| Native Name: | Hoge of vrije heerlijkheid Zuid-Polsbroek(nl) |
| Conventional Long Name: | Free or high Lordship of Zuid-Polsbroek |
| Common Name: | Zuid-Polsbroek |
| Era: | Middle Ages |
| Status: | Vassal |
| Empire: | Dutch Republic |
| Government Type: | Allod |
| Year Start: | late 10th century |
| Event Start: | Allod / Fiefdom of Holland |
| Year End: | 1923 |
| Event Pre: | Lordship founded |
| Date Pre: | early 13th century |
| Event1: | it was not sure if Polsbroek belong to the States of Holland or Utrecht |
| Date Event1: | since the late middleages |
| Event2: | to Utrecht |
| Date Event2: | 1819 |
| Capital: | Polsbroek (Zuid-Polsbroek) |
| Title Leader: | Lords |
| Image Map Caption: | File:Map of the Free and High Fief of Zuid-Polsbroek.jpg |
The Free or High Lordship of Zuid-Polsbroek (Dutch: "vrije of hoge heerlijkheid") was a type of local jurisdiction with many rights. It's now part of Polsbroek in the Dutch province of Utrecht.
Zuid-Polsbroek, or Polsbroek, was an allodium[1] and a free or high heerlijkheid,[2] a type of local jurisdiction with many rights. Since 1155 the lords of Polsbroek are able to speak the high (blood court) [3] middle and low justice over their territory. Zuid-Polsbroek was a half-independent (semi-sovereign) entity of the provinces Holland or Utrecht, like the larger Barony of IJsselstein to the east. During the late middle ages it became unsure if Zuid-Polsbroek originally belonged to the States of Holland or to the province (unie) of Utrecht.[1] Polsbroek paid their duties to the States of Holland.[4] When the French introduced the municipal system in the Netherlands in 1807, the rights of the heerlijkheid were largely abolished, although the heerlijkheid itself existed until the early 20th century.
The fief of (Zuid-)Polsbroek was first ruled by the Lords of Arkel since the late 10th century.[1] In later years Polsbroek was ruled by the lords of Woerden van Vliet (until 1423),[5] Viscounts of Montfoort (1423-1481/82),[1] Lords of Bergen from the House of Glymes (1481/82 until 1566),[6] [7] the House of Ligne (from 1566 to 1568) and their following House of Arenberg-Ligne (from 1568 to 1610).[2] Since 1610 the heerlijkheid was a possession of the regentenfamily De Graeff[8] from Amsterdam. When the French introduced the municipal system in the Netherlands in 1795, the rights of the heerlijkheid were largely abolished, although the heerlijkheid itself existed until the early 20th century.
Zuid-Polsbroek was not a very big or important one of the Free or High Lordships of Holland or Utrecht. In 1555, Polsbroek had brought Jean de Ligne an annual income of 954 guilders, made up of rental income (63%), taxes (17%) and manorial rights such as hunting and fishing rights (20%).[9] As for the extent of the property, he was recorded in the books in Jacob Dircksz de Graeff's ownership in 1623 with 692 acres of land and 56 houses.[10]