Empel Castle

Haus Empel was first documented in 1240 as the property of Knight Bernard von Rees. In the 13th and 14th centuries, the estate developed into a castle. In 1339, a castle chapel was first documented. After inheritance disputes in 1345, the castle came into the possession of Rütger von Hönnepel, who subsequently conflicted with the Cologne Archbishop Walram von Jülich. A treaty in 1347 made Empel a fief of Electoral Cologne and in 1349 an open house of Cologne. It was besieged by archiepiscopal troops. In 1356, Rütger had to pledge the property again as a fief and open house and was forbidden to further fortify the castle without the archbishop's consent. In 1387, the castle was besieged by troops from Wesel. From the 15th century, Empel was a Cleves fief.