Overijssel

   This province, now with a population of about 1,110,000, was already inhabited in prehistoric times. During the Middle Ages, a unified territory called Oversticht was created by the donation of former jurisdictions to the bishop of Utrecht (Sticht) by Holy Roman emperor Henry III about 1040. The authority of the bishops dwindled following the 13th century. The commercial towns along the River IJssel, such as Zwolle, Kampen, and Deventer, were the most influential powers in the region. In 1528, the territory became part of the Habsburg possessions; Charles V united it, as sovereign, with the Low Countries. During the Revoltof the Nether lands against their monarch, King Philip II of Spain, Overijssel joined the Union of Utrecht in 1579, which became the constitutional basis of the Republic of the Seven United Provinces. This predominantly agrarian province played only a minor role, however; Holland was the richest and most powerful. During the last decades of the 18th century, the remnants of the feudalsystem were abolished under the attacks of the strong Patriot movement. Following the new Batavian constitution in 1798 and restoration of the monarchy in 1815, Overijssel was one of the 10 (later 12) provinces of the Netherlands. In the late 19th century, the region of Twente was a center of the textile industry in cities such as En schede, Hengelo, and Almelo. With its beautiful landscape and cas tles, Overijssel is a favorite region for tourists nowadays. The Weer ribben (in the northwest region, established in 1992) and the Salland Heuvelrug (central region, 2004) are national parks. Zwolle is the present capital.