1 th ▁century . ▁Given ▁that ▁the ▁village ▁was ▁built ▁on ▁a ▁river ▁with ▁very ▁a rable ▁lands , ▁it ▁was ▁most ▁likely ▁just ▁a ▁small ▁far ming ▁community ▁with ▁little ▁importance ▁until ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁the ▁castle ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 4 th ▁century . ▁Today , ▁the ▁village ▁is ▁home ▁to ▁approximately ▁ 4 0 0 0 ▁people , ▁and ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁has ▁been ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁municipality ▁of ▁Ma as d riel . ▁Prior ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁Am mer z oden ▁was ▁its ▁own ▁municipality . ▁ ▁History ▁▁ 1 4 th ▁century – 1 6 th ▁century ▁ ▁D irk ▁Van ▁Her la er , ▁of ▁the ▁Van ▁Her la er ▁family , ▁built ▁the ▁castle ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 3 5 0 s . ▁Upon ▁D irk ' s ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 3 5 4 , ▁the ▁castle ▁was ▁passed ▁onto ▁his ▁el dest ▁son , ▁Ger hard . ▁Over ▁the ▁next ▁ 3 0 ▁years ▁the ▁castle ▁passed ▁hands ▁numerous ▁times ▁within ▁the ▁family . ▁When ▁Ger hard ▁died , ▁the ▁castle ▁was ▁passed ▁onto ▁his ▁brother , ▁Ar ent . ▁Ger hard ▁had ▁no ▁children ▁to ▁claim ▁the ▁castle ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁their ▁inheritance , ▁which ▁is ▁the ▁reason ▁it ▁was ▁passed ▁to ▁his ▁brother . ▁When ▁Ar ent ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 3 8 4 , ▁the ▁castle ▁was ▁given ▁to ▁his ▁son , ▁Ar ent ▁Ho eman . ▁It ▁is ▁under ▁Ar ent ▁Ho eman