Gotem (Limburg)

The name of the village of Franco-Germanic origin and etymology can be explained as: Gotheim = Gauta heim - “van Gotto manor”, ​​from Dutch . The first written mention of this dates back to 1235.

Archaeological finds show that Gotham was settled already in the Gallo-Roman period.

In the Middle Ages, Gotem belonged to the domain of Count Loon , and from 1366 to the Episcopal Table of the Principality of Liege. On the territory of Gotem there were estates that were at the disposal of the knights of Gotem, the knights owned a castle, a mill, a farm, and were patrons of the parish church. The knights played an important role in the court of Lawon. In 1207 under Willem Gautem, the village got its name. In 1207, he was a witness at the conclusion of peace between the Count of Lawon Louis II and the Duke of Brabant, Henry I , and in 1213 he participated in the war with the troops of Lawon in the Battle of Steppe.

Around 1364, this feudal possession was divided. (Other) Willem Gautem received patronage and a mill. This ownership was transferred in 1423 to the Walhoven family, in the 16th and first half of the 17th century to the Harff family, in the middle of the 17th century to the Baeren family, then Cluts, and in 1683 to the Meyers family. Another part of the Gotem lands, which also included the castle, was taken over by Gerard Printe, and in the 1st half of the 15th century by the Van den Wyngaerde family, then in 1462 by the Chorion family. In 1619, Gautem was completely distributed to the glory of the chief bishop of Liege. In 1660, Willem Horion sold all land, except the castle, to the Cluts family. For the marriage that arose in 1700, the Meyers family also received the castle, and it was sold in 1788 at Roelants. Feudal rights are acquired: in 1660, Cluts, then Scharenberg, in 1686 Van Elderen and in the same year Van Oyenbrugge de Duras, around 1700 N. Meyers, and then Thiribu Ryckel.

The income was originally part of what came from Kuttekoven, but even before 1252 Gotem had an independent income, the tithes of which were at the disposal of Herkenrode Abbey.

From 1819–1820, the Sint-Troyden path passed through Tongeren to Maastricht built on the land of Gautem. From 1878–1879, a railway ran north of Gotham, but from 1970–1971 the track was demolished.

An oil mill and a brewing company appeared in the first half of the 19th century. Many industries have never been there: the village lived entirely thanks to agriculture.

• The Church of St. Dionysius and St. Nicholas was founded in the 12th century. In the 13th century the church began to possess an apse, further changes in the 17th and 19th centuries. On the north side of the church stand separately three tombstones that were made in the 14th century. The old (leftmost) was set before the 13th century and depicts Nenkinus van Gotem who died in 1296. His son Arnold (the rightmost tombstone) died in 1307; a date of about 1300 was carved on its gravestone. The youngest of the three is the middle one - the tomb of Gerard Print van Gotem, who died in 1358, and his wife Elisabeth Bollen, who passed away in 1403, the tomb was probably created in 1358.
• Fonteinhof, 18th century manor house.
• The first mill on the Herkebeek River.
• Some estates.

Gothem lies in the Herkebeek River Valley in dry Hespengau. It has long been practiced agriculture, with an emphasis on fruit.

Hendrieken, Voort, Borgloon, Hoepertingen, Kuttekoven

• Onroerend erfgoed