Breda ( , , , ) is a city and municipality in the southern part of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Brabant. The name derived from brede Aa ('wide Aa' or 'broad Aa') and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. Breda has 185,072 inhabitants on 13 September 2022 and is part of the Brabantse Stedenrij; it is the tenth largest city/municipality in the country, and the third largest in North Brabant after Eindhoven and Tilburg. It is equidistant from Rotterdam and Antwerp.
As a fortified city, it was of strategic military and political significance. Although a direct fiefdom of the Holy Roman Emperor, the city obtained a municipal charter; the acquisition of Breda, through marriage, by the House of Nassau ensured that Breda would be at the center of political and social life in the Low Countries. Breda had a population of in ; the metropolitan area had a population of .
History
In the 11th century, Breda was a direct fief of the Holy Roman Emperor, its earliest known lord being Henry of Brunesheim (1080–1125). The first mention of Breda in the historical record was in 1125 by Engelbertus van Breda who was a witness to draw up of a document. The city of Breda obtained a municipal charter in 1252. After that Breda had the rights to build fortifications. The city constructed brick walls and Roman-style gates.
In 1327, Adelheid of Gaveren sold Breda to Duke Johannes III of Brabant. In 1350, the fief was resold to Johannes II of Wassenaar (d. 1377). In 1403, the heiress of his line, Johanna of Polanen (1392–1445), married Engelbert I of Nassau (1370–1442; his sarcophagus is in the Grote Kerk in Breda). Through her, the city came into the possession of the House of Nassau, where it remained until 1795, passing to William I of Orange (1533–1584), stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, and Utrecht and leader of the Dutch revolt. Thus, the baron of Breda was also Count of Nassau in the Holy Roman Empire, Prince of Orange, and (the main) stadtholder in the Dutch Republic (from 1572 to 1650, 1672–1702, 1747–1795). Breda remained part of the barony of Breda until it was captured by French revolutionary forces in 1795.The Prince of Orange and subsequently King or Queen of the Netherlands continued to use the title; today Queen Beatrix uses the title Baron of Breda.
Residence city
The acquisition of the city by the House of Orange-Nassau marked its emergence as a residentiestad (residence city). The presence of the Orange-Nassau family attracted other nobles, who built palatial residences in the old quarters of the city. The most impressive one, built by the Italian architect Thomas Vincidor de Bologna for the first Dutch prince, was the first renaissance-style palace built north of the Alps. In the 15th century the city's physical, economic and strategic importance expanded rapidly. A great church was built in Brabantine Gothic style with an elegant tower, called Grote Kerk (main church) or also Onze Lieve Vrouwe Kerk (Church of Our Lady). In 1534 Henry III of Nassau-Breda rebuilt the modest medieval fortifications in impressive style.
In 1534, a fire destroyed over nine tenths of the city, close to 1300 houses, churches, and chapels, and the town hall. Only 150 houses and the main church remained. In July 1581, during the Eighty Years' War, Breda was captured in a surprise attack and siege by Spanish troops then under the command of Claudius van Barlaymont, whose sobriquet was Haultpenne. Although the city had surrendered upon the condition that it would not be plundered, the troops vented their fury upon the inhabitants. In the resulting mayhem, known as Haultpenne's Fury, over 500 citizens were killed. In March 1590, Breda fell back into the hands of the Dutch and Maurice of Nassau, when a 68 men hand-picked force, concealed under the turf of a peat-boat, had contrived to enter the city in a daring plan devised by Adriaen van Bergen, known as the ruse with the Peat Ship of Breda. Around 1610 the construction of the Spanish Gate or "Spanjaardsgat" was started as a remembrance to that successful action.
After a ten-month siege in 1624–25, the city again surrendered to the Spaniards, now led by Spinola; the event was immortalized by Diego Velázquez.Bailey, Anthony (2011). Velázquez and the Surrender of Breda: The Making of a Masterpiece. Henry Holt and Co. In the Siege of Breda of 1637 the city was recaptured by Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange, after a four-month siege, and in 1648 it was finally ceded to the Dutch Republic by the Treaty of Münster.
In 1646, Frederick Henry founded the Orange College of Breda, modelled on Saumur, Geneva, and Oxford, intending it to train young men of good family for the army and the civil service.Lodewijck Huygens, The English Journal: 1651-1652, p. 13
Stuart exiles The exiled Stuart Charles II of England resided in Breda for a little over a month of his time in exile during the Cromwellian Commonwealth and Protectorate, thanks to the proximity of Charles's sister Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange, the widow of Prince William II of Orange.
Based mostly on suggestions by the Parliamentarian General George Monck, Charles II's Declaration of Breda (1660) announced his conditions for accepting the crown of England, which he was to regain a few months later in the year.
Later history
The Treaty of Breda was signed in the city on 31 July 1667, bringing to an end the Second Anglo-Dutch War in which the Dutch faced the same Charles II who had been their guest. Between 1746 and 1748 it was the site of the Congress of Breda, a series of talks between Britain and France aimed at bringing an end to the War of the Austrian Succession, which ultimately led to the signing of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle.
During the Second World War, the city was under German occupation for over four years. During Operation Pheasant Breda was liberated following a successful outflanking manoeuvre planned and performed by forces of 1st Polish Armoured Division of General Maczek on 28 October 1944. Each year during Liberation Day festivities, Breda is visited by a large Polish contingent and the city of Breda reserves a special portion of the festivities for the fallen Polish soldiers. A museum and a monument honoring Maczek and the Polish 1st Armoured Division stands in the city center. General Maczek and many soldiers of his division are buried in the nearby Polish military cemetery.
Breda was the site of one of the first panopticon prison establishments, Koepelgevangenis. This prison housed German war criminals in the Netherlands for their war crimes during the Second World War. Known as "The Breda Four", or "Vier von Breda", they were Willy Lages, who was released in 1966 due to illness, Joseph Kotalla, who died in prison in 1979, and Ferdinand aus der Fünten and Franz Fischer, who were both released in 1989 and died later the same year.
Administration Breda (city) (≈180,000)CBS 2017 Bevolkingsontwikkeling regio Breda Ginneken (former village absorbed by city agglomeration) Princenhage (former village absorbed by city agglomeration) Prinsenbeek (≈11,500) (added at the municipal reorganization in 1997) Bavel (≈7,000) (added at the municipal reorganization in 1997) Teteringen (≈6,500) (added at the municipal reorganization in 1997) Ulvenhout (≈4,700) (added at the municipal reorganization in 1997)
Administration The municipality of Breda is divided in 11 sectors: Breda Centrum (center) Breda Noord ( North) Breda Noord-West (Haagse Beemden) (Northwest) Prinsenbeek Breda West (West), which includes Princenhage and the border crossing 'Hazeldonk' Breda Zuid (South), which includes the Zandberg neighborhood Breda Zuid-Oost (Southeast), which includes Ginneken Ulvenhout Bavel Breda Oost (East) Teteringen
Topography
Topographic map image of the city of Breda, March 2014. Click to enlarge.
Economy
Historically, economic activities were mainly industrial. Breda was a center of the food- and drink industry. Companies like Hero (lemonade), Van Melle (Mentos), De Faam (liquorice) and Kwatta (chocolate) are famous throughout Western Europe. Breda also had a sugar factory, supplying its best-known products.
Breda formerly housed the largest brewery in the Netherlands (Oranjeboom). The multinational Interbrew took over the brewery in 1995 and then closed it in 2004. Production of the Breda brand was moved to both Bremen and Leuven until 2008, when Randalls Brewery (in Guernsey) acquired the licence. Guernsey is now the only place in the world where draught Breda is brewed.
However, the decline of industrial activity did not harm the city's economy. Nowadays, Breda is a service oriented economy based on business, trade and logistics. A growing number of international companies choose to establish their head office for Benelux operations and manufacturing in Breda. Examples of these companies are 3M,3M Nederland B.V. Dun & Bradstreet. Retrieved: 2021-06-20. Abbott Laboratories, Alfa Laval, Amgen, ExxonMobil, General Electric, General Motors, Krohne Oil & Gas, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, Scania, Texaco, and Toshiba. Also, the food industry is still largely represented by companies such as Anheuser-Busch InBev, Hero Group, Perfetti Van Melle and . Furthermore, the city is host to the headquarters of the Royal Netherlands Air Force. Because of its central location between the ports of Antwerp and Rotterdam, the city also attracts logistics companies such as Van Wijngen International. Koch Media has its Benelux office in Breda."Contact ." Koch Media. Retrieved on September 13, 2016. "Benelux Koch Media Benelux Princenhagelaan 1 C4 4813 DA Breda Niederlande"
The main shopping areas of Breda are the city center and the southern part of Breda. Known shopping centers are De Barones and 't Sas. Major shopping streets are the Eindstraat, , Wilhelminastraat and Ginnekenweg. A market is held on the Grote Markt every Tuesday and Friday from 09:00 to 13:00. A book and antique market is held on Wednesday from 09:00 to 17:00.
Education Breda became since 1970 a more specific education city and student city. In 2012 there were 27,000 students registered in Middelbaar- and Hoger Onderwijs.
Secondary education consists of; vmbo – Pre-vocational secondary education vmbo-theoretical or mavo – secondary general continued education havo – higher general continued education vwo – preparatory scientific education / atheneum / gymnasium
Some schools offer bilingual English/Dutch education. Secondary schools in Breda; Curio (umbrella organization) De Rotonde (special education – services & cuisine, mavo) ISK (international transition school) Praktijkschool (practical special education) Prinsentuin van Cooth (vmbo – agriculture, services and agricultural products, care, mavo) Scala (vmbo – art, theatre, multimedia, entrepreneurship, sports, mavo) Koraal Group (umbrella organization, special education) Brederocollege (special education vmbo and havo) De Kei (special education – mavo, havo) Ginnekencollege (education program at juvenile justice institution ‘Den Hey Acker’) De Campus (collaboration of three schools) Markenhage (Dalton Plan) Michaël College (Waldorf education) Orion Lyceum (havo, vwo) Nassau Scholengemeenschap (mavo, havo, vwo) Graaf Engelbrecht College (mavo, havo, vwo dedicated in sports) Mencía de Mendoza Lyceum (Dutch & bilingual mavo, havo, vwo, atheneum) Newman college (mavo, 'technasium' – havo, atheneum & gymnasium) Onze Lieve Vrouwelyceum (havo, atheneum en gymnasium) Stedelijk Gymnasium Breda Tessenderlandt (vmbo – construction, mobility & transport, catering & recreation, healthcare & welfare, mavo) Christoffel (special education) International School Breda (myp) Libertad (democratic education) Luzac (private school)
Vocational education This type of education is called 'Middelbaar Beroepsonderwijs' (MBO). De Rooi Pannen (hospitality and cuisine, events catering, tourism, leisure and marketing)