Frank II van Borsselen, graaf van Oostervant

https://kasteelvansintmaartensdijk.nl/bewoners/frank-van-borssele/
Frank ll van Borssele was born in 1395. His parents were Floris II van Borssele and Oede van Bergen.

Frank spent his childhood years on the estates in Sint-Maartensdijk and Zuilen. He also stayed at the count's court in The Hague, his houses in Haarlem or in Middelburg. He regularly stayed in Brielle, Oostvoorne and Goedereede. These were strategic places located between Zeeland and Holland. Until 1437, the castle in Sint-Maartensdijk was the primary residence of Frank and his court, and it was his ancestral castle.

In 1420, the young Frank ll van Borssele had a great administrative career ahead of him, thanks to his father's wealth. He was knighted and John of Brabant appointed him bailiff, steward and dike warden of Tholen and Schakerloo. The van Borsseles had built up a very dominant position of power in Zeeland and exerted influence on the policy of the counts of Holland and Zeeland. Since the middle of the fourteenth century, they had belonged to the Cod camp in the Dutch-Zeeland political relations. Because of their wealth, the Van Borsseles were able to act as financial backers for the Count of Holland and obtain important offices. Frank's father, Floris II, lent large sums of money to John of Brabant and his wife Jacoba of Bavaria. Because of his way of life, John of Brabant incurred large debts.

Frank II and his choice of sides, the cod side against Jacoba and in favor of John of Bavaria, Jacoba's uncle, enabled him to reach the top of the count's administration. From 1421 to 1423 Frank was one of John of Bavaria's tresoriers and also one of his advisors.

Frank had been appointed by John of Brabant in 1425 as ruwaard (deputy of the lord) in Zeeland and he administered the Land of Voorne. Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, and nephew of Jacoba, provided Frank with military and financial support in this task. In 1430 Frank and two relatives were appointed stadtholder of Holland and leader of the Cod Party by Philip.
During the naval battle at Brouwershaven in 1426, Frank was wounded in battles between the Burgundians and Jacoba's English auxiliaries. Jacoba lost the battle and had to give up her claim to her lands. As a result, her nephew Philip the Good became Count of Holland, Zeeland and Hainaut. Because Frank had to support Jacoba financially, he secretly married her in July 1432. After the relinquishment of her lands was officially arranged, Frank and Jacoba married on 15 April 1434 in the Maartenskerk in Sint-Maartensdijk. Jacoba received a wedding gift from Frank in Sint-Maartensdijk and the castle. After this, Frank was appointed Count of Oostervant by the lord of the land, after which he was appointed chief forester of Holland in 1436. On 9 October 1436, Jacoba died of tuberculosis at Teylingen Castle and was buried in the court chapel in The Hague as the last Countess of Holland, Zeeland and Hainaut.

As the court of a noble family of high prestige, the castle in Sint-Maartensdijk was very active in the late Middle Ages. It was the centre from which the domains were managed, but also where political and diplomatic consultations took place. Moreover, the rich court life contributed to the high social status of the lords of Sint-Maartensdijk. The court attracted many visitors, traveling artists and heralds offered entertainment. Musicians such as shawm players, trumpeters and other stringed instrument players visited the court. These were characteristics of the noble way of life of the lords, also the presence of horses, dogs and falcons used for hunting, an expression of the social status of the owner.

During the chapter of the Order of the Golden Fleece, Frank was elected a member of this prestigious order of chivalry on 12 December 1445. In 1455 Frank stayed in Sint-Maartensdijk for the last time and was almost always in Brielle after that. When he was ill, he sent for doctors from Delft and Leiden. On 10 November 1470 Frank died and was buried in the Maartenskerk in Sint-Maartensdijk. His heart and liver are buried in the church of Brielle.