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Benschop (The Netherlands)

Lopik municipality, Utrecht province

Last modified: 2018-12-15 by rob raeside
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[Benschop flag] image by Jarig Bakker, 23 Nov 2003
adopted 1 Mar 1965

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Benschop former municipality

Benschop is a former municipality, since 1989 part of Lopik in Utrecht province. It was part of Zuid-Holland till 1814, where it played an important part in the early history. The Lordship of Benschop was owned by the Lords of Benschop, but Arend van Benschop was disowned by count Jan I of Holland (1296-1299) for his part in the gruesome murder of count Floris V in 1296 ("Uw hoge sprongen zijn gedaan, Heer Graaf" - your high jumps are over, my lord!). Benschop was granted to a favorite of Jan I, Wolfaart van Borselen, who was disowned by count Jan van Henegouwen (1299-1304). Later on it formed, together with IJsselstein and Noord-Polsbroek the Baronie (barony) of IJsselstein.
In Benschop was Snellenburg, a manorhouse of Floris V; in the 14th century church is a monument for Captain Abraham van Zijll, and adjudant of Admiral Michiel A. de Ruyter.
Flag: five equally wide horizontal stripes of red - white - orange - yellow - black.
The division in horizontal stripes is derived from the national flag. The relationship with the House of Orange (Willem van Oranje gained the Baronie of IJsselstein by his marriage with Anna van Buuren in 1551) is represented by the central orange stripe. The other colors are derived from the municipal arms.
The flag was adopted 1 Mar 1965; design: unknown.
Source: Vexilla Nostra No. 95 (1978).
Jarig Bakker, 23 Nov 2003