750 years of Beesel: Dragon Slaying

Not only Amsterdam and Schiedam are celebrating their 750th anniversary, but also the Limburg municipality of Beesel. Beesel is known for the tradition of 'Dragon Stabbing'. What do you know about the history of Beesel and 'Dragon Stabbing'? Do you know where Beesel is located in Limburg?  

Beesel

The municipality of Beesel has 13.660 inhabitants (2023) and consists of the villages of Beesel, Reuver, and Offenbeek. The number of inhabitants of the village of Beesel itself is 2.440, while the village of Reuver has 11.010 inhabitants. Beesel is first mentioned in 1275 and, together with Belfeld, formed a single judicial district for centuries. It developed as a ring-shaped village. At its ends lie the hamlets of Bussereind, Ouddorp, and Rijkel. In Ouddorp (more than two hundred meters northwest of the current church), the first church was built around 1400. For a long time, Beesel and Belfeld belonged to the Overkwartier or Spanish Upper Gelre and were part of the Montfort district. In 1713, Beesel, along with several other municipalities, became part of the United Provinces as State Upper Gelre. Reuver is a village in the middle of the Dutch province of Limburg that is part of the municipality of Beesel. It has approximately 11.010 inhabitants. Reuver is situated between the Meuse and the border with Germany. Reuver is further served by the A73. Where does the name Reuver come from? Reuver, the youngest settlement within the Beesel and Belfeld judicial district, was first mentioned in 1547. The name is derived from the inn De Rover, a medieval term for a bird of prey. In later documents, the inn, presumably featuring a sign depicting an eagle, was also referred to by travelers as 'Aquila' and 'la Noire Aigle'.  

Dragon slaying

Beesel is best known for the Dragon Slaying, an open-air spectacle about the legend of Saint George and the Dragon. Once every seven years, the entire town of Beesel revolves around this ancient battle between good and evil. In 2012, the Dragon Slaying was officially added as a tradition to the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Netherlands. This is a special recognition for this open-air spectacle, which thereby also became the first Limburg tradition to be included on the heritage list. The tradition dates back to 1736; the most recent performance was in 2023. The dragon has been plaguing a settlement for years, constantly devouring the sheep (ed) as food. The inhabitants are at a loss. Then the dragon is quiet for a while, and when it returns and demands sheep again, the people feel that something must be done. They go to ask the king for advice, who returns heavily battered after a warlike march with his army. The king makes the people believe that he has killed the dragon, but the people soon discover that this is not true. The dragon has pursued the army and is coming to invade the village.

When the livestock has dwindled to such an extent that hunger can no longer be satisfied, it is decided to sacrifice a human child daily as well. Lottery determines who would meet this tragic fate. No one is exempt from drawing lots. One day, the lot falls on the king's only daughter. The moment the princess arrives at the pool to be devoured by the monster, Georgius (St. George) appears on the scene and fearlessly confronts the dragon. In 1852, it was decreed that the mayors' chains of distinction should display the municipal coat of arms. The municipality of Beesel subsequently decided to apply for a coat of arms. Due to a lack of historical material, a dragon was requested. This dragon originated from the St. George's Militia. The coat of arms was subsequently granted in national colors. Source: Franking machine stamps by Peter Janssen from www.frankeerstempel.nl  

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Municipality of Beesel: https://www.beesel.nl/ Dragon Stabbing (2023): https://www.draaksteken.nl/ 750 years of Beesel: https://www.beesel.nl/projecten/750-jaar-beesel/ https://www.omroeppenm.nl/nieuws?tag=750%20jaar%20Beesel