By the end of the 13th century, Johan van Broeckhuysen was lent the allodium of Venlo as Knight by the Count of Guelders.

Around 1300, Van Broeckhuysen had built an enhanced Stone House (City Hall).

The underground vaults of the house still exist, but in 1597, from the ground floor a new City Hall was built.

In 1373, the reigning house of Guelders died off (reigning duke Reinoud III of Guelders had no children), and a fight burst out between the two surviving sisters Reinoud III had, Mary and Margaret.

That same year he organized a force, joined John II of Blois who was married to Mary, and thus took part in the First Guelders Succession War.