The neutrality of this article is disputed. Please see discussion on the talk page.

The Flemish Region :	The Flemish Community :
Official language	Dutch
Capital	Brussels
Minister-President	Yves Leterme
Area  - Total	13,522 km2
Population  - In Flemish region  - in Brussels region	6,016,024 (2004) /- 200,000 442/km2
Regional anthem	De Vlaamse Leeuw

Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... File links The following pages link to this file: Flanders Flags of non-sovereign nations User:Phlebas Categories: Flag images ... This article or section should be merged with Flemish region The Flemish region is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium (alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region). ... File links The following pages link to this file: Flanders Categories: Images with unknown source ... The term Flemish Community has two distinctive, but closely related meanings: sociologically, politically and culturally, it refers to the Flemish people and all their organisations, media, social and cultural life; one might also speak of the Flemish nation (in a very similar sense as the Scottish nation, the Basque, catalan... File links The following pages link to this file: Flanders Flemish Community Categories: Images with unknown source ... An official language is something that is given a unique status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... In politics a capital (also called capital city or political capital — although the latter phrase has an alternative meaning based on an alternative meaning of capital) is the principal city or town associated with its government. ... Emblem of the Brussels-Capital Region Flag of The City of Brussels Brussels (Dutch: Brussel, French: Bruxelles, German: Brüssel) is the capital of Belgium and is considered by many to be the headquarters of the European Union, as two of its four main institutions have their headquarters in the... This is a list of Minister-Presidents (prime ministers) of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... Yves Leterme (Wervik, 6 October 1960) is the current prime minister of Flanders. ... This article explains the meaning of area as a physical quantity. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that is formally recognized by a countrys government as their states official national song. ... De Vlaamse Leeuw (The Flemish Lion) is the regional anthem of Flanders. ...

Definitions

Flanders (Dutch: Vlaanderen, French: Flandre or Flandres) has two main designations: a historical region (the County of Flanders), and an administrative region of Belgium (the Flemish Region and the Flemish Community). A more controversial designation is those parts of Belgium where Dutch is or was spoken, the community. This is the root of many communautary quibbles in Belgium. This designation finds its root in the romantic nationalism of the 19th century but later got a more pejorative meaning, which is now overcome. A related contentious point is the "historical legality" of calling the whole of present Flanders "Flanders", as this includes parts of the Duchy of Brabant and the Bishopric of Liège (Belgian Limburg). This article deals with the historical county of Flanders, for present-day Flanders see Flanders The geographical region and former county of Flanders contains not only the two Belgian provinces but also the present-day French département of Nord, in parts of which there is still a Flemish-speaking... This article or section should be merged with Flemish region The Flemish region is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium (alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region). ... The term Flemish Community has two distinctive, but closely related meanings: sociologically, politically and culturally, it refers to the Flemish people and all their organisations, media, social and cultural life; one might also speak of the Flemish nation (in a very similar sense as the Scottish nation, the Basque, catalan... Liberty leading the people, embodying the Romantic view of the French Revolution of 1830; its painter Eugène Delacroix also served as an elected deputy Romantic nationalism (also organic nationalism, identity nationalism) is the form of nationalism in which the state derives its political legitimacy as an organic consequence of a... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Brabant is a former duchy in the Low Countries, and a former province of Belgium. ... The Bishopric of Liège or Prince-Bishopric of Liège was a state of the Holy Roman Empire in present Belgium. ... Limburg is the easternmost province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and is located west of the Meuse river. ...

The precise geographical area denominated by Flanders has changed a great deal over the centuries:

In the past, the term Flanders was applied to an area in western Europe, the County of Flanders (Graafschap Vlaanderen), spread over: A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ...

• a part of what is now the Nord département, in northeastern France (now called French Flanders or Frans-Vlaanderen), plus
• the area that is now approximately the Flemish provinces of East Flanders and West Flanders, plus
• a large part of what is now Zeeland in southeastern Netherlands (called Zeeuws-Vlaanderen).

The significance of the County and its counts eroded through time, but the designation remained. Nord (French, the north) is a département in the north of France. ... The départements (or departments) are administrative units of France, roughly analogous to British counties. ... Nord (French, the north) is a département in the north of France. ... East Flanders is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... West Flanders (Dutch: West-Vlaanderen) is the westernmost province of Flanders and of Belgium. ... For the South Pacific country, named after the province, see New Zealand; (some notes on how New Zealand got its name are underneath). ... Satellite image of the Scheldt delta Zeeuws-Vlaanderen is the part of the Netherlands on the left shore of the Scheldt river (here called Westerschelde), nr. ... The counts of Flanders ruled over the county of Flanders from the 9th century. ...

But even in the past there were instances where what is now Flanders was, in fact, referred to as Flanders. This is a point of some debate, however. But somewhere in the 19th century it became commonplace to call the area now known as Flanders, from Maasmechelen to De Panne as "Flanders". This usage started to find its modern usage in a "disambiguation" of the northern part of Belgium (la partie septentrionale), from 1831, the establishment of the Belgian monarchy, on. Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Maasmechelen is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. ... De Panne is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. ... 1831 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

At this time, for most, the term Flanders is normally taken to refer to either the political, social, cultural and linguistic community (and the corresponding official institution, The Flemish Community), either the geographical area, one of the three regions in Belgium, namely the Flemish Region. Given that the community absorbed all legal powers of the region, and that the Community corresponds with all the Flemish organisations (parties, cultural foundations, ...), this might be the dominant meaning. The term Flemish Community has two distinctive, but closely related meanings: sociologically, politically and culturally, it refers to the Flemish people and all their organisations, media, social and cultural life; one might also speak of the Flemish nation (in a very similar sense as the Scottish nation, the Basque, catalan... This article or section should be merged with Flemish region The Flemish region is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium (alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region). ...

For some others, including a part of the Flemings, Flanders is more than just a geographical area or a federal institution (the Flemish Community). Some even call it a nation: a people of over 6 million living in the Flemish Region and in the Brussels-Capital Region, where they form a minority. All Flemings share the same political, cultural, scientific, educational and many social institutions (the main exceptions being those where the Belgian legislator imposes a Belgian-scale organisation). This community should not be confused with the institutionalised Flemish Community. Because Belgium is a federation (not a confederation), many Flemings wonder why this community is still used, because they see it as equivalent to the Flemish Community. But on the other hand, because the institutions of the Flemish Community are there for all citizens of the Flemish Region, including those who speak French or any other language, the community of Dutch speakers in Belgium is not totally identical to the Flemish Community. These notions are furthermore clouded by the great many francophonicised Flemings, whose "Flemish ancestry" is only evident from their family name. Some find the community kitsch, or even worse, tainted by history. Nevertheless, many Flemings identify themselves more with Flanders than with Belgium. Flemings (Dutch: Vlamingen) are inhabitants of Flanders, the northern half of Belgium. ... The term Flemish Community has two distinctive, but closely related meanings: sociologically, politically and culturally, it refers to the Flemish people and all their organisations, media, social and cultural life; one might also speak of the Flemish nation (in a very similar sense as the Scottish nation, the Basque, catalan... The Brussels-Capital Region (French: R gion de Bruxelles-Capitale, Dutch: Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, German: Region Br ssel-Hauptstadt) or Brussels Region (French: R gion Bruxelloise, Dutch: Brusselse Gewest) is one of the three regions of Belgium. ... A federation (from the Latin fœdus, covenant) is a state comprised of a number of self-governing regions (often themselves referred to as states) united by a central (federal) government. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Art in questionable taste is sometimes referred to as kitsch. ...

Administrative Flanders

Both the Flemish region as the Flemish Community are federal units of the Kingdom of Belgium. This article or section should be merged with Flemish region The Flemish region is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium (alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region). ... The term Flemish Community has two distinctive, but closely related meanings: sociologically, politically and culturally, it refers to the Flemish people and all their organisations, media, social and cultural life; one might also speak of the Flemish nation (in a very similar sense as the Scottish nation, the Basque, catalan...

The area of the Flemish region is represented on the maps above. The Flemish Region has a population of around over 6 million. Roughly, the Flemish region is responsible for all economic issues which are not relevant of the federal Belgian government.

The area of the Flemish Community is represented on the maps above plus the area of the Brussels region (seen as a white hole on the same map). Roughly, the Flemish Community is responsible for all cultural issues which are not relevant of the federal Belgian government.

The Flemings in Brussels are estimated around 150,000 to 200,000 (official figures do not exist as there is no official subnationality). Roughly, they are under the rule of the Brussels Region for economics affairs and under the rule of the of the Flemish Community for cultural issues. Emblem of the Brussels-Capital Region Flag of The City of Brussels Brussels (Dutch: Brussel, French: Bruxelles, German: Brüssel) is the capital of Belgium and is considered by many to be the headquarters of the European Union, as two of its four main institutions have their headquarters in the...

As of 2005, the Flemish institutions as its government, parliament, etc. represent the whole Flemish Community, which absorbed all constitutional competencies of the Flemish region. The region thus has no parliament anymore, no ministers, and as good as no civil servants. All these institutions are based in Brussels. Nevertheless, both bodies (the Community and the region) are still existing and the distinction between both is very important for the Dutch-speaking people living in Brussels. 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ...

The sole official language for all Flemish institutions is Dutch. In private, several minorities speak other languages as French, Yiddish, Italian, Polish, Turkish, Berber, Arabic and other languages. French enjoys a limited official recognition in a few municipalities along the border with French-speaking Wallonia and the bilingual Brussels Region. An official language is something that is given a unique status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... Yiddish (ייִדיש, Jiddisch) is a Germanic language spoken by about four million Jews throughout the world. ... Afro-Asiatic - Berber The Berber languages (or Tamazight) are a group of closely related languages mainly spoken in Morocco and Algeria. ... Arabic (العربية) is a Semitic language, closely related to Hebrew and Aramaic. ... National motto: Walon todi ! (Walloon forever!) Official languages French, German Capital Namur Minister-President Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe Area  - Total 16,844 km² Population  - Total (2002)  - Density 3,358,560 inhabitants 199. ...

The Flemish Region covers 13,522 km² and contains over 300 municipalities. It is divided into 5 provinces: Provinces of Flanders, File links The following pages link to this file: Flanders Flemish Region Provinces of Flanders Categories: GFDL images ... Belgium is a federal state and is composed of three communities, three regions, and four linguistic regions. ...

1. Antwerp (Antwerpen)
2. Limburg (Limburg)
3. East Flanders (Oost-Vlaanderen)
4. Flemish Brabant (Vlaams-Brabant)
5. West Flanders (West-Vlaanderen)

Independently from the provinces, Flanders also has its own local institutions in the Brussels-Capital region, being the Vlaamse GemeenschapsCommissie (VGC), and its municipal antennae (Gemeenschapscentra, community centers for the Flemish community in Brussels). These institutions are independent from the educational, cultural and social institutions which depend directly from the Flemish governement. Antwerp is the northernmost province of Flanders and of Belgium. ... Limburg is the easternmost province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and is located west of the Meuse river. ... East Flanders is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... Flemish Brabant is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... West Flanders (Dutch: West-Vlaanderen) is the westernmost province of Flanders and of Belgium. ... The Brussels-Capital Region (French: R gion de Bruxelles-Capitale, Dutch: Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, German: Region Br ssel-Hauptstadt) or Brussels Region (French: R gion Bruxelloise, Dutch: Brusselse Gewest) is one of the three regions of Belgium. ...

Political Flanders

Main article: Politics of Flanders This article is about the politics of Flanders. ...

Many new political parties during the last half century were founded in Flanders and most often in Antwerp: Daensism, progressive Christian-Democrats; Frontpartij & Volksunie, moderate nationalism; Green!, alternative/Green; Vlaams Belang: far-right nationalism; and ROSSEM, a short-lived anarchistic spark). Volksunie was a Belgian political party. ... Groen! (English Green!) is the Flemish green party in Belgium. ... Vlaams Belang (English: Flemish Interest) is a right-wing Belgian political party. ...

History

See also: History of Belgium The History of Belgium before the last 170 years is entwined into that of other European countries, notably that of The Netherlands. ...

Historical Flanders: County of Flanders

Main article: County of Flanders This article deals with the historical county of Flanders, for present-day Flanders see Flanders The geographical region and former county of Flanders contains not only the two Belgian provinces but also the present-day French département of Nord, in parts of which there is still a Flemish-speaking...

Created in the year 862, the County of Flanders was divided when its western districts fell under French rule in the late 12th century. The remaining parts of Flanders came under the rule of the counts of neighbouring Hainaut in 1191. The entire area passed in 1384 to the dukes of Burgundy, in 1477 to the Habsburg dynasty, and in 1556 to the kings of Spain. The western districts of Flanders came finally under French rule under successive treaties of 1659 (Artois), 1668, and 1678. Events Rurik gained control of Novgorod. ... Hainaut (Dutch: Henegouwen) is the westernmost province of Wallonia, in Belgium. ... Events May 12 - Richard I of England marries Berengaria of Navarre. ... Events May / September 3 - Siege of Lisbon by the Castilian army, during the 1383-1385 Crisis Births Deaths December 31 - John Wyclif, theologian Categories: 1384 ... Coat of arms of the 2nd duchy of JOSH GARLAND Burgundy and later of the French province of Burgundy Burgundy (French: Bourgogne) is a historic region of France, inhabited in turn by Pre-Indo-European people, Celts (Gauls), Romans (Gallo-Romans), and various Germanic tribes, most importantly the Burgundians and... Events January 5 - Battle of Nancy - Charles the Bold of Burgundy is again defeated, and this time is killed. ... Habsburg (sometimes spelled Hapsburg, but never so in official use) was one of the major ruling houses of Europe. ... Events January 16 - Abdication of Emperor Charles V. His son, Philip II becomes King of Spain, while his brother Ferdinand becomes Holy Roman Emperor January 23 - The Shaanxi earthquake, the deadliest earthquake in history, occurs with its epicenter in Shaanxi province, China. ... // Events May 25 - Richard Cromwell resigns as Lord Protector of England following the restoration of the Long Parliament, beginning a second brief period of the republican government called the Commonwealth. ... // Events January - The Triple Alliance of 1668 is formed. ... Events August 10 - Treaty of Nijmegen ends the Dutch War. ...

During the late Middle Ages Flanders' trading towns (notably Ghent and Bruges) made it one of the most urbanised parts of Europe, weaving the wool of neighbouring lands into cloth for both domestic use and export. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... This page is about the Belgian city. ... Sometimes referred to as the Venice of the North, Bruges has many waterways that run through the city. ... Long and short hair wool at the South Central Family Farm Research Center in Boonesville, AR Wool is the fiber derived from the hair of domesticated animals, usually sheep. ...

Increasingly powerful from the 12th century, the territory's autonomous urban communes were instrumental in defeating a French attempt at annexation (1300-1302), finally defeating the French in the Battle of the Golden Spurs (July 11, 1302), near Kortrijk. Two years later, the uprising was defeated and Flanders remained part of the French Crown. Flemish prosperity waned in the following century, however, owing to widespread European population decline following the Black Death of 1348, the disruption of trade during the Anglo-French Hundred Years' War (1338-1453), and increased English cloth production. Flemish weavers had gone over to Worstead and North Walsham in Norfolk in the 12th century and established the woollen industry. (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ... Defensive towers at San Gimignano, Tuscany, bear witness to the factional strife within communes. ... Events Beginning of the Renaissance. ... Events July 11 - Battle of the Golden Spurs (Guldensporenslag in Dutch), major victory of Flanders over the French occupier. ... The Battle of the Golden Spurs (Dutch: De Guldensporenslag) was fought on July 11, 1302, near Kortrijk in Flanders. ... July 11 is the 192nd day (193rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 173 days remaining. ... Events July 11 - Battle of the Golden Spurs (Guldensporenslag in Dutch), major victory of Flanders over the French occupier. ... Kortrijk (French: Courtrai) is a city and municipality located in West Flanders, Belgium. ... Illustration of the Black Death from the Toggenburg Bible (1411). ... Events April 7 - Charles University is founded in Prague. ... A map of Europe in the 1430s, at the height of the Hundred Years War The Hundred Years War is the name modern historians give to what was actually a series of related armed conflicts fought over a 116-year period between the Kingdom of England and France, beginning in... -1... �== de los acontecimientos del == * [ [ de mayo el 29 ] ] - [ [ ca�da de Constantinople|Ca�da ] ] de [ [ Constantinople ] ] a [ [ imperio del otomano|Otomano ] ] Sultan [ [ Mehmed II] ] el Conqueror, marcando el final del [ [ imperio ] de Byzantine ] (imperio romano del este). ... Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area  - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 1st UK 49,138,831 377/km² Ethnicity... Map sources for Worstead at grid reference TG3026 Worstead is a village in Norfolk, England, south of North Walsham and north of Wroxham. ... Map sources for North Walsham at grid reference TG2830 North Walsham is a market town in Norfolk, England, south of Cromer and north of Wroxham. ... For alternative meanings see: Norfolk (disambiguation) Norfolk (pronounced NOR-fk) is a low-lying county in East Anglia in the east of southern England. ...

Flanders -as it is known now- in the Low Countries

Main article: History of the Low Countries

The Reformation

Martin Luther's 95 Theses from 1517 had a profound effect on the Low Countries. Among wealthy Antwerpian traders, the Lutheran beliefs of the German Hanseatic traders found appeal, perhaps partly for economic reasons in Dutch. The spread of protestantism in this city was aided by the presence of an Augustinian cloister (founded 1514) in the St. Andries quarter: Luther's works were in print by 1518 and some monks studied under his tutelage. Charles V ordered the closing of this cloister around 1525. The first lutheran martyrs came from Antwerp. The reformation resulted in consecutive but overlapping waves of reform: a lutheran, followed by a militant anabaptist, later mennonite, and finally a calvinistic movement. These movements existed independently of each other. Martin Luther (originally Martin Luder or Martinus Luther) (November 10, 1483–February 18, 1546) was a German theologian and an Augustinian monk whose teachings inspired the Protestant Reformation and deeply influenced the doctrines of Lutheran, Protestant and other Christian traditions (a broad movement composed of many congregations and church bodies). ... The Disputation of Doctor Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences, known as the 95 Theses, challenged the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church on the nature of penance, the authority of the pope and the usefulness of indulgences. ... Events January 22 - Battle of Ridanieh. ... The Low Countries are the countries on low-lying land around the delta of the Rhine and Meuse rivers— usually used in modern context to mean the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg (an alternate modern term, more often used today, is Benelux). ... The Cathedral of our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp) in the Handschoenmarkt, in the old part of Antwerp is the largest cathedral in the Low Countries and is home to a number of triptychs by the Belgian painter, Rubens. ... The Lutheran movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity by the original definition. ... The foundations of the Hanseatic League (German: Hanse), an alliance of trading cities that for a time in the later Middle Ages and the Early Modern period maintained a trade monopoly over most of Northern Europe and the Baltic, can be seen as early as the 12th century, with the... The Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo (died AD 430), are several Roman Catholic monastic orders and congregations of both men and women living according to a guide to religious life known as the Rule of Saint Augustine. ... Events March - Louis XII of France makes peace with Emperor Maximilian. ... Events A plague of tropical fire ants devastates crops on Hispaniola. ... Charles V Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain Charles V (Spanish: Carlos I, Dutch: Karel V, German: Karl V.) (24 February 1500–21 September 1558) was effectively (the first) King of Spain from 1516 to 1556 (in principle, he was from 1516 king of Aragon and from 1516 guardian... The Protestant Reformation was a movement which began in the 16th century as a series of attempts to reform the Roman Catholic Church, but ended in division and the establishment of new institutions, most importantly Lutheranism, Reformed churches, and Anabaptists. ... Anabaptists (re-baptizers, from Greek ana and baptizo; in German: Wiedertäufer) are Christians of the so-called radical wing of the Protestant Reformation. ... The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations based on the teachings and tradition of Menno Simons. ... Calvinism has been known at times for its simple, unadorned churches and lifestyles, as depicted in this painting by Emmanuel de Witte where the 17th century congregation stands to hear a sermon. ...

The Pragmatic Sanction of 1549, issued by Charles V, established the Low Countries as the Seventeen Provinces (or Spanish Netherlands in its broad sense) as an entity separate from the Holy Roman Empire and from France. A pragmatic sanction is a sovereigns solemn decree on a matter of primary importance and has the force of fundamental law. ... Events July - Ketts Rebellion Francis Xavier arrives in Japan. ... The Seventeen Provinces were a state in the Low Countries in the 16th century, roughly covering the current Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and a good part of the North of France (Artois, Nord). ... This article or section should be merged with Seventeen Provinces The Spanish Netherlands was a portion of the Low Countries controlled by Spain from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century. ... This page is about the Germanic empire. ...

The schism between the southern Catholics and northern Calvinists resulted in the Union of Atrecht and the Union of Utrecht, respectively. Map of the Spanish Netherlands, the Union of Utrecht and the Union of Arras (1579) The Union of Atrecht (French: Arras) was an accord signed on January 6, 1579 in Atrecht (Arras), under which the southern states of the Spanish Netherlands, mostly today in Wallonia and the Nord region in... The Union of Utrecht (Dutch: Unie van Utrecht) is a treaty signed on January 23, 1579 in Utrecht, the Netherlands, unifying the northern provinces of the Netherlands, until then under control of Spain. ...

It was the iconoclasm of 1566 (the Beeldenstorm) – the demolition of statues and paintings depicting saints – that caused the final ire of the catholics. The Beeldenstorm started in what is now French Flanders with open-air masses (hagepreken) in Dutch. The first took place on the Cloostervelt near Hondschoote. The first larger mass was held near Boeschepe on Juli 12, 1562. These open-air masses, mostly of anabaptist or mennonite signature, spread through the country. On August 10, 1566 at the end of the pilgrimage from Hondschoote to Steenvoorde, the chapel of the Sint-Laurensklooster (Cloister of Saint Lawrence) was defamed by protestants. The iconoclasm resulted not only in the destruction of catholic art, but cost the lives of many priests also. It next spread to Antwerp, and on August 22, to Ghent. One cathedral, eight churches, twenty-five cloisters, ten hospitals and seven chapels were attacked. From there, it further spread east and north, but in total lasted not even a month. Literally, iconoclasm is the destruction of religious icons and other sacred images or monuments, usually for religious or political motives. ... Events January 7 - Pius V becomes Pope Selim II succeeds Suleiman I as Sultan of the Ottoman Empire Religious rioting in the Netherlands signifies the beginning of the Eighty Years War in the Netherlands. ... Nord (French, the north) is a département in the north of France. ... Events Earliest English slave-trading expedition under John Hawkins. ... Events January 7 - Pius V becomes Pope Selim II succeeds Suleiman I as Sultan of the Ottoman Empire Religious rioting in the Netherlands signifies the beginning of the Eighty Years War in the Netherlands. ... A pilgrimage is a term primarily used in religion and spirituality of a long journey or search of great moral significance. ... Saint Lawrence (Laurentius in Latin) was one of the seven deacons of Rome, where he was martyred in 258. ...

Charles' son, King Philip II of Spain, a devout catholic and self-proclaimed protector of the Counter-Reformation who was also the duke or earl of each of the Seventeen Provinces, started to crack down on the rising Calvinists in Flanders, Brabant and Holland. What is now approximately Belgian Limburg was part of the Bishopric of Liège and was catholic de facto. Part of what is now Dutch Limburg supported the Union of Atrecht, but did not sign it. Philip II ofSpain (Spanish: Felipe II) - (May 21, 1527 – September 13, 1598), the first King of Spain understood as the whole peninsula of Hispania (r. ... The Counter-Reformation or the Catholic Reformation was a strong reaffirmation of the doctrine and structure of the Catholic Church, climaxing at the Council of Trent, partly in reaction to the growth of Protestantism. ... Brabant is a former duchy in the Low Countries. ... Holland is the name of a region in the central-western part of the Netherlands. ... Limburg is the easternmost province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and is located west of the Meuse river. ... The Bishopric of Liège or Prince-Bishopric of Liège was a state of the Holy Roman Empire in present Belgium. ... Limburg is the southern-most of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands, located in the south-east of the country. ...

The Eighty Years' War and its consequences

In 1568 the Seventeen that signed the Union of Utrecht started a (counter)rebellion against Philips II: the Eighty Years' War. Before the Low Countries could be completely reconquered, war between England and Spain broke out, forcing the Spanish troops under Philips II to halt their advances. Meanwhile, Philips' Spanish troops had conquered the important trading cities of Bruges and Ghent. Antwerp, which was then arguably the most important port in the world had to be conquered. On August 17, 1585, Antwerp fell. This ended the Eighty Years' War for the (from now on) Southern Netherlands. The United Provinces (the Netherlands proper) fought on until 1648 – the Peace of Westphalia. The definite loss of the southern Low Countries caused the rich Calvinist merchants of these cities to flee to the north. Many migrated to Amsterdam, which was at the time a tiny port, but was quickly transformed into one of the most important ports in the world in the 17th century. The exodus can be described as 'creating a new Antwerp'. Events March 23 - Peace of Longjumeau ends the Second War of Religion in France. ... The Eighty Years War, or Dutch Revolt from 1568 to 1648 was the secession war in which the proto-Netherlands first became an independent country and in which the region now known as Belgium became established. ... Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area  - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 1st UK 49,138,831 377/km² Ethnicity... Events January 12 - The Netherlands adopts the Gregorian calendar Beginning of the Eighth War of Religion in France (also known as the War of the Three Henrys) August 8 - John Davis enters Cumberland Sound in quest for the North West Passage. ... The Southern Netherlands were a part of the Low Countries controlled by Spain (Spanish Netherlands, 1579-1713), Austria (Austrian Netherlands, 1713-1794) and France (1794-1815). ... This article is about the Dutch United Provinces. ... // Events Peace treaty signed at Westphalia ends the Thirty Years War. ... The Ratification of the Treaty of Münster by Gerard Terborch (1648) Banquet of the Amsterdam Civic Guard in Celebration of the Peace of Münster by Bartholomeus van der Helst, 1648 The Peace of Westphalia, also known as the treaties of Münster and Osnabrück, is the series... Amsterdam Location Country The Netherlands Province North Holland Population 739,295 (1 January 2005) Coordinates 4°89E - 52°37N Website www. ...

This mass immigration from Flanders and Brabant (especially Antwerp) was an important driving force behind the Dutch Golden Age. While Spain was at war with England, the rebels from the north, strengthened by refugees from the south, started a campaign to reclaim areas lost to Philips II's Spanish troops. They managed to conquer a considerable part of Brabant (the later Noord-Brabant of the Netherlands), Limburg and a small part of Flanders (Zeeuws-Vlaanderen), before being stopped by Spanish troops. The frontline at the end of this war stabilized and became the current border between present-day Belgium and the Netherlands. The Dutch (as they later became known) had managed to reclaim enough of Spanish king-controlled Flanders to close of the river the Scheldt, effectively closing Antwerp off from a significant trade route. Due to these events, Flanders and Brabant went into a relative decline in the 17th century. From the view of the sophisticated northerners and the present benefit of hindsight, it became a country of peasants and simple but happy folk. The potential to reclaim their wealth and prominent world position remained possible until just recently. Today Flanders is one of the most productive and wealthiest regions of the world. The Dutch Golden Age was a period in Dutch history, roughly spanning the 17th century, in which Dutch trade, science, and art were among the most acclaimed in the world. ... North Brabant (Dutch: Noord-Brabant) is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country, bordered by Belgium in the south, the Meuse River (Maas) in the north, Limburg in the east and Zeeland in the west. ... Satellite image of the Scheldt delta Zeeuws-Vlaanderen is the part of the Netherlands on the left shore of the Scheldt river (here called Westerschelde), nr. ... The Scheldt in Antwerp Length 350 km Elevation of the source 95 m Average discharge 120 m³/s Area watershed 21860 km² Origin France Mouth Westerschelde Basin countries France, Belgium, Netherlands The Scheldt (Dutch: Schelde, French lEscaut) is a 350 km[1] (217 mile) long river that finds its...

Although arts remained at an relatively impressive level for another century with Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), Flanders experienced a loss of its former economic and intellectual power under Spanish, Austrian, and French rule, with heavy taxation and rigid imperial political control compounding the effects of industrial stagnation and Spanish-Dutch and Franco-Austrian conflict. But even in these circumstances Flanders continued to flourish. The only danger to its position as one of the wealthiest regions in the world came after Belgium became independent in 1830, with the 1845 famine in West Flanders as a sad example. Pieter Pauwel (Peter Paul) Rubens (June 28, 1577 – May 30, 1640) is considered one of the greatest painters in European art history (together with Dutchman Rembrandt van Rijn), and the most important Flemish (Netherlands, nowadays Belgium) painter of the sixteenth century. ... West Flanders (Dutch: West-Vlaanderen) is the westernmost province of Flanders and of Belgium. ...

1581-1815: The Southern Netherlands

Conquered by revolutionary France in 1794 and annexed the following year as the départements of Lys, Escaut, Deux-Nèthes, Meuse-Inférieure and Dyle. The people rose against the French in 1798, the Boerenkrijg, with the heaviest fights in the Campine area. The main reason for this uprising was the forced army service for all men aged 16-25. The period of the French Revolution is very important in the history of France and the world. ... 1794 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The following is a list of the 130 départements of the Napoleonic Empire, as of 1811. ... Lys is the name of a département of the First French Empire in present Belgium. ... Escaut is the name of a département of the First French Empire in present Belgium and Netherlands. ... Deux-Nèthes (Dutch: Twee Nethen) is the name of a département of the First French Empire in present Belgium and The Netherlands. ... Meuse-Inférieure (Lower Meuse; Dutch: Nedermaas) is the name of a département of the First French Empire in present Belgium, Netherlands and Germany. ... Dyle (Dutch: Dijle) is the name of a département of the First French Empire in present Belgium. ... 1798 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

1815-1830: United Kingdom of the Netherlands

After the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte at the 1815 Battle of Waterloo in Waterloo, Brabant, sovereignty over the Austrian Netherlands – Belgium minus the East Cantons and Luxembourg – was given by the Congress of Vienna (1815) to the Kingdom of Holland, a French puppet kingdom that succeded the United Provinces. The United Kingdom of the Netherlands was born. The Protestant King of the Netherlands, William I succeeded in rapidly starting the industrialisation of the Southern Netherlands, but failed to maintain good relations with the larger and rebellious Catholic provinces. The Belgian bourgeoisie was not only Catholic, as opposed to the Protestant north, but they also spoke French, instead of Dutch. Resentment grew both among Catholics and among the powerful liberal bourgeoisie. It became a part of the Kingdom of Belgium in 1831 following the Belgian Revolution of the previous year. Bonaparte as general Napoleon Bonaparte ( 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821) was a general of the French Revolution and was the ruler of France as First Consul (Premier Consul) of the French Republic from November 11, 1799 to May 18, 1804, then as Emperor of the French (Empereur des Français... 1815 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Map of the Waterloo campaign The Battle of Waterloo, fought on June 18, 1815, was Napoleon Bonapartes last battle. ... Originally the term Netherlands referred to a much larger entity than the current Kingdom of the Netherlands. ... The German-speaking Community of Belgium or Deutschsprachige Gemeinschaft Belgien in German is one of several federal communities in Belgium. ... The Congress of Vienna was a conference between ambassadors from the major powers in Europe that was chaired by the Austrian statesman Klemens Wenzel von Metternich and held in Vienna, Austria, from October 1, 1814, to June 9, 1815. ... 1815 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The Kingdom of Holland 1806 - 1810 (Koninkrijk Holland in Dutch, Royaume dHollande in French) was set up by Napoleon Bonaparte as a puppet kingdom for his third brother, Louis Bonaparte, in order to better control the Netherlands. ... A puppet state is a state whose government, though notionally of the same culture as the governed people - owes its existence (or other major debt) to being installed, supported or controlled by a more powerful entity, typically a foreign power. ... United Kingdom of the Netherlands (1815 - 1830) (1839) (Dutch: Verenigd Koninkrijk der Nederlanden, French: Royaume-Uni des Pays-Bas). ... King William I of the Netherlands was born as Willem Frederik on 25 August 1772 in The Hague, and died 1843 in Berlin, Germany. ... Bourgeois at the end of the thirteenth century Bourgeoisie (boorzhwäz-ee´) in modern use refers to the wealthy or propertied classes in a capitalist society. ... 1831 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Episode of the Belgian Revolution of 1830, Egide Charles Gustave Wappers (1834), in the Musée dArt Ancien, Brussels The Belgian Revolution was a conflict in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands that began with a riot in Brussels in August 1830 and eventually led to the establishment of...

Kingdom of Belgium

In 1830, the Belgian Revolution led to the splitting up of the two countries. Belgium was confirmed as an independent state by the Treaty of London of 1839, but deprived of the military strongholds of Maastricht and Givet. Givet is located in the indentation of the French border in Belgium, near the Meuse River. Sovereignty over Zeeuws Vlaanderen, south of the Westerscheldt river delta, was left with the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which closed this river for any sea traffic to and from Antwerp harbour until 1863. 1830 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Episode of the Belgian Revolution of 1830, Egide Charles Gustave Wappers (1834), in the Musée dArt Ancien, Brussels The Belgian Revolution was a conflict in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands that began with a riot in Brussels in August 1830 and eventually led to the establishment of... The Treaty of London of 1839 signed on April 19, 1839. ... 1839 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Maastricht (Limburgish: Mestreech; French: Maestricht; local dialect: Mestreech) is a municipality, and capital of the province of Limburg. ... Givet is a town in the Ardennes (département) of France very close to the Belgian border. ... The Meuse(Maas) at Maastricht Length 925 km Elevation of the source 409 m Average discharge 230 m³/s Area watershed 36 000 km² Origin France Mouth Hollands Diep Basin countries France - Belgium - Netherlands The Meuse (Dutch Maas) is a large European river rising in France, flowing through Belgium and... 1863 is a common year starting on Thursday. ...

Rise of the Flemish Movement

See Flemish movement The Flemish movement (Dutch: Vlaamse Beweging) is a popular term used to describe the political movement for greater autonomy of the Belgian region of Flanders, for protection of the Dutch language in Flanders, and for protection of the Flemish culture. ...

World War I and its consequences

Flanders saw some of the greatest losses of life of the First World War including the battles of Ypres and the Somme. Due to the hundreds of thousands of casualties, the poppies that sprang up from the battlefield and that were immortalised in the poem In Flanders Fields, have become an emblem of human life lost in war. It is perfectly normal for poppies to invade disturbed arable ground. More important for the course of history is the resentment some felt of being used as cannon fodder, as a whole nation, and not as single soldiers. Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... The Bellfry of Ypres Ypres (French, generally used in English;1 Ieper official name in the local Dutch) is a municipality located in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and in the Flemish province of West Flanders. ... The 1916 Battle of the Somme was one of the largest battles of the First World War, with more than one million casualties. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Papaveraceae. ... See also the town of Battle, East Sussex, England Generally, a battle is an instance of combat between two or more parties wherein each group will seek to defeat the others. ... Poetry (ancient Greek: poieo = create) is an art form in which human language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to, or instead of, its notional and semantic content. ... Wreaths of artificial poppies used as a symbol of remembrance In Flanders Fields is one of the most famous poems about World War I. It was written by Canadian physician John McCrae, who died of pneumonia and meningitis while serving in a field hospital in Belgium. ... History Forums - History is Happening -Discuss all historical topics, as well as current events, in an academic setting. ... Cannon Fodder is an expression used to denote the treatment of armed forces as a worthless commodity to be expended. ...

Flemish feeling of identity and consciousness grew through the events and experiences of war. The German occupying authorities had taken several Flemish-friendly measures. More importantly the experiences of the Dutch speaking soldiers on the front lead by French speaking officers catalysed Flemish emancipation. Their suffering is still remembered by Flemish organizations during the yearly Yser pilgrimage and Wake of the Yser in Diksmuide at the monument of The Yser tower. The Ijzerbedevaart is a yearly gathering of Flemish nationalists, at the Ijzertoren in Diksmuide. ... The Ijzerwake is an organisation that split off from the Ijzerbedevaart, and groups the more radical Flemish nationalist. ... Diksmuide (Dixmude or Diksmude ? in French and English) is a municipality in the province of West Flanders, in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... the Ijzertoren, oktober 2004 The IJzertoren is a tower along the Belgian Yser river. ...

Right-Wing Nationalism in the interbellum and World War II

See VNV, Verdinaso, Dietsland, Voorpost, Cyriel Verschaeve VNV or Vlaamsch Nationaal Verbond (Flemish National Union) was a flamingant party in the 30s. ... The Verdinaso was a fascistoid political party in Belgium in the 30s. ... Dietsland refers to the Greater Netherlands, including The Netherlands and Flanders, and sometimes (mostly in more extreme groups) French Flanders and sometimes even the Boer communities of South Africa, in other words, all areas where Dutch is spoken. ...

Communautary quibbles and the Egmont pact

See Egmont pact, Vlaams Blok, Voeren, José Happart, Brussel-Halle-Vilvoorde Note that Flemish Block turned themselves into Flemish Interest (Vlaams Belang) since their condamnation in 2004 The Flemish Block (Dutch: Vlaams Blok) was a Flemish far-right nationalist political party which rejects the state of Belgium, calling for political independence for the Flemish half of the country. ... Voeren (French: Fourons) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. ... Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde (often abbreviated as BHV) is a contentious Belgian electoral district in the center of the country that encompasses both the officially bilingual Brussels-Capital region as well as an officially unilingual Dutch-speaking area,Halle-Vilvoorde, around it. ...

The community: Flemish language and culture

The standard language used in Flanders is the same as in the Netherlands, i.e., Dutch. The Dutch dialects spoken in Belgium are often referred together as Flemish (Vlaams in Dutch). However, using Flemish to refer to dialectic language may be confusing as there are many different Flemish dialects that are sometimes mutually incomprehensible. The Flemish dialects are the regional dialects of Dutch that are spoken in Flanders (Belgium). ...

At first sight, Flemish culture is defined by its language. Nevertheless, a distinctive Flemish literature as such does not exist. Books written by Flemings and by Dutchmen are read all over the Dutch-speaking areas, though most readers are able to distinguish the fine differences in vocabulary. Open Directory Project: Literature World Literature Electronic Text Archives Magazines and E-zines Online Writing Writers Resources Libraries, Digital Cataloguing, Metadata Distance Learning Dictionary of the History of Ideas: Classicism in Literature The Universal Library, by Carnegie Mellon University Project Gutenberg Online Library Abacci - Project Gutenberg texts matched with Amazon... A vocabulary is a set of words known to a person or other entity, or that are part of a specific language. ...

See also

• Flemish Region
• Flemish Community
• Flemish Parliament
• List of Minister-Presidents of Flanders
• Count of Flanders
• VRT, the Flemish publicly-funded broadcaster
• Flemish Primitives

This article or section should be merged with Flemish region The Flemish region is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium (alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region). ... The term Flemish Community has two distinctive, but closely related meanings: sociologically, politically and culturally, it refers to the Flemish people and all their organisations, media, social and cultural life; one might also speak of the Flemish nation (in a very similar sense as the Scottish nation, the Basque, catalan... The Flemish Parliament (Dutch: Vlaams Parlement, and formerly called Flemish Council or Vlaamse Raad) constitutes the legislative power in Flanders, for matters which fall within the competence of Flanders, both as a geographic region and a cultural and linguistic community of Belgium. ... This is a list of Minister-Presidents (prime ministers) of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... The counts of Flanders ruled over the county of Flanders from the 9th century. ... The Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroep, or VRT, is a publicly-funded broadcaster of radio and television in Flanders (northern part of Belgium). ... The Flemish Primitives were a group of painters active primarily in the Southern Netherlands in the 15th and early 16th centuries. ...

External links

• Flemish authorities (Dutch: Vlaamse overheid), in English
• Flemish authorities (Dutch: Vlaamse overheid), in Dutch
• Flemish Parliament (Dutch: Vlaams Parlement)
• Flemish government (Dutch: Vlaamse regering)
• Flemish Community Council in Brussels (Dutch: Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie (VGC))
• Public radio & television (Dutch: Vlaamse radio en Televisie)
• Flanders on line (information in English, French, German and Dutch)
• Dag Vlaanderen
• Toerisme Vlaanderen
• French Flanders (only available in French)
• Frans-Vlaanderen (Dutch)
• A concise description of Flanders
• Flanders reaches 6 million inhabitants (Dutch)

Communities, regions and provinces of Belgium
Communities: French Community of Belgium | Flemish Community in Belgium | German-speaking community of Belgium Belgium is a federal state and is composed of three communities, three regions, and four linguistic regions. ... Image File history File links General info: Large flag of Belgium Dimensions: 348x302 pixels Source: Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook License: originally public domain, modifications under GFDL Most of the flags have had their colours improved and many have been resized to... The French Community of Belgium (French: Communauté française de Belgique, Dutch: Franse Gemeenschap van België) is one of the three official communities in Belgium along with the Flemish Community and the German speaking Community. ... The term Flemish Community has two distinctive, but closely related meanings: sociologically, politically and culturally, it refers to the Flemish people and all their organisations, media, social and cultural life; one might also speak of the Flemish nation (in a very similar sense as the Scottish nation, the Basque, catalan... The German-Speaking Community of Belgium (Deutschsprachige Gemeinschaft Belgien in German, short DGB) is one of the three federal communities in Belgium. ...
Regions and provinces:
Flanders: Antwerp | East Flanders | Flemish Brabant | Limburg | West Flanders
Wallonia: Hainaut | Liège | Luxembourg | Namur | Walloon Brabant Antwerp is the northernmost province of Flanders and of Belgium. ... East Flanders is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... Flemish Brabant is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... Limburg is the easternmost province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and is located west of the Meuse river. ... West Flanders (Dutch: West-Vlaanderen) is the westernmost province of Flanders and of Belgium. ... National motto: Walon todi ! (Walloon forever!) Official languages French, German Capital Namur Minister-President Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe Area  - Total 16,844 km² Population  - Total (2002)  - Density 3,358,560 inhabitants 199. ... Hainaut (Dutch: Henegouwen) is the westernmost province of Wallonia, in Belgium. ... Liège is the easternmost province of Wallonia and of Belgium. ... Namur (Dutch: Namen) is a province of Wallonia and of Belgium. ... Walloon Brabant is a province of Wallonia and of Belgium. ...
Brussels-Capital Region The Brussels-Capital Region (French: R gion de Bruxelles-Capitale, Dutch: Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, German: Region Br ssel-Hauptstadt) or Brussels Region (French: R gion Bruxelloise, Dutch: Brusselse Gewest) is one of the three regions of Belgium. ...