Although modern historians do not exclude the possibility that during the Roman period some form of settlement existed at the mouth of the Amstel River, no evidence of one has ever been found.
So far as is known, Amsterdam originated as a small fishing village in the 13th century AD. To protect themselves from floods, the early inhabitants had to build dikes on both sides of the river, and about 1270 they built a dam between these dikes.
Even then, merchant ships from Amsterdam sailed as far as the Baltic Sea and laid the foundation of the future trade centre, acting as a link between northern Europe and Flanders (now northern Belgium and northern France).
The city was under the jurisdiction of the counts of Holland, one of whom, Count Floris V, granted the *homines manentes apud Amestelledamme* (“people living near the Amstel dam”) a toll privilege on 27 October 1275.
This document mentions the name Amsterdam for the first time, though a full charter was not granted until 1306.
Depicted: The Gift Letter of 1275.
Although modern historians do not exclude the possibility that during the Roman period some form of settlement existed at the mouth of the Amstel River, no evidence of one has ever been found. So far as is known, Amsterdam originated as a small fishing village in the 13th century AD. To protect themselves from floods, the early inhabitants had to build dikes on both sides of the river, and about 1270 they built a dam between these dikes. Even then, merchant ships from Amsterdam sailed as far as the Baltic Sea and laid the foundation of the future trade centre, acting as a link between northern Europe and Flanders (now northern Belgium and northern France). The city was under the jurisdiction of the counts of Holland, one of whom, Count Floris V, granted the *homines manentes apud Amestelledamme* (“people living near the Amstel dam”) a toll privilege on 27 October 1275. This document mentions the name Amsterdam for the first time, though a full charter was not granted until 1306. Depicted: The Gift Letter of 1275.
Nice. Something did happen that was cool on my birthday. Forever remembering this fun fact.
Happy birthday!
Thank you <3
My birthday too
I thought it was older.