Deventer

Deventer (population 70,000) is a city in the eastern Netherlands in the province of Overijssel on the east bank of the IJssel river.

The municipality also comprises the following towns, villages and townships: Colmschate, Diepenveen, Lettele, Okkenbroek, Schalkhaar.

Deventer was probably founded by the English missionary Lebuinus[?] around 768. During the Middle Ages, Deventer was part of the Hanseatic League.

Deventer is the birthplace of Geert Groote and home to his Broeders des Gemenen Levens[?], a school of religious thought that was of great influence on Thomas a Kempis and Erasmus in later times.