In the early Middle Ages the banks of the river Maas were re-inhabited, after being abandoned at the end of the Roman Era. By 500 AD the native peoples, who had been displaced by the Romans for hundreds of years, had built their first settlements scattered through the countryside. Some of these settlements were built on the ruins of Roman villages. In this region, the islands of South Holland, this was the case for the towns that today are called Mijnsheerenland ("The Landlords country") and 's-Gravendeel ("The Counts estate"). Mijnsheerenland is on a site that has been inhabitited for 2000 years. 's-Gravendeel has moved over time. Tradition has it that this channel town (Kildorp) was originally further east but was destroyed by the Great Floods 300 years earlier. It was in these mediaevel times that the love story of the noble Bethinda and Mijnaert took place.

After the Romans left, peace descended on the banks of the Maas. People from the Frisian tribes established farming and merchant settlements. Maaskercke flourished and its population grew to a total of 3500. Its trademen and craftsmen prospered just like Dorestad (near present day Wijk bij Duurstede) further upstream on the Maas and Waal rivers. However, in the seventh century the people of Maaskercke encountered the Vikings who came to plunder Europe. They travelled down the North Sea to the mouth of the Maas and Waal rivers, west of Maaskercke, on their way to the rich cities of Nijmegen and Cologne.

During their expeditions, the Norsemen stole everything they could lay their hands on. Many a settlement in the Low Countries fell prey to the savage Vikings. Maaskercke too was a victim of these robbers from overseas several times. It was destroyed five times before a truce between a Frankish king and a Viking lord at the end of the ninth century, put an end to the ransackings. Unfortunately this was too late for our fair lady Bethinda and Mijnaert because in 695 Maaskercke was visited by the Vikings for the second time.

It was acknowledged that lady Bethinda was the belle of the Frisians; her beauty was praised as far as Brabant in the south and Gelderland in the east. Even in distant Scandinavia, stories of Bethinda's beauty were told. Many of the eminent young men sought her hand in marriage but she had given her heart to Mijnaert, the illegitimate son of a Frankish nobleman. Their union would be sealed at a majestic wedding solemnized by a papal nuncio from Rome.

On the day of the marriage, destiny cast a dark shadow over the love between Bethinda and Mijnaert. Soldiers of Count Strijen, manning the fort at Weede, warned a villager of Maaskercke that the Vikings had entered the mouth of the Maas. Just as the priest was starting the wedding ceremony, the villager rushed into the hall shouting "the Vikings, the Vikings are coming!". The lord of Maaskercke quickly organized the defence and all the men took up their arms and rushed to the harbour. The Norsemen had already arrived. The villagers, mainly serfs and freemen who worked on the estates around Maaskercke, were no match for the trained Viking warriors. The villagers were brave as they fought to save their family belongings. But it was all in vain. Although many died heroically, the Viking attackers overcame the defenders in less than half a day. Very few men survived the massacre and the lord of Maaskercke was killed by bloody and ruthless blows of a Viking axe. The remaining villagers were at the mercy of the Norsemen.

The Viking leader, Jarl Harald, was ordered by King Hagar to return with more than just jewels, gold and other riches. The royal order was to abduct Bethinda of Maaskercke and return her to his court. Immediately after the villagers were defeated, Harald and his men started the search for beautiful Bethinda. Mijnaert had already been captured and during the following looting Bethinda too fell into the hands of the Vikings. Harald took them both to the cold fjords in the North.

Once they had arrived the Viking king sent Mijnaert to prison. Hagar knew about the bond between Bethinda and Mijnaert but he was determined to make her queen of his kingdom. Bethinda was ordered to make her appearance. But instead of the beautiful girl promised to him, he saw a young woman distracted with grief; a woman who knew that she would never see her beloved Mijnaert again.

Hagar, who was notorious for his cruelty, took pity on her. Bethinda begged him to let her join Mijnaert and to set them free. They were allowed to leave Hagar's kingdom and together they sailed back to the land where they would spend the rest of the their lives. But it was not to be. Just miles from Maaskercke fate struck again. A gang of robbers boarded the ship and wounded Mijnaert in a fight to the death. The ship cought fire but Mijnaert was able to drive out the robbers. Only days later he died in the arms of Bethinda.

Close to home, Bethinda was desperate after losing Mijnaert. She took her lover's dagger and cried. Then she thrust the weapon at her heart. Bethinda fell overboard and disappeared in the Maas soon to be followed by the burning wreck that was Mijnaert's grave. Thus was the tragic end to this story.