Groningen

Groningen, the capital of the above province, 25 miles by rail SW. of Delfzihl, on Dollart Bay, and 34 E. of Leeuwarden. The university, founded in 1614, with new buildings of 1850, and some 360 students, possesses a library, a botanic garden, an observatory, a collection of Teutonic antiquities, a hospital, and a museum of natural history. A celebrated deaf and dumb institution was founded by Guyot in 1790. The chief industries are the manufacture of linen and woollen goods, tobacco, brushes, Dutch tiles, and boat-building. Groningen, already an important place in the 9th century, joined the Hanseatic League in 1282. From the 11th century it fought hard to maintain its independence against the bishops of Utrecht, nor did it submit until 1493, and then only to escape being handed over by the emperor to the Duke of Saxony. During the 16th century it had a very stormy history, being finally won for the United Netherlands by Maurice of Nassau in 1594. Pop. (1876) 40,165; (1893) 57,967.