Thorn (Netherlands)

Infobox Former Country
native_name = "Reichsstift Thorn" (de)
"Rieksstif van Thoear" (li)
"Rijksabdij van Thorn" (nl)
conventional_long_name = Imperial Abbey of Thorn
common_name = Thorn|
continent = Europe
region = Low Countries
country = Netherlands
era = Middle Ages
status = Abbey
empire = Holy Roman Empire
government_type = Theocracy|
year_start = 1292
year_end = 1795|
event_pre = Founded
date_pre = "ca" 975
event_start = Gained "Reichsfreiheit"
date_start =
event1 = Joined Council of Princes
date_event1 = 1793
event_end = by France
date_end =
event_post = Awarded to Netherlands
date_post = June 9 1815|
p1 = Bishopric of Liège
image_p1 =
s1 = Meuse-Inférieure
flag_s1 = Flag of France.svg|

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image_map_caption = The Low Countries in the 16th century, showing the Abbey of Thorn in dark blue, at the north-eastern tip of the Bishopric of Liège (paler blue, centre)|
capital = Thorn|
footnotes = Infobox Former Subdivision
native_name = "Voormalige gemeente Thorn" (nl)
conventional_long_name = Municipality of Thorn
common_name = Thorn|
continent = Europe
region = Low Countries
country = Netherlands
subdivision = Municipality
nation = Netherlands
status_text = Municipality of the Netherlands|
year_start =
year_end = 2006
life_span = ? – 2006|
date_start = "Unknown; [SERVERSCRIPTPATH/index.php?title=ARTICLEPAGENAMEE&action=edit add start date] "
date_end = December 31 2006|
p1 =
flag_p1 =
s1 = Maasgouw
flag_s1 = Sin bandera.svg|



|


image_map_caption = Former municipality of Thorn, shown within Limburg|
capital = Thorn

Thorn (Pronunciation|163 Thorn.ogg, _li. Thoear) is a town in the municipality of Maasgouw, in the Dutch province of Limburg.

Thorn started as an abbey in the 10th century, founded by Bishop Ansfried of Utrecht.

Founded about 975 as a female Benedictine convent, it developed since the 12th century into a secular "stift" or convent. A "stift" is a monastic community which interpreted the order rules of living in a liberal way.

The principal of the "stift" was the abbess. She was assisted by a chapter of at most twenty ladies of the highest nobility. Previously the abbess and the chapter were endowed with religious tasks but, since the 12th century, they served secular matters and formed the government of a truly sovereign miniature principality, the smallest independent state in the German Holy Roman Empire.

Besides Thorn, Ittervoort, Grathem, Baexem, Stramproy, Ell, Haler and Molenbeersel belonged to this principality. After the French invasion of in the winter of 1794–95 the formal abolition in 1797 made an end to the existence of the abbey and the principality of Thorn. Thorn was annexed at first by France, to become part of the "département" of Meuse-Inférieure, and after the Vienna Congress it became a municipality of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Thorn is known as "the white village" for its white-washed brick houses in the centre of town.

External links

* [http://www.thorn.nl Official website]
* [http://thorn.web-log.nl/ The Thorn blog]