Van Polanen
Noble family
Country	Netherlands
Founded	13th century
Founder	Jan van Polanen
Dissolution	15th century

The Van Polanen family are a noble family that played an important role in the Netherlands during the Middle Ages. By inheriting the vast properties of the House of Polanen, the House of Nassau in 1403 became a landowner in the Netherlands for the first time.

History

The Van Polanen family were a side branch of the Van Wassenaer family which owned Duivenvoorde Castle since 1226. The branch took its name from Polanen Castle (Kasteel Polanen), a castle situated in Monster which was destroyed in 1351 and finally demolished in 1394.

Philips III van Duivenvoorde received the fief of Polanen in 1295. Willem van Duvenvoorde (1290–1353) purchased Oosterhout in 1324, together with vast properties around Breda and Bergen op Zoom, among them De Lek and Schoonenburg Castle (abandoned around 1450). The ruins of Strijen Castle, his possible residence, are still preserved in Oosterhout. Philips's son Jan I van Polanen, received the fief of Breda in 1339, together with his son John II who built a new castle there.

All of these properties were inherited by Johanna van Polanen who married Engelbert I of Nassau. Through this marriage the House of Nassau first gained territories in the Netherlands. Much later this fact, among others, led to the House of Orange-Nassau's rise to the ruling dynasty of the country.

• 
  Duivenvoorde Castle
• 
  Breda Castle
• 
  Strijen Castle, Oosterhout
• 
  Schoonenburg near De Lek

Family tree

Grave of Johan II and his two wives in the Grote Kerk in Breda

• Philips III van Duivenvoorde (c. 1248 – after 1301)
  • Jan I van Polanen (–1342) m. Katherina van Brederode (–1372)
    • Dirk van Polanen m. Elburg van Asperen
      • Otto van Polanen m. Johanna van Voorst
        • Elburg van Polanen m. Johan van Langerak
        • Cunegonda van Polanen m. Frederik van Hekeren genaamd van Rechteren
        • Jan van Polanen m.1 Elburg van Langerak m.2 Katharina von Gemen (–1493)
    • Philips van Polanen (–1375) m. Elisabeth van der Maele
      • Elisabeth van Polanen (–1404) m. Hugo van Heenvliet (–1409)
    • Johan II van Polanen (–1378) m.1 Oda van Hoorne (–1353) m.2 Machteld bastard of Brabant (–1366) m.3 Margareta zur Lippe
      • Johan III van Polanen (–1394) m. Odilia von Salm (–1428)
        • Johanna van Polanen (1392–1445) m. Engelbert I of Nassau (–1442)
      • Oda van Polanen (–1417) m. Hendrik III van Montfoort (1402)
      • Hendrik van Polanen (–1427) m. 1 Johanna de Ghistelles m.2 Adelaide van Stalle
      • Dirk van Polanen m. Gillisje van Cralingen
      • Beatrix van Polanen m. Hendrik VIII van Boutershem
      • Maria van Polanen m. Willem van Cronenburch
      • Otto van der Leck (–1428) m. Sophia van den Bergh (–1412)
        • Willem II van Polanen (1404–1465) m. Lutgardis von Bentheim (–1445)
          • Sem van Polanen (2005 - Current)

Literature

• Detlev Schwennicke, Europäische Stammtafeln Band XXVIII (2012) Tafel 152.