Drontermeer tour

Elburg, Kampen
Anyone who sees the historic part of Elburg with the straight streets and the old gate knows for sure: Elburg is a city. That was already the case in the 13th century, when Otto II of Gelre granted city rights to Elburg. Unfortunately, that right was taken away again in 1310: Otto turned out to have no authority at all and had not requested royal permission. Elburg was a village again for two years, until Reinald I returned the city rights. In 1488, Elburg was again in danger of losing its city rights thanks to stadtholder Adolf van Nassau. Elburg was only allowed to retain its rights if they supplied soldiers for Maximilian's army. Kampen was the Rotterdam of the Middle Ages. They sailed the sea with their cog ships and even received privileges from the king of Denmark. In the 14th century, Kampen exchanged the Mastenbroek polder for growth in the IJsseldelta. Not a crazy exchange: when the ever-expanding Kampereiland was leased, it generated so much that Kampen did not have to levy municipal taxes.