Batenburgers

Jan van Batenburg (* 1495, † 1538 in Vilvoorde ) was named after him leader of the militant group of Baptist Baten Burger ( also Zwaardgeesten ).

Life

Jan van Batenburg was born around 1495, the illegitimate son of originating from the Netherlands Gelderland Dirk van Batenburg. Batenburg later became mayor of the city Steenwijk in the region of Overijssel. When the Overijssel 1528 fell to the Habsburgs, he lost under his new government both his post as mayor as well as his possession.

After 1530 Batenburg joined the newly formed Reformed Baptist movement and gathered their militant offshoots soon around. Named after him Baten burger or Zwaardgeesten rejected after the tragedy of Münster any form of baptism, legitimized polygamy and declared according to their apocalyptic theology that the time of God's grace is now over, and instead had come the time of his wrath. With its combination of religion and violence they set themselves deliberately in opposition to the other Anabaptist groups, representing a sectarian pacifism in the sense of Stäbler. Batenburg itself probably already in 1535 took part in a rebellion in the Frisian Oldeklooster.

In August 1536 came in Bocholt to a meeting of representatives of Baten Burger, named after David Joris Joristen and named after Obbe Philips Obbeniten (later as Mennonites were called ), on the especially David Joris to reconcile the divergent Anabaptist groups was concerned. However, a real agreement was not reached. The group led by David Joris soon turned again to the established churches, and especially the later Mennonites rejected violence as a religious means always been strictly off. Menno Simons saw in the Baten burgers and also in the David - Joristen corrupt sects.

Jan van Batenburg was arrested in 1538 in Brabant and burned at the stake. Despite the death of Batenburg and their increasing isolation of a part of the group still held up in 1580. They were especially active in the area of Overijssel, where they robbed under the guise of divine vengeance and murdered. Until 1545 she led a native of suffering Weber Cornelis Appelman. When her last representative 1580 polygamistisch living January Willems was burned at the stake.