B

oth a young country and a very old one, Belgium won

independence for the first time in 1830, but owes its name to

Gallic tribes who confronted the Romans in 58 BC. Its location

on the crossroads of northern Europe made it both a hub of inter-

national trade and the battlefield for contending nations. Today, its

position has brought new benefits, at the heart of the European Union.

THE HISTORY OF BELGIUM

INTRODUCING BELGIUM AND LUXEMBOURG 37

When Julius Caesar set out to

conquer the Gauls of west-

ern Europe in 58 BC, he

encountered a fierce group

of tribes there, known as

the Belgae. Roman victory

in the region led to the

establishment of the province

of Gallia Belgica. Following

the collapse of the Roman

Empire in the 5th century,

the Germanic Franks came to power

here, initially making Tournai, in

modern-day Wallonia, their capital.

The Frankish ruler Clovis I estab-

lished the Merovingian dynasty

(AD 481–751), whose empire soon

encompassed all of Gaul. During

this time, Christianity was spread

across the land by missionaries such

as the French saint Eligius in

Flanders. The Merovingians were

followed by the Carolingian dynasty

(751–987), which produced one of

the most important figures of the

Middle Ages – Charlemagne, who

extended his borders to cover most

of western Europe and was crowned

by the pope as Emperor of the West.

After Charlemagne’s death, the

empire was divided up among his

grandsons, and the province of

Belgium was split along the River

Scheldt. Louis the German, as

King of East Francia, took

the southern portion called

Lotharingia (Lorraine). This

included the Walha (later,

the Walloons) – Romanized

Celts who occupied the

Meuse valley. Charles the

Bald, King of West Francia,

took the western portion,

which encompassed a large

chunk of Flanders. The French claim

to Flanders would haunt the region

for the next 600 years.

FLOURISHING TRADE

From about 1100 onwards, a number

of fortified trading cities developed

on inland waterways. Flanders

became the focus of the cloth trade,

weaving high-quality wool imported

from England into valuable textiles

and tapestries. By the late medieval

period (14th century), trade routes

led to France, Germany and Spain,

and over the Alps to Renaissance

Italy. Belgian towns such as Brussels,

Ghent, Ieper, Antwerp and Bruges

became famous for their wealth and

luxury. Their elaborate town halls,

belfries and market squares were

physical symbols of their wealth,

pride and sense of independence.

Seal of Charles the Bald,

King of West Francia

58–50 BC The Belgae
are defeated by Julius
Caesar and Roman
occupation begins

AD 460–86

Tournai serves

as capital of the

Franks, until

Clovis I moves

it to Paris

843 Charlemagne’s

Belgium is divided

along the Scheldt:

Flanders goes to France

and Lotharingia to

Louis the German

1099 During the First Crusade,

Godefroid de Bouillon (see

p233) becomes the first ruler

of the Kingdom of Jerusalem

860 France makes

Baldwin Iron-Arm the

first Count of Flanders

979 Official

founding of

Brussels

1134 A storm creates

the Zwin, a tidal inlet,

giving Bruges access

to the North Sea

Charlemagne (768–814)

AD 600

Coat of arms of the

Kingdom of Jerusalem

Charles the Bold (1433–77) in Rules and Ordinances of the Order of the Golden Fleece, a 15th-century vellum

700 800 900 1000 1100 1200

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