Freedom, Feuds, Purgatory...

Today I visited the exhibition "Vrijheid, Vetes, Vagevuur - de middeleeuwen in het noorden" (“Freedom, Feuds, Purgatory - the middle ages in the north”) in the Fries museum Leeuwarden. The exhibition presents insights about life in the North during the full and late Middle Ages (1067-1567). At that time, Friesland (Tota Frisia) extended from the present province of Friesland, the Netherlands to the Weser River in Ostfriesland, Germany. Unlike elsewhere in Europe, the Frisians governed themselves, elected their own judges, spoke their own language and had their own distinctive clothing style. This enormous sword belonged to one of the last free Frisians, Pier Gerlofs Donia or “Grutte Pier”; in many battles he defeated Dutch armies... @ Fries museum, Ljouwert, the Netherlands