond was an orphan after her parents died. This means that the two got all the positions her parents had collected. The most important part was a windmill for oil production, The Reus.
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Further investments
By this marriage Claas was immediately in the oil business. It turned out that he was very successful in it. He bought shares of other windmills.
Later he also bought shares of boats such as the one shown here that went on whale fishing. These boats were supposed to come back with oil as well.
This business fitted well to his other busines activities but in this case the risks were much higher. At the end of his life he left a capital that would now be equal to more than a million.
By this marriage Claas was immediately in the oil business. It turned out that he was very successful in it. He bought shares of other windmills.
Later he also bought shares of boats such as the one shown here that went on whale fishing. These boats were supposed to come back with oil as well.
This business fitted well to his other busines activities but in this case the risks were much higher. At the end of his life he left a capital that would now be equal to more than a million.
Who are the skaters in the Zaanstreek in the 17th century?
The independent business men had sufficient control over their time table to organize trips with family and friends. Especially people who were doing the same as Claas did could of course, make themselves free for these trips. It has been shown that at least two of his companions in his 300km tour were in business like him. This shows that there was a class of people who indeed in that period had time enough to enjoy leisure activities they liked.
If we look at the paintings of that time we see that also the elite of the area liked to skate putting on their nicest clothes to impress other people.
The independent business men had sufficient control over their time table to organize trips with family and friends. Especially people who were doing the same as Claas did could of course, make themselves free for these trips. It has been shown that at least two of his companions in his 300km tour were in business like him. This shows that there was a class of people who indeed in that period had time enough to enjoy leisure activities they liked.
If we look at the paintings of that time we see that also the elite of the area liked to skate putting on their nicest clothes to impress other people.
Then the question is whether the farmers and the people connected with the work in the windmill also had the time to skate. It is difficult to say whether they liked it or not but on the painting of that time we see several people on skates with sledges before or behind them, transporting goods. My guess is that especially in de “Zaanstreek” this was very likely because there was everywhere water and there was no other transport of goods if it was freezing except sledges pulled by horses. They have probably been used for heavier transports. So at least people who had to take care of light goods were probably skating for their work, and after that maybe also for their pleasure.
All this information can be found in two very nice books, unfortunately published only in Dutch, one by Bert Koene (2011) De Caeskopers and the other by Eelco Beukers en Corrie van Stijl (2012) De geschiedenis van de Zaanstreek deel 1
Let me add a personel note. I was frequently skating and cycling in this area not knowing its remarkable history. The two books mentioned opened my eyes for it. Nowadays it is still very attractive area for skating and cycling. My father skated here with me and my borthers and sisters his last tour but at another occasion later I nearly drowned there.
All this information can be found in two very nice books, unfortunately published only in Dutch, one by Bert Koene (2011) De Caeskopers and the other by Eelco Beukers en Corrie van Stijl (2012) De geschiedenis van de Zaanstreek deel 1
Let me add a personel note. I was frequently skating and cycling in this area not knowing its remarkable history. The two books mentioned opened my eyes for it. Nowadays it is still very attractive area for skating and cycling. My father skated here with me and my borthers and sisters his last tour but at another occasion later I nearly drowned there.