the History of Wieringen
the 80-year war

The 80-year war, which lasted from 1568 to 1648 and during which the Netherlands became independent from Spain, almost completely passed Wieringen unnoticed, expect for one small thing. The story goes that the rebel captain Willem Blois van Treslong was hiding with his ship for the Spanish near the Wieringer coast. Suddenly winter began and his ship became stuck in the ice. Blois van Treslong was now in a tricky position, because he knew a Spanish legion was on its way in order to fight him and take the ship. He therefore asked the local Wieringer population if they would help him freeing the ship from the ice. The Wieringer people wasn't born yesterday and demanded that Blois would leave immediately, without coming ashore for some shopping (=pillaging). Blois gave his word of honour that he wouldn't let this happen and offered his sword to the people as a token of his friendship. The Wieringer people helped him cut the ice away and Blois was able to get away and fight the Spanish elsewhere. His sword remains on Wieringen and still hangs in the church of Oosterland today (see picture).