Museum Asselt, Netherlands

Since the year 880, the year that Norman-Viking Crown Prince Godfried the Younger, leader of the Great Viking army, made camp in Asselt (Ascloha) along the River Maas (Meuse), the landscape in Asselt has not changed and you can really feel the history on a visit here.

Historical Story

Godfried of Ascloha was the son of Godfried Haraldsson and grandson of Klakk-Haraldr. Sigfried of Ascloha was Godfried's cousin.

Godfried stayed with his army in the Normancamp in Ascloha for almost two years. They plundered the big cities and monasteries and mingled with the local residents.

It seemed Godfried was unbeatable and the Frankish Emperor, Charles the Fat, eventually made a pact with him on 21st July in 882, in Ascloha. Godfried agreed. He got baptised, became Duke of Frisia in name of the Emperor, and married Princess Gisela, the daughter of the late Frankish Emperor, Lotharius II.

But Godfried also made a deal with Gisela's brother, Hugo of Lotharingen, planning to take over power from the Emperor.

In the end, Godfried was betrayed and killed by the sword at a meeting with Everhard the Saxen; a meeting that had been planned by one of Godfried’s own men – Count Gerulf (a Fries). Godfried’s men were slain and only his cousin Sigfried got away.

Count Gerulf eventually became the founding father of the House of Holland – Holland, the Netherlands.

And so ended the Viking era in the Netherlands.

Abbeys and Churches

Three Abbeys have chronicles telling the story of the Norman-Vikings in Asselt: stories with underlying tales of love, power, tension and deceit… a real "Game of Thrones".

A small church, the oldest in the Netherlands, originated in the Frankish period. Some Roman building materials were also used in the construction.

Visiting Today

Asselt today offers a huge variety of attractions, events and activities for all ages:

• A museum
• The former river bed of the Maas (Meuse), where according to the scriptures 300 Norman-Viking ships moored
• Great natural and cultural environment
• Opportunity for educational activities, for groups and schools
• Events and learning for individual visitors and groups
• Dressing up
• Eating and drinking
• Fighting and playing games like Vikings
• Walking the grounds like the Vikings did
• Re-enactment group "Vikingen van Ascloha"
• True history and theatre for groups (in 2020, a new theatrical outdoor play will be based on the true Norman-Viking history in 881)
• Archeological finds including a real Viking sword with a beautiful story