Editing Deventer (section)

=== Foundation and development in the Middle Ages ===
Deventer was probably founded around 768 AD by the [[Kingdom of England|English]] [[missionary]] [[Lebuinus]], who built a wooden church on the east bank of the river [[IJssel]]. In January 772 AD the sack and burning of this church by a Saxon expedition was the cause for the first punitive war waged by Charlemagne to the Saxons, in which, in retribution, the [[Irminsul]] (the Saxon sacred tree, probably near modern [[Paderborn]]) was destroyed.  This was not the first human settlement at the location; between 1981 and 2006, remains of a late [[Roman Iron Age]] settlement (dated to c.300 AD) were excavated at Colmschate, 4&nbsp;km east of the current city.

[[File:Bergkerk Deventer vanuit Bergstraat.jpg|thumb|upright=1.25|left|The towers of the [[St Nicholas Church, Deventer|St. Nicholas Church]], now deconsecrated, date back to circa 1200]]
The village of Deventer, already important because of a trading road crossing the river [[IJssel]], was looted and burnt down by the [[Vikings]] in 882. It was immediately rebuilt and fortified with an earthen wall (in the street ''Stenen Wal'' remains of this wall have been excavated and restored).

Deventer received [[City rights in the Low Countries|city rights]] in 956, after which fortifications were built or replaced by stone walls around the city for defense. Between 1000 and 1500, Deventer grew to be a flourishing trade city because of its harbour on the river IJssel, which was capable of accommodating large ships. The city eventually joined the [[Hanseatic League]].

One of the commodities it traded in, dried haddock and cod from Norway, gave the citizens the nickname they carry to this day: "Deventer [[Stockfish|Stokvis]]". In the 15th century, Deventer had a common mint, where coins for the three IJssel cities Deventer, [[Zwolle]], and [[Kampen (Overijssel)|Kampen]] were made.

Deventer is the birthplace of [[Geert Groote]] and home to his [[Brethren of the Common Life]], a school of religious thought that influenced [[Thomas a Kempis]] and [[Erasmus]] in later times. Together with Haarlem it was among the first cities to have printing presses, dating back to as early as 1477. From around 1300, it also housed a Latin School, which became internationally renowned, and remained in service in changing forms until 1971. Its most well-known student was the scholar [[Desiderius Erasmus]], who was born in 1466 and attended the school from 1475 to 1484.