Lemmer

Lemmer (West Frisian: De Lemmer) is a town in the municipality of De Fryske Marren, in the Dutch province of Friesland. Lemmer lies adjacent to the IJsselmeer and the Frisian Lakes and is one of Friesland's best-known surface water sports locations. Lemmer is a bustling lakeside resort in the summer months and attracts not only day-trippers from surrounding communities such as Emmeloord, Urk, and Joure, but also national and international tourists.

In 2017 the town had 10,225 inhabitants. Residents of Lemmer are called Lemsters. Due to its favorable location in relation to the Randstad, Lemmer attracts many new inhabitants from outside Friesland. As a result, the village has suffered little from the effects of rural flight. The hamlet of Brekkenpolder also belongs to the town, along with most of the hamlet of Tacozijl and a small part of the hamlet of Westend.

The original Lemsters settled where the rivers Rien and Zijlroede meet, though it remains unknown when they first did so. Lemmer appears in writing at the beginning of the fourteenth century, though it is mentioned as Lenna in the writings of the bishop of the diocese of Utrecht in 1228. A further link can probably be made with the name Lammerbroeke, which appears in 1165 as an earlier form of Lemsterhoek, a hamlet just west of present-day Lemmer, which was destroyed by the Hollanders around 1400. No rebuilding ensued, but the place and name are still known, especially among sailors and fishermen. Even older names have also survived, such as Lyamer.

Gradually, a settlement grew at the mouth of these inland waterways of the Zuiderzee, a prime place for merchants and artisans.

Lemmer was in a vulnerable position on the Zuiderzee and often fell under the influence of Holland. That happened in 1197, among other times, when Count William I had a castle built in Oosterzee to aid in his subjugation of the lord of Kuinre. In 1422, a castle was built in Lemmer by Duke John III of Bavaria-Straubing, who had been summoned by the Schieringers as patron of Friesland. Known as John "the Pitiless", he certainly would not have been a popular figure in Lemmer.

Duke Charles II of Guelders also interfered with Friesland. He had a blockhouse built in Lemmer in 1521, which housed a garrison. Two years later he handed it over to the Burgundians. What the castles and blockhouse looked like is unknown.

The Spaniards did not leave the village alone either. In 1581, during the Eighty Years' War, they conquered Lemmer, along with the city of Sloten. In the rampjaar of 1672, however, Prince-Bishop von Galen of Münster proved unable to occupy Lemmer as part of the Franco-Dutch War.

In 1799, British troops landed in Lemmer. The War of the Second Coalition had broken out between Great Britain and France, and the Dutch had become involved as "sister republic". British warships sailed the Zuiderzee and the cities of Enkhuizen, Medemblik and Stavoren were occupied. Soon afterwards, the large warships could be seen in Lemmer. The Lemster beurtman, with whom the enterprising Poppe Jans had made many a trip to Amsterdam, was overpowered near Urk and its passengers taken to Stavoren. Two British warships appeared in front of the port of Lemmer on 24 September. Captain James Boorder landed in a sloop - under cover of a white flag - to meet local authorities. A sudden storm forced him to spend the night at De Wildeman Inn. Three days later, he returned and claimed Lemmer for the British, including all ships and cargo. If refused, all of Lemmer would be shot to pieces.