View source for Boekel

{{for|the village in the Dutch municipality of Castricum|Boekel, North Holland}}
{{expand Dutch|topic=geo|date=October 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->
<!-- Name and transliteration -->
| name                    = Boekel
| settlement_type         = [[List of municipalities of the Netherlands|Municipality]]
<!-- Images, nickname, motto -->
| image_skyline           = Boekel Raadhuis.JPG
| image_alt               = 
| image_caption           = Boekel town hall
| image_flag              = Flag of Boekel.svg
| flag_size               = 100x67px
| flag_alt                = 
| image_shield            = Coat of arms of Boekel (NB).svg
| shield_size             = 100x80px
| shield_alt              = 
<!-- Maps, coordinates -->
| image_map               = Map - NL - Municipality code 0755 (2009).svg
| map_alt                 = Highlighted position of Boekel in a municipal map of North Brabant
| map_caption             = Location in North Brabant
| coordinates             = {{coord|51|36|N|5|40|E|region:NL|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes   = 
| subdivision_type        = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name        = [[Netherlands]]
| subdivision_type1       = [[Provinces of the Netherlands|Province]]
| subdivision_name1       = [[North Brabant]]
| government_footnotes    = <ref name="mayor_now">{{cite web
 |url = http://www.boekel.nl/bestuur-en-organisatie/samenstelling-college-van-bw_3641/
 |title = Samenstelling college van B&W
 |trans-title=Members of the board of mayor and aldermen
 |language = nl
 |publisher = Gemeente Boekel
 |access-date = 2 May 2014
 |url-status = dead
 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140502183135/http://www.boekel.nl/bestuur-en-organisatie/samenstelling-college-van-bw_3641/
 |archive-date = 2 May 2014
 }}</ref>
| governing_body          = [[Municipal council (Netherlands)|Municipal council]]
| leader_party            = [[Christian Democratic Appeal|CDA]]
| leader_title            = [[Burgemeester|Mayor]]
| leader_name             = [[Pierre Bos]]
<!-- Geographic information -->
| unit_pref               = Metric
<!-- ALL fields with measurements have automatic unit conversion -->
<!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| area_footnotes          = <ref>{{Dutch municipality total area|dataref}}</ref>
<!-- square kilometers -->
| area_total_km2          = {{Dutch municipality total area|Boekel}}
| area_land_km2           = {{Dutch municipality land area|Boekel}}
| area_water_km2          = {{Dutch municipality water area|Boekel}}
| elevation_footnotes     = <ref name="AHN">{{cite web 
 |url = http://www.ahn.nl/postcodetool
 |title = Postcodetool for 5427AB
 |language = nl
 |author = <!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> 
 |work = Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland
 |publisher = Het Waterschapshuis
 |access-date = 2 May 2014}}</ref>
| elevation_m             = 16
| elevation_max_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| elevation_max_m         =
| elevation_min_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| elevation_min_m         =
<!-- Population, demographics -->
| population_footnotes    = <ref>{{Dutch municipality population|dataref}}</ref>
| population_total        = {{Dutch municipality population|Boekel}}
| population_as_of        = {{MONTHNAME|{{Dutch municipality population|popbasemonth}}}} {{Dutch municipality population|popbaseyear}}
| population_density_km2  = {{Dutch municipality population density|Boekel}} <!-- For automatic calculation: auto-->
| population_blank1_title = [[Uden-Veghel]]
| population_blank1       = 175119
| population_demonym      = 
<!-- Other information -->
| timezone                = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset              = +1
| timezone_DST            = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset_DST          = +2
| postal_code_type        = [[Postal codes in the Netherlands|Postcode]]
| postal_code             = 5427–5428
| area_code_type          = [[Telephone numbers in the Netherlands|Area code]]
| area_code               = 0492
| website                 = {{URL|1=http://www.boekel.nl}}
| footnotes               =
}}
[[File:Gem-Boekel-OpenTopo.jpg|upright=1.35|thumb|''Dutch Topographic map of Boekel, June 2015'']]

'''Boekel''' ({{IPA|nl|ˈbukəl|-|180 Boekel.ogg}}) is a municipality and a town in the southern [[Netherlands]].

== Etymology ==

Previously it was assumed the name Boekel referred to the forest ("loo" in Dutch) of the lords Boc, similar to places like [[Boxmeer]] and [[Boxtel]]. The lords Boc were the first lords of [[Lijst van heren en vrouwen van Boxmeer|Boxmeer]], but have no connection to the other two places.

Currently, it is presumed that the name derives from ''Beukeloo'', which is a type of [[beech]] forest.

== Population centres ==
*Boekel
*[[Huize Padua]]
*[[Venhorst]]

==History==

=== Land van Herpen ===
Boekel was founded at some point in the [[Middle Ages]] as a settlement with a number of farms.

In the 13th century Boekel was part of de [[heerlijkheid]] [[Uden]]. In 1233 a separation took place between the [[Land van Cuijk]] and the {{Interlanguage link multi|Land van Herpen|nl}} and Uden. At that time Uden, together with Herpen, formed a unit of government called a [[heerlijkheid]]. Until the foundation of the city of [[Ravenstein, Netherlands|Ravenstein]], [[Herpen]] was the main city of this region. [[Rutger van Herpen]] sold or leased in 1313 or 1314 the community rights (''gemene gronden'') to the residents of Boekel and [[Volkel]]. When the noble lord wanted to improve his cash position, he charged the use of any of its soil, beginning with the wasteland in his [[heerlijkheid]]. This ''common land'' was mainly marshy land and barren higher grounds, such as heaths.

=== Land of Ravenstein ===
In 1324 the [[heerlijkheid]] of [[Uden]] administratively belonged to the [[Ravenstein,_Netherlands#Land_van_Ravenstein|Land van Ravenstein]], under the rule of the House of Valkenburg until 1396.

From the aldermen [[Herpen]] and [[Uden]] the ''Heikantsgericht'' was created in 1339. These stretched across the entire former [[heerlijkheid]] of Uden, consisting of [[Uden]], Boekel and [[Zeeland, North Brabant|Zeeland]]. Of these aldermen, which in total had seven members, two were from Boekel.

After Reinoud of Valkenburg (married to Elisabeth of Cleves) died childlessly, the Land van Ravenstein passed to  [[Adolph I, Duke of Cleves|Adolph of Cleves]] in 1397, becoming part of [[Duchy of Cleves|Cleves]]. The area came under the rule of [[Palatinate-Neuburg]] in 1629. Under the Neuburgs' rule, the area had religious freedom.

Because the neighbouring provinces of Brabant and Gelderland from 1648 officially fell under the [[Staten Generaal|States-General]], this {{Interlanguage link multi|Land van Ravenstein|nl}} more and more was seen as "foreign". The religious freedom provided opportunities for Catholics in [[Generality Lands|Brabant of the States]]. The Catholics of [[Erp, Netherlands|Erp]] built their own barn church on the border with Boekel. Due to the religious freedom several Catholic religious orders also settled in the Land of Ravenstein. In 1741 members of the Brothers Penitent, from the ''Handelse Kluis'' themselves wanted to settle in Boekel. Led by {{Interlanguage link multi|Daniël de Brouwer|nl}} the brothers laid the foundation for the Psychiatric Hospital [[Huize Padua]].

From the 17th century various conflicts arose among the villages of Boekel, [[Uden]] and [[Gemert]] around the demarcation lines between the Ravenstein, Cuijk and Gemert areas. In 1663 the boundary dispute with the ''Vrije Heerlijkheid Gemert'' was settled. In 1729, a similar problem with Uden was settled.

==See also==
* [[Henk Heithuis#Castration|Henk Heithuis]]

[[File:Leontien van Moorsel WCh 1991v2.jpg|135px|thumb|Leontien van Moorsel, 2014]]

== Notable people ==
* [[Hans Gruyters]] (1925 in Boekel – 1980) a Dutch criminal, bankrobber, burglar and escaped convict
* [[Leontien van Moorsel]] (born 1970 in Boekel) a Dutch retired racing cyclist, four time gold medallist at the [[2000 Olympic Games|2000]] & [[2004 Olympic Games]]
* [[Mirella van Melis]] (born 1979 in Venhorst) a retired female track and road racing cyclist
* [[Hannes van Asseldonk]] (born 1992 in Boekel) is a Dutch racing driver

== Gallery ==
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Boekel kapel achter kerk.JPG|Boekel kapel achter kerk
File:T.T Boerderij Berkhoek 14 Boekel 526428 (1).JPG|T.T Boerderij Berkhoek, Boekel
File:Venhorst, monument op kerkplein zijden 1 en 2.JPG|Venhorst, monument op kerkplein zijden
File:Venhorst (Boekel) Sint-Josefkerk.jpg|Sint-Josef kerk, Venhorst, Boekel
File:Boekel Standerdmolen 02.JPG|Boekel Standerdmolen
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Boekel, North Brabant}}
*{{Official website|http://www.boekel.nl }}

{{Geographic location
 | Centre    = Boekel
 | North     = [[Maashorst]]
 | East      = [[Land van Cuijk]]
 | South     = [[Gemert-Bakel]]
 | West      = [[Meierijstad]]
}}
{{North Brabant Province}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Boekel| ]]
[[Category:Municipalities of North Brabant]]
[[Category:Populated places in North Brabant]]