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 city.

History

In 977, the German emperor Otto II gave Lower Lorraine, the empire's western frontier to Charles, the banished son of King Louis IV of France. Mention was already made of Brussels at the time. However, the founding of Brussels is usually known to happen when a small castle was built by Charles around 979 on an island (called Saint-Gery island) encompassed by the Senne river. At the end of the tenth century, with the death of Charles, Lower Lorraine was taken over by Lambert I of Leuven. Under Lambert II of Leuven, a new castrum and the first city walls were built. The small town became in the 12th century an important stop on the commercial road from Bruges to Cologne; the Counts of Leuven changed their name to Dukes of Brabant at about this time also. From 1357 to 1379, a new city enclosure was constructed as the former one was already proving to be too small: it is now known as the inner ring or pentagon. In the 15th century, by means of the wedding of heiress Margaret III of Flanders with Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, a new Duke of Brabant emerged from the House of Valois (namely Antoine, their son), with another line of descent from the Habsburgs (Maximilian of Austria, later Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, was Philip's father).

Related Topics:
977 - German - Otto II - Lower Lorraine - Charles - Louis IV of France - 979 - Senne - Tenth century - Lambert I of Leuven - Lambert II of Leuven - Castrum - 12th century - Bruges - Cologne - Leuven - Dukes of Brabant - 1357 - 1379 - 15th century - Margaret III of Flanders - Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy - Valois - Antoine - Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor

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In 1695 Brussels was attacked by King Louis XIV of France: the battle was responsible for the flattening of the city's heart, the Grand Place, and the razing of what was left: more than 4000 houses, including the buildings of the Grand Place, were all destroyed, except for the famous city hall, the Hôtel de Ville, which miraculously survived).

Related Topics:
1695 - Louis XIV of France - Grand Place - City hall

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In 1830, the Belgian revolution took place in Brussels after a representation of La Muette de Portici at La Monnaie theatre. On July 21, 1831, Léopold I, the first King of Belgium, ascended the throne, undertaking the destruction of the city walls and the construction of many buildings. Under Léopold II of Belgium, the city underwent many more changes: the Senne was culverted (as it brought diseases), theNorth-South Junction was built, the Tervuren Avenue was laid out, etc.

Related Topics:
1830 - Belgian revolution - La Muette de Portici - La Monnaie - July 21 - 1831 - Léopold I - Léopold II of Belgium - North-South Junction - Tervuren

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From May 10, 1940, Brussels was bombed by the German army. A lot of damage was done with bombs mainly in 1943-1944. The Heysel Stadium disaster took place in Brussels on May 29, 1985. The Brussels Capital Region was founded on June 18, 1989.

Related Topics:
May 10 - 1940 - 1943 - 1944 - Heysel Stadium disaster - May 29 - 1985 - Brussels Capital Region - June 18 - 1989

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