History until 1421

The beginnings of the Bentheim Castle cannot definitvely be historically verified. In 1020, an early reference of Bentheim was made and Count Otto von Northeim named as owner of the castle. Otto von Northeim belonged to the most distinguished group of Saxon aristocrats and was awarded the Dukedom Bavaria by Empress Agnes as fief in 1061.

In 1116, Duke Lothar von Süpplinburg, who later became Emperor Lothar III, conquered/seized/occupied the castle and set fire to it. At this time, most likely, the last of the Northeim Counts, Otto the Younger (Otto der Jüngere) was killed. The destroyed castle was apparently rebuilt quickly and came into the ownership of Lothar’s brother-in-law, Count Otto von Salm-Rhieneck.

1146-1190: In 1146, an armed conflict occurred between von Rhieneck and the Bishop of Utrecht regarding ownership rights in the Twente. During the course of this feud, Otto and his troops were defeated in Ootmarsum. As a result, his castle became answerable to the Bishopric Utrecht as fief.

1190-1370: Otto’s only son and heir was murdered in captivity byHermann von Staleck. Utilizing the inheritance of Otto’s daughter, Sophie von Rhieneck, the castle and the rule of Bentheim were acquired by the Counts of Holland, whose collateral line named itself Bentheim from then on.

Around the end of the 14th century, the Bentheims within the Dutch family died out and the inheritance was passed along to a nephew, Everwyn von Güterswyk. Through marriage, the Bentheim inheritance was expanded to the noble rule of Steinfurt in 1420, which was then tightly connected to Bentheim by inheritance agreements. ´