Gerard van Velsen

Who is Gerard van Velsen?

Gerard van Velsen was lord of Beverwijk, Noordwijk and Velsen.

He was the son of Albrecht van Velsen and Hildegonde. Gerard was married to Machteld van Woerden, a sister of Herman VI van Woerden. In 1275 Gerard was named schout of Wijk aan Zee.

In 1296 Gerard conspired together with Herman van Woerden, Gijsbrecht IV of Amstel, Jan van Kuyk and Arnold van Benschop to kidnap Floris V, Count of Holland. Eventually, together with van Woerden and van Amstel, they imprisoned the count in the Muiderslot. After Floris V attempted to escape, Gerard personally killed the count by stabbing him 20 times. Afterwards he fled to castle Kronenburg near Loenen aan de Vecht. A few days later he was arrested and brought to Leiden to stand trial. There he was tortured for three days long before being Quartered.

Gerard's motive for the murder of Floris V was his wife's supposed rape by Floris, after which she committed suicide.