Origin and development of Enkhuizen

The first written  record of the name  Enkhuizen is to be found in a charter dated 1299 with which the settlement received the first rights from Graaf Jan l. the village was longer in existence but no records had been kept before 1299.

The year 1355 was an historical one for the city. In that year Enkhuizen was incorporated with Gommerskerspel, a farming settlement a little to the west, that was mentioned in 1204. Graaf  Willem V granted city rights to the new city under the name  of Enkhuizen.

In 1361, the first innner dike was dug for the increasing number of ships. This harbour included the present Zuiderhavendijk, Nieuwstraat, Kaasmarkt and Noorderhavendijk.

With the coming of the second harbour in 1400, could be seen the growing importance of Enkhuizen as a port, the fish trade became important. The city maintained contact with North Sea- and East Sealands and the Rhineland.

Evidence that business in  butter and cheese was important  can be seen by the foundation of a weigh-house (Waag), on the corner of  the Westerstraat in 1394.

After the St. Elisaebth flood in 1421, the Enkhuizers pulled down their church outside the dike and built it up again more land inwards. This is the Zuiderkerk. In their turn, the farmers from Gommerskerspel renewed and enlarged their parochial church, now the Westerkerk.

  Under presure from the taut political situation, as a result of the "Hoekse en Kabeljouwse" disputes, men began to encircle the city with walls. The Westerkerk and the surrounding convents and farms were herby brought inside the fortification. Times of relative peace and prosperity were interrupted by periods of war and national disputes that had an unfavourable  influence on the fishing trade, commerce and industry.  Enkhuizen played an important role in the struggle for freedom against the Spaniards.  The city was the first in Holland and West-Friesland to voluntarily take the side of  the "Prins van Oranje" in May 1572. In this connection, the defence for the city was made stronger with the rampart Willigenburg on the foot of the Zuiderpoort where now the Dromedaris stands.

In 1593 the city was again extended by means of a new city wall strengthened by 7 bastions. At the same time new harbours were dug. A good impression of the city after this extension can be seen on the map by J. Blaue in 1649.

In 1602 the East-Indian Company (VOC) was founded, one chamber being esthblished in Enkhuizen. Enkhuizen could also take part in the West-Indian company which was founded in 1622.

The most important factor in the development of Enkhuizen as a seaport and centre for the fish trade was it’s auspicious position. The city lay at the entrance to the Zuiderzee from which ships sailed to places all over the world.

A sign of prosperity  in Enkhuizen during the first half of the 17^th century could be seen in the high number of inhabitants –then at its highest probably between 21,000 an 25,000 in 1630 it was the third biggest city following Amsterdam and Haarlem, in what is now called the province of North Holland.

(Writen by Ruud van Eekeren, translated by Mrs. van Ankeren.)