Willem van Brederode and his wife Hillegonda were the founders of the Castle of Brederode. They were regarded as very wealthy nobility. Willem, one of the most important knights of that era, fought alongside Willem II and commanded an army under Floris V. He died at 55 after an eventful life, during which he sustained many injuries, such as broken collarbones, ribs and a broken shin. His wife Hillegonda, who came from even wealthier ancestry than Willem, survived him by several years and lived to be 70 years old.