The prince holds sway during carnival in every city and village. But in Steenbergen the Highness must tolerate a king next to him, the ‘Sparrow King’ that is. The character has been part of the princely entourage in Strienestad for decades. Martin den Broeder (55) as Mussekoning will take on the role of his alter ego for the last time this carnival. After eleven years of ‘scaring the hell out of people’, he thinks it’s enough.
Armed with his rifle and ammunition bag, Mussekoning Martin is a familiar sight in Strienestad. “I’m known for being shooting-happy, but I’ve never hit a sparrow. I wouldn’t have the heart to do it because I couldn’t even kill a fly. Sparrow Friend would have been a better name for me,” says the cheerful king who will soon hang up his beautiful costume.
“Whoever managed to hit the most sparrows could call themselves the Sparrow King.”
The character of the Sparrow King refers to the mid-eighteenth century. Then Steenbergen was ravaged by a plague of sparrows. The birds ate the fields and destroyed the thatched roofs. The mayor at the time ordered the residents to shoot the sparrows. Whoever managed to hit the most sparrows could call themselves the Sparrow King. Since 1963, this historical figure has been part of the princely entourage in Strienestad.
Martin may call himself king, but during carnival the prince is and remains the boss. “I’m a bit of a jack of all trades. I manage the money and receipts so that everyone in the entourage is provided with something to drink and drink. Of course, I also have to fire a shot every now and then,” said Martin.
“I like to scare people a little bit.”
A little later he puts his words into action: “Laugh or I’ll shoot!” A sharp bang resounds between the buildings on the Market. Martin clearly enjoys it: “I like to scare people a bit. Maybe that’s why some people are happy that I’m going to stop soon.”
In addition to the Sparrow King, the prince is accompanied in Strienestad by figures such as ‘John War’, ‘posh Flodder’ and the jester. During Carnival, the princely entourage stays in the former town hall, which has been transformed into a Leutpaleis.
It will be the last time for Martin. “I have had a lot of positive reactions about the way I have interpreted the character. I’m going to miss it enormously, but at some point you have to give it to someone else. There will probably be a few tears shed during the traditional burning of the sparrow on Tuesday evening.”
“Singing the Wilhelmus live would be a real hit.”
By the way, Martin does not have to miss the attention after his career as Mussekoning. In his lederhosen suit, he also makes a name for himself as a party singer, alias Martin der Bruder. His contemporary version of the Wilhelmus is a modest hit on social media. “It would be great if I could sing it live during the Olympic Games or the European Football Championship this summer. That’s really a bull’s eye.”
Omroep Brabant was present at the ‘t Cromwiel community center in Steenbergen from Monday January 29 to Thursday February 1 to look for your story. Did you miss us and would you like to share your story with us? Then send a message to [email protected] or app us on 040-2949492.
