Maasland

Maasland (population: 6,844) is a village in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. It lies in the municipality (gemeente) of Midden-Delfland and covers an area of 24.42 km2 (of which 0.64 km2 water). It is located in a countryside area with dairy farms that is surrounded by various urban concentrations, namely the city of Rotterdam, the municipality of Westland (area with intensive greenhouse horticulture activities), and the towns of Vlaardingen and Maassluis.

==History== From approximately 700, the area was populated, presumably by Frisians. It was first the royal domain, and later went to the local counts. During the later period, an area of about was made dry and suitable for living. The first signs of a community at the current location of the village started back in 985 when the area was given by the Emperor Otto III to Graaf Dirk II and a church was built. After severe floodings during the 12th century, the Maasdijk was rebuilt and the village centre relocated to its current site. In 1241 Graaf Willem II let the German Teutonic Knights draw on the territory of Maasland. Furthermore, in 1243 a nobleman, Diederik van Coldenhove, gave all his property in Oude Campspolder, north of the current village center, to the Order, and a commandery was established there to manage the properties of the Order in Maasland.