he conclusion of the project will comprise a summary of the above. This will include an analysis of general effect Amsterdam‘s prominence had on the Dutch Republic during this time period.
             2. Amsterdam‘s Origins and the Medieval City (1200 – 1520)
             Amsterdam was settled in approximately 1200 AD. According to Dedalus Cassaro, author of A Short History of Amsterdam, legend has it that a boat, containing two fishermen and their dog ran aground at the mouth of the Amstel river . When the dog leapt out of the boat, the men dicided to set up home on the marshy land. This is reflected in many versions of the city‘s coat of arms, upon which the three figures can be seen.
             The new settlers began to build huts on `terpen‘ . As the Amstel community expanded, the early residents found a way to protect themselves from the Zuiderzee‘s unpredictable tides: this was the point at which the dam system was introduced. The first, built in 1220, was likely to have been a sluice gate across the Amstel‘s mouth. The dam became a network of dykes, stretched across the Southern Ijsselmeer‘s banks. This system was later adopted by the entire country. It has been modified over the centuries, and is still essential for Dutch water management
             By 1275, a ribbon-shaped development of homes, as well as the predecessor of the Oude Kerk, zhad been built alongside the dykes. The hamlet known as „Amstelledamme" was, according to archaeologist Jan Baert, built by construction workers who had come from the Utrecht bishopric to create more dykes .
             Amstelledamme 's shaping fell under the influence of religious and dynastic conflict. The feudalism between the German emperors and French kings, who had been involved in power struggles over control of the Low Countries, gradually began to subside. This was replaced with a complex network of local allegiances, which led to further feudal struggles. The m...