Person:Halewijn Van Leiden (1)

The Rhyme Chronicles of Holland mention a Halewijn van Leiden--a wealthy man of means and valor, well-met and respected among the people.

Halewin was the first Viscount of Leiden and possibly born at Diksmuide in Flanders as a son of Diederik III of Beveren, Viscount of Diksmuide, and Beatrix of Ghent. This would make him the grandson of Arnulf de Bevere, born in 907 AD at Manor Bevere Claines‎, Worcestershire UK.

The sheild of Halewijn matches that of the de Beveres of England. Halewijn was among other things lord of Wassenhoven. In the Netherlands however there is no region with that name. There is a Wassenhove in Flanders, Deerlijk and a Wassenhove at Grotenberge. Deerlijk lies at Kortrijk on the way to Ghent, near a hamlet with the name Beveren. Grotenberge is between Ghent and Brussels.

State archivist Mr. H. Hardenberg thinks that the line Van Wassenaar (the oldest line in the Netherlands) results from the Van Beverens in Waasland at Antwerp. This corresponds with the similarities of the sheild of the oldest Van Wassenaars and that of the Van Beverens. The Van Wassenaars descend of the first viscounts of Leiden. Given his function as a Viscount of Leiden and his military and political competences, it seems possible that Halewijn descended of the family Van Beveren at Diksmuide in Flanders.

There is a great deal more information on Halewijn developing through the research of B. Kranenburg.