Zwolle
Town in the diocese of Utrecht where Geert Groote preached. Near it stood the monasteries of Windesheim and Mount St Agnes; Thomas à Kempis lived at Mount St Agnes and finished his manuscript of the Imitation of Christ there in 1441.
Geert Groote preached at Zwolle among the chief towns of the diocese of Utrecht (Thomas à Kempis, Life of Gerard Groote, ch. 15 (Arthur, p. 44)). The chronicle of Mount St Agnes places Windesheim a mile south of the town, and dates the consecration of its first church to 1387 (Chronicle of Mount St Agnes, part 2, ch. 6 (Arthur, pp. 167–168)). The first four brothers of Mount St Agnes were invested in 1398, and John of Kempen became its prior in 1399 (Chronicle of Mount St Agnes, years 1398–1399 (Arthur, pp. 24–35)). Thomas à Kempis dated his manuscript of 1441 at Mount St Agnes near Zwolle (in monte sancte Agnetis prope Zwollis) (Brussels autograph of 1441, colophon, as printed by Ruelens, pp. 6–7). See the Devotio Moderna and the Imitation of Christ.
What happened here
- 1384 to 1441, firm dateThe Devotio Moderna and the Imitation of Christ
Geert Groote of Deventer gives up his benefices and preaches repentance. After his death in 1384 his followers form houses that live in common by copying books, and a monastery at Windesheim. In 1441 Thomas à Kempis, one of them, writes out the Imitation of Christ.