Valenciennes

Valenciennes is a town and commune in northern France in the Nord département on the Scheldt river. While the city and region had seen a steady decline between 1975 and 1990, it has hence rebounded. As of 1999, the commune has a population of 42 343 while the entire urban area numbers 399 677. This renewed growth is particularly notable for Valenciennes, as well as some suburbs.

History

Valenciennes is first named in 693 in a legal document written by Clovis II. In the 9th century this region was overrun by the Normans. With the Empire of the Franks established the city began to develop. In 1008 a terrible famine brought the Plague.

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In the 14th century the Tower of Dodenne was built. In the 15th century the province of Hainaut was re-attached to Burgundy. In 1524 Charles Quint, Emperor arrived at Valenciennes. Because of the manufacturers of wool and fine linens, the city was able to become economically free.

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Around 1560 Valenciennes was an early center of Calvinism. In 1562 here occurred the first act of resistance against religious persecution in the Netherlands, when a crowd liberated some protestants condemned to die at the stake. In 1580 the town, by then a calvinist stronghold, was conquered by Alexander Farnese and protestantism was eradicated.

Related Topics:
Calvinism - Alexander Farnese

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By the treaty of Nimègue the French took control of Valenciennes in 1678. Shortly thereafter Vauban visited the city in the effort to fortify the northern reaches of France.

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