No 4 - June 2001
Editor of this issue: Carsten Berg Høgenhoff,
Oslo, Norway.
Editoral committee on this issue: Sigurd Lambek, Oregon, U.S.A., René
Lesage, Fauquembergues, Pas-de-Calais, France and Erik Tøndevold,
Asker, Norway.
Contents
The Sweers genealogy
Ahasverus de Créqui
dit la Roche's first wife, Judith Sweers, followed him to Norway with
their family, and from 1660 until her death approx 1669 she lived in
Stavanger.
Until this winter, only
her closest family was known in Norway. Recent documentation from Dutch
litterature and archives has brought us new knowledge, and we can now
follow her ancestors back to Dirk Sweers , born in Helmond (?),
The Netherlands 1508, married to Catharina van Snovels in 1540.
These new discoveries
are presented in Chapter 5.2 in the Créqui
genealogy. We will not repeat what is written (mostly in Norwegian)
in that chapter, but if your are particularly interested in this family,
I will be happy to hear from you (E-mail: See Carsten Berg Høgenhoff
under eMail in left frame).
Our new discoveries have
been supplied mainly by Ms. Annette Sweerts, who is also a SIEC-member.
We welcome a new SIEC-member
We are happy to welcome
Ms. Annette Sweerts of Amsterdam, The Netherlands as a member
of SIEC since 30th April 2001. Annette has become SIEC's spearhead into
Dutch genealogy circles, and competent as she is in first-hand searches
in old archives her contribution to the group's research of both primary
and secondary sources is of great importance.
The Genealogy Forum
at Fruges, France in May 2001
On May 19th and 20th 2001,
the Comité d'Histoire de Haut-Pays arranged a genealogy seminar
at the salle des fêtes in Fruges, Pas-de-Calais, Northern France.
The Forum was officially
opened with welcome speeches by M. Jean-Claude Leroy, Member of the
French Parliament, and by the Mayor of Fruges, M. Jean-Jacques Hilmoine.
To the right: A view from the main exhibition hall at the salle des fêtes
Participating associations
were:
- ADCA (Association pour la découverte
d'un coin d'Artois), Mr. Guillemant
- AGP (Association généalogique
du Pas-de-Calais) Mme Douard
- AGPFR (Association de gestion du patrimoine
de Fressin et sa région) Mr. Queste
- Association historique de Coulogne, Mr. Mulard
- Association socio-culturelle de Blendecques,
Mr. Floure
- CEGP7V (Centre d'études généalogiques
du pays des 7 Vallées), Mr. Warin
- Cercle historique d'Auxi-le-Château,
Mr. Renoncourt
- CHHP (Comité d'histoire du Haut-Pays)
Mr. Lesage
- Comité d'histoire de Bouvigny Boyeffles
(Mlle Dubois)
- GGRN (Groupement généalogique
de la région du Nord), Mr. Hazebrouck
- Résistance et mémoire dans le
Nord - Pas-de-Calais, Mr. Lesage
- Société des Amis du Vieux-Calais,
Mlle Gay
- SIEC (Société internationale
des études de Créquy), Mr. Berg
- SGPHN (Sources généalogiques
et historiques des provinces du Nord), Mr. Beuvelet
As one will see, there
were both local, other French and foreign participants at the Forum.
The mix of amateur presentations and the more profit oriented sales
stands was good - not too much of either, and none of them missing.
To the right: Mr. René Lesage (left) with a keen listener at the
Genealogy Forum at Fruges on May 19th, 2001. Behind part of the SIEC-stand,
and at the very far some pages from the colour copied 17th century Créquy
genealogy by L.P. d'Hozier
The Créquy stand
The Créquy stand, by far the largest, was situated in its own
room next to the main hall. SIEC's presentation was given a central
place, while the two other main events of the Créquy stand were
Mr. René Lesage's 18 metres long presentation of the Créquy
genealogy, and the complete, colour copied presentation of L.P. d'Hozier's
hand written manuscript of the Créquy genealogy from 1660.
From SIEC's point of view,
this was an excellent opportunity to present the known facts about the
Dutch family de Créqui dit la Roche in what must truly be regarded
as the heartland of Créquy genealogy. Mr. René Lesage,
key member and co-founder of the Comité d'histoire du Haut-Pays,
has since December 2000 also been a member of SIEC. Meeting Mr. Lesage
in person has surely broadened the bonds within SIEC and between SIEC
and the Comité d'histoire du Haut-Pays. In an organization like
ours, where contact between the members is basically based upon the
internet, the opportunity to once in a while to have personal contact
like this is of course most satisfying.
Mr. Lesage is planning
a seminar in the village of Créqui within a period of three to
four years. His hope is to gather as many descendants of the great family
as possible at what is planned as Mr. Lesage's grand finale of his Créquy-genealogy.
Let us hope that many SIEC-members will use this opportunity to meet,
and that our Dutch-Norwegian branch will by then be an "officially
recognized" part of the Créquy genealogy with a certified
link to the French main house.
Anyway: From SIEC's side
we have achieved what was the purpose of our participation at the Genealogy
Forum at Fruges: We can now feel certain that the genealogy of the Dutch-Norwegian
branch of the de Créquy family is also a matter of interest within
French genealogy circles.
An illustrated guide
to Créqui and Fressin
My two good guides,
Mr. Philippe Queste (2nd. from left) and his collegue Delphine (left)
at the tourist office opposite the road of the de Créqui Chateau-fort
at Fressin. Note the poster in the background: "La legende de Raoul
de Créquy" which plays for the 8th year at the castle grounds
in June and July 2001.
My pictures of Créqui
and Fressin are presented on two pages of their own. The pages may be
a bit heavy to download, but hopefully you will find them worth a visit:
The texts presented with
the pictures are based upon what I wrote down during my guided tour
and upon several articles and brochures about these sites.
SIEC in the local news
Our appearance at the Genealogy
Forum in Fruges hit the local news. Above is an article from "Hebdo-Montreuil"
3Oth May - 5th June 2001: "The de Crequi family is tied together
- Carsten Berg returns to the sources". The article presents the
Genealogy Forum as such, and - since SIEC was probably the most exotic
participant - our presentation of the Dutch-Norwegian branch of the
de Créquy family in particular.
For a more readable version, please click here .
My personal thanks
Personally, I must use
this opportunity to express my deep gratitude for the warm welcome I
was given by Mr. René Lesage, by the Comité d'histoire
du Haut-Pays and by the two good representatives of the Syndicate d'Initiative
de Fressin who guided me through Créquy, the chateau-fort at
Fressin and other places of interest to SIEC; Mr. Philippe Queste and
his collegue Delphine. It was good to be with you!
Not so certain about
the oldest history of the de Créquy family
The oldest history of
the de Créquy family is presented in SIEC's Chapter 2 . According to Mr. René Lesage's
opinion, genealogies starting as early as with Ramelin II must be consideres
as most uncertain. He starts his own de Créquy genealogy with
Baudouin I de Créquy, dead 1226-1227, thus excluding as many
as five generations as opposed to the classical genealogist.
Before Anselme starts
his genealogy with Ramelin II mentioned in 986, there are sagas of even
further generations back to an Arnoul, Sire de Créquy mentioned
as early as 857. But, as genealogists and not legend-tellers, we must
consider the facts - and thus according to Mr. Lesage - we may feel
certain only from Baudouin I de Créquy.
Say cheese: "Le
sire de Créquy"
Not at all a matter of
genealogy, but indeed a matter of good taste: "Le sire de Créquy",
produced locally "a la ferme Créquy", mild in taste,
but strong in smell. Like a French cheese should be! Indeed, I taste
the cheese as I write these words in Oslo, Norway on June 1st, 2001.
The name is René
Lesage's brainchild, and the knight is the very same Jean V de Créquy
whom we have used on our SIEC-pin. The drawing which has given the design
to the SIEC pin and the cheese alike is old. The original 15th century
drawing of the knights of the Golden Fleece is today stored at la Bibliothèque
de l'Arsenal in Paris.
On the label, you see
the Castle of Fressin and St. Martin's church in the village of Fressin
in the background, both places of great importance to the Knight of
the Golden Fleece.
All material written in
this newsletter has been compiled by members of SIEC and is believed
to be correct, but is not guaranteed in any way. Use at own risk if
copied or used for personal research.
The SIEC newsletter No 4 - June 2001
Carsten Berg Høgenhoff
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