All About Royal Families

Kortrijk sometimes known in English as Courtrai or Courtray is a Belgian city and municipality in the Flemish province of West Flanders. In the Middle Ages, Courtrai grew significantly thanks to the flax and wool industry with France and England and became one of the biggest and richest cities in Flanders.  The city is often referred to as City of Groeninge or City of the Golden Spurs, referring to the Battle of Courtrai or the Battle of the Golden Spurs which took place on 11 July 1302 on the Fields of Groeninge in Courtrai.  In 1820 the Treaty of Kortrijk was signed, laying out the still-current borders between France and Belgium. Throughout the 19th and 20th century, the flax industry flourished and remains important within the Belgian textile industry today. To be honest, I only knew Kortrijk due to its railway station and the  direct train ways to Oostende, Bruges, Roeselare and other cities in the region. I never stayed in Kortrijk before. Huge time to search for an hotel and to

On 13 April 1350, Margaret III, Countess of Flanders was born near Bruges as the daughter of Louis II, Count of Flanders and Margaret of Brabant.   She was the last surviving child and she became the last Countess of Flanders of the House of Dampierre. Weddings A good marriage was very important. So her father negotiated the future of his daughter well. As heir presumptive to her father's territories, Margaret was a highly coveted bride.  In 1355,Margaret of Flanders married Philip of Rouvres, grandson and heir of Odo IV, Duke of Burgundy.  Philip was Count of Burgundy and Artois (1347–1361), Duke of Burgundy (1350–1361), and became Count of Auvergne and Boulogne (1360–1361). We don't know if it was a happy marriage or not, but at least she married at a very young age! Following Philip's death from a riding accident in 1361, Margaret was widowed and had no issue by him.  King John II of France then claimed the Duchy of Burgundy for the kingdom of France, by escheat.  After

Kasteel Cortewalle is a Flemish moated castle in Beveren in Belgium, which was inhabited for many years by the de Brouchoven de Bergeyck family. History The castle dates from the 15th century and is one of the oldest in the Waasland. It is built in white sandstone, in the style of the Flemish Renaissance . It was expanded by Joos Vijd, who bequeathed it to his cousin Joos Triest.  Joos Vijd & Ghent Altarpiece Vijd was the third son of Clais Vijd and Amelberga van der Elst and was born in the moated castle of Singelberg. His father was a castle guardian and bailiff and moor master of Beveren, but was relieved of these functions in 1390 by Philip the Bold after an investigation into fraud and self-enrichment. The family fortune has its origins in interest on land, peat extraction and dyke tenders in the Waasland.  Around 1392, Joos married Lysbette Borluut, a patrician daughter from Ghent (she is also depicted on one of the panels). The couple lived in a Ghent city house, known as th

After the lockdown of 2020 due to Covid-19, I was very happy to go out and about, to finally visit a real royal palace in Antwerp, Belgium. History The Royal Palace at the Meir in Antwerp was built by Johan Alexander van Susteren, a wealthy merchant in the 18th. century. It was designed by architect Jan Pieter van Baurscheidt de Jonge. In 1811, the Palace at the Meir was acquired by Napoleon Bonaparte. The French Emperor embellished the interior, inter alia the salon with green furniture in  Empire Style. Napoleon himself, never lived at the Royal Palace at the Meir in Antwerp, but his rival Tsar Alexander I of Russia stayed there during Napoleon's exile in Elba. Tsar Alexander I of Russia was the brother of Anna Pavlovna of Russia. She married King Willem (William) II of The Netherlands.  After the defeat of Waterloo in 1815, Belgium became a part of the United Kingdom of The Netherlands with King Willem (William) I as head of State. He gave the order to create the salon of the 17

Although 2020 wasn't a splendid year for travellers due to the Covid-19  pandemic, we tried to make the best of it.  During the staycation we visited some lovely cities in our home country, Belgium with lots of history. Cities such as Ghent and Bruges.  The main square of the city of Bruges is without a doubt the Market Square in Dutch called "Markt". It is the heart of the historical city and has a surface of around 1 hectares.  At the south of the the square one of the main historical buildings of Bruges is located: the Belfry.  Some history The market of Bruges already attracted people in the 10th. century! Around 1200 the first international fair was held. Around 1220 the first Market Hall arose.  Since 1396 fish trade took place there. In 1709 an iron fish mine was erected.  In the 13th. century the Belfry of Bruges was built. This was typical for cities in Flanders. It was a symbol of freedom, wealth and urban power. On 7 January 1430, Philip the Good, Duke of Burgu

While reading in biographies about royals, sometimes other interesting noble families are mentioned. Such as the Family Lichtervelde. Nowadays Lichtervelde still is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The Counts of Lichtervelde are one of the oldest noble families of the County of Flanders. Some members of them became even mayors. Some history * Already in the 13th. century the County of Flanders knew a baroness of Lichtervelde. * In the 14th., 15th and 16th. century several family members were knights. * It was on 27 May 1745 that Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa granted the title of Count to Gillis-François de Lichtervelde.  Famous people * Roger of Lichtervelde was mayor of Bruges between 1378 and 1379. * Louis of Lichtervelde was councillor of Louis of Male . The most famous one was Louis de Lichtervelde (1889 - 1959). He was a private secretary of the Prime Minister and he hold some important positions. He also was an historian.  Louis de Lichterveld

Imperial Interferences  with disastrous consequences In Ghent, the capital of Eastern Flanders in the northern part of Belgium,  there once was a beautiful Abbey called the Saint Bavo's Abbey.  However due to Imperial Interferences, this Abbey was demolished in the 16th. century.  Luckily for us, there still are a few traces from the Saint Bavo's Abbey and it still has a wonderful royal history. St. Bavo's Abbey and the eldest wall of Ghent Royal history Saint Bavo's Abbey was founded in the 7th. century by Saint Amand, who also founded the Saint Peter's Abbey in Ghent. Originally the Saint Bavo's Abbey was called Ganda, which meant "river mouth in Celtic" referring to the location of the area.  Louis the Pious , the youngest son of Charlemagne and also King of the  Franks, from 814-840 chose Einhard as abbot of the St. Bavo's Abbey. Einhard was the biographer of Charlemagne.  In the 9th. century, the St. Bavo's Abbey was raided twice by the Vi

King William I of The Netherlands and his statue in Ghent, Belgium  People from Flanders, the northern part of Belgium, have not only the language in common with citizens from The Netherlands but they also share some royal history together. Common royal history From 1815  Belgium and thus Flanders, was a part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. But not everybody was happy with this union it led to the independence of Belgium in 1830.  However in Ghent, the capital of Eastern Flanders, the people were happy with the reign of King William I of The United Kingdom of The Netherlands.  The Monarch founded the University of Ghent and he gave the order to create  the canal of Ghent-Terneuzen.  A statue In 2015 (200 years after the formation of the United Kingdom of The Netherlands), Ghent honoured King William I with a statue. This statue was erected on a beautiful location at the Reep and was revealed on 20 October 2018. The statue costed 25.000 euro and was paid by crowdfunding, gifts