Whensday: Flanders in the past

When one first visits Europe, one is struck by the age of everything. Maastricht is built on Roman ruins. I explain to people that when the Romans were first settling this area, Jesus was walking the streets of Jerusalem. When walking around Maastricht or Brussels or Antwerp or Amsterdam it is impossible to escape the age of everything. 

And yet, if you were to ask how old Belgium is, you would get a technically correct answer that Belgium is younger than the United States - while almost everyone would say that the US doesn’t have much history at all. But it is true: Belgium became a country when their king was crowned on July 21,1831. This was 55 years after the United States of America were formed. 

So how can places like Antwerp, Ghent, Brughe and Kortrijk be so old? Because these cultures have been around a lot loner than the borders of the country were decided on. As a matter of fact, many might be quite familiar with various Flemish historical figures. 

Ini the 13th and 14th centuries the cloth industry boomed in the area of Flanders and this area became one of the richest in Europe. Think of lace and linen and brightly coloured silks. It was in Flanders that these were made into products being sent all over Europe. And it was this luxury that was at the center of several conflicts with the king of France in that time. 

The ‘Battle of the Golden Spurs’ is celebrated as an amazing victory of the Flemish militia against a large force of mounted knights in 1302. The Flemish, unexpectedly, won the battle and shocked the known world at the time. France quickly set things straight and regained control of the province. 

Before this time, back in the 12th century, Flanders was ruled by counts. Philip 1, count of Flanders might have a connection to some movies that have been made about the crusades. He was a cousin of Baldwin IV who was the leper King of Jerusalem. Philip I tried to change various political situations in Flanders and ended up being the dividing line of when Flanders was independent to when it fell under the power of France. 

It was Philip who built Gravensteen (the castle of the counts) in Ghent. It is an imposing structure meant to let the burghers (literally citizens) who were the economic power of the city and area know that he was the one in charge. This struggle between political power and economic power has continued in this area to the present day. 

In the 14th century Flanders gave England its queen in Philippa, who married Edward II. She brought the textile industry to Norwich, encouraging Flemish weavers to settle there. She followed a long history of strong Flemish female leaders. And in Flanders, these women inherited and kept their names. This is why still today women in Belgium retain their maiden names. In Belgium Shirley is officially Shirley Ann Walker, even if she is Shirley Ann Raab in the United States.