View source for Maeyken Christiaens (ca. 1539-1569)

Maeyken (Mayken) Christiaens, an [[Anabaptism|Anabaptist]] martyr, burned at the stake on April 30, 1569, at [[Antwerp (Belgium)|Antwerp]], [[Belgium|Belgium]]. The account in [[Braght, Tieleman Jansz van (1625-1664)|van Braght's]][[Martyrs' Mirror|&lt;em&gt;Martyrs' Mirror &lt;/em&gt;]]concerning this martyr, here only called Maeyken, is rather brief, but [[Génard, Petrus (1830-1899)|Génard]] published some particulars from the official records. Maeyken Christiaens was born about 1539 at Nypkerke ([[Nukerke (Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium)|Nukerke]], Nieppe) in Flanders; she was married to Willem de Clercq (Willem van Poperinghe, also of Nypkerke. Adriaen, a Mennonite elder, had performed the ceremony at Nypkerke in 1561. Their daughter of four years had not yet been baptized. Maeyken had received (re) baptism only one year before. She did not know the man who baptized her. The ceremony took place in a wood. Maeyken was apprehended with many other members of the congregation when a Mennonite meeting in the house of [[Jan Poote (d. 1569)|Jan Poote]] near Antwerp was surprised. She was tortured on 5 March, but did not betray the names of her fellow members and died steadfast.


= Bibliography =
Braght, Thieleman J. van. <em class="gameo_bibliography">Het Bloedigh Tooneel of Martelaers Spiegel der Doopsgesinde of Weereloose Christenen, Die om 't getuygenis van Jesus haren Salighmaker geleden hebben ende gedood zijn van Christi tijd of tot desen tijd toe. Den Tweeden Druk</em>. Amsterdam: Hieronymus Sweerts, …, 1685. Part II: 661-664.

Braght, Thieleman J. van. <em class="gameo_bibliography">The Bloody Theatre or Martyrs' Mirror of the Defenseless Christians Who Baptized Only upon Confession of Faith and Who Suffered and Died for the Testimony of Jesus Their Saviour . . . to the Year A.D. 1660.</em> Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1951: 979-982. Available online at: [http://www.homecomers.org/mirror/index.htm http://www.homecomers.org/mirror/index.htm]. 

Génard, P. <em class="gameo_bibliography">Antwerpsch archievenblad</em>: XII, 360, 376, 400; XIV, 64 f., No. 711.

Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. <em class="gameo_bibliography">Mennonitisches Lexikon</em>. Frankfurt &amp; Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe; Schneider, 1913-1967: v. II, 711.


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