THE HISTORY OF BELGIUM

OVERVIEW

The Netherlands, Germany, France and Luxembourg, Belgium, the Kingdom of the founding of the modern history of this name is quoted in Belgium's history is intertwined with its neighbors 1830.. Most prominent among them history, for example, is now Belgium, as the Carolingian Empire as part of a larger range, or was, or small kingdoms of the Duchy of Brabant will be divided into several, County of Flanders, Prince of Liège and Luxembourg -Bishopric in the County. 

Due to its strategic location and from the fighting army, Belgium Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) in the soil, often called "Europe in the field" or "cockpit of Europe." It also contains interesting as it is, and Latin-French, German and Dutch language of the border, divided by the population of Europe.

Belgium's formation, its neighbors such as Benelux, in the Burgundian Netherlands, "Prime Seventeen" and return to it later. They were brought together under the Valois- Burgundy, France and Germany and later declared independent of both the offspring of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, in 1549. 

obligations of the agreement in the eighty years war (1568-1648), was taken to the North Dutch Republic, and Belgium Luxembourg, and it is from the southern division of the Netherlands. This southern region of "Spanish Netherlands" as the first, Burgundian house of Habsburg descendants continued to rule. Finally, the rest of the "Austrian Netherlands" and he has nothing to lose invasion of France under Louis XIV, now France's Nord-Pas-de-Calais. French Revolutionary Wars was the property of the Catholic Church and locations, bringing the end of the semi-freedom, 1795 as part of France led him to Belgium.

 In 1814, after the victory over France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, a new, later created three modern nations, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg and giving, is broken down during the 1830-1839 one more time, the Belgian revolution.

Belgium's ports and textile industry returns are important to the medieval, and modern-day Belgium in the 19th century brought in the prosperity of socialist workers and merchants, not liberal political pluralism opened an industrial revolution, was one of the first countries to experience.

 The king was isolated but stopped passing as a strategic location to France in 1914 and Germany in 1940 for an invasion targeting the government's own private colony in the Belgian Congo, took over in 1908 after a major scandal in Belgium. Under the circumstances, it was difficult to control. After the war, in what has become a founding member of the European Union, Belgium, was the leader in the European Union. 

NATO headquarters in Brussels now is host to the European Union and the de facto capital. To colonies became independent in the early 1960's.

The country was divided into a religious and political issues; In recent decades, it faced a new language differences and equal distribution of economic growth. This is due to an ongoing hatred of the federal state unitary Belgian state into changing already, since 1970, by far the vast reforms, and the government has repeated crises. 

Now, in the middle of the south, north of Brussels, two, three regions, Flanders (Dutch-speaking), Wallonia (French-speaking) is divided. Along the border with Germany, there is also the German-speaking population, and is the third official language in Belgium and Germany. It is included in a prosperous economy, and Europe.

PREHISTORY

Belgian flint knives found in a cave

On Belgian territory had looked at Engis in the Neanderthal fossils in 1829-30; Some of BC back at least 100,000 BCE published.

Northern Europe, called LBK culture, the earliest Neolithic origin of agricultural technology in South East and Eastern Europe have reached the far western stretch from Belgium. The expansion area before 5000 BC stopped in the Hesbaye region in eastern Belgium. Belgium LBK villages around it may be necessary because of the proximity of the hunter-gatherers of a protective wall, or what is known in his own interests.

So-called Limburg pottery and clay Hoguette southwest France and in the Netherlands, which are open to the metaphors, but sometimes silent, that these technologies and the first in eastern Belgium LBK people over the result of expanding agricultural technology and clay in northeastern France, and slightly Neolithic in the Middle Wallonia after-called culture may represent an offshoot from the LBK settlement is being done through the Savior gatherers.A "Groupe de Blicquy" is. Neolithic flint mines is a well-known archaeological site in Spiennes in this region.

However, agriculture in Belgium at the beginning of the arrest could not be fixed. The LBK Blicquy cultures and new farming culture disappeared long ago, the gap is to Michelsberg culture; Appeared and became widespread. It looks like the savior of drawers to the Swifterbant culture left in the sandy northern Belgium, but it seems more and more influenced by farming and pottery technology.

The third and fourth century BC, at the end of In Flanders, the entire human habitation relatively little evidence. This continuous human presence was felt that, although the evidence is very difficult.The types linisheresheru- Oise-Marne culture is associated with the distribution of the Ardennes to make a list of the judgment, and (for example, Wéris b) there megalithic sites; But they were scattered all over Belgium. To the north and east of the Netherlands, a semi-sedentary group was drawn to the idea of ​​culture; Perhaps above Swifterbant and Michelsburg cultures.

The similar examples from this so-called Vlaardingen- Wartburg Evensen complex, the late Neolithic and early Bronze Age continues on to. The Neolithic in the last part of the evidence, the Netherlands, South corded ware and Bell Beaker cultures were found, but these cultures do not seem profound effect on all of Belgium.

Belgium has a population began to increase in the late Bronze Age than to permanently before the birth of Christ in 1750. 

Three related European cultures have arrived in chronological order. First, we arrived Urnfield culture (for example, tumuli are available at Ravels and Hamont-Achel in the Campine). Then, the Iron Age, the Hallstatt culture, and culture is to bring Tène. Especially Celtic languages, especially for Tène material culture to be, and all of these are associated with being associated with the Halstatt three, Indo-European languages. This is due to the locations where Greek and Roman historic records show bookmark this culture Celtic placenames and personal names.

However, this Hallstatt, especially in the northern areas and Tène cultures may be new elites were brought in Belgium, and the Celtic people was not the main language. 500 BC Celtic tribes trade with the Mediterranean world and live in the region. From c. 150 BC, the first coins under the influence of trade with the Mediterranean, was used.

FRENCH CONTROL

• French troops during the revolutionary wars against Belgium in Fleurus, 1794French Revolutionary War in 1794, following the campaigns, Belgium Austriacum Habsburg rule to finish, 1795 was increased invaded France.

• Belgium is divided into nine départements unity has become an integral part of France. The bishop said Liège was dissolved. In the region was split on the départements Meuse-Inférieure and Ourte. 

• Austria, in 1797, by agreement between Campo Formio, the gas is only part of the Austrian Empire Austriacum Belgium, confirmed the loss.

• All the French and imposing new reforms to France Liege "Austrian Netherlands" and the diocese that includes, Belgium, 1794-1814 invaded and controlled.

• New buyers were sent in Paris by. Belgian people are heavily taxed drafted in the French wars. Almost everybody was Catholic, but the Church was oppressed.

• French and Belgian national rule was strong in resisting the emergence of resistance, as all sectors. French legal system, however, with its equal legal rights, abolition was adopted, and class distinctions. Belgium is now a good selection of government bureaucracy; But that was not all.

• 1799 was higher against the oppression of Catholics to resist the French Consulate. University of Leuven, the first was opened in 1797 and was plundered churches. 

• Taxes in France who bought goods were paid with worthless assignats had to be paid in gold and silver coins as French rule during this first: 

• Belgium was completely paralyzed economy. During this systematic exploitation, 800,000 Belgian French invasion of South Netherlands.

• The path as the administrative language in Belgium and across the country, including the suppression of the Dutch language, has fled.

• The principle of "one nation, one language", with the French public life and the economy, it is only on political and social issues and acceptable language.

• French army recruits to 1798, a series of giant steps, particularly the French government and farmers to farmers, especially in the war between the brutal suppression of War.

• The 'in the Flemish regions where it sparked, were accepted by all modern-day marks the beginning of Flemish movement.In 1814, the Allies drove Napoleon ended French rule.

•  Belgium and the Netherlands, the Dutch controlled the plan, were to join. Napoleon briefly returned to power in 1815 in a hundred days, but was decisively defeated in the south of Brussels, Waterloo.

ECONOMICS

The Musée d 'Art Ancien, Brussels in the Belgian revolution of 1830 people, Egide Charles Gustave Wappers (1834), episode

Main article: Belgian Revolution

Monnaie opera house in Brussels for Auber's Muette de Portici for a performance in agitating the people, patriotic spilled out into the streets singing songs by the Belgian revolution rose in August 1830. Anarchy reigned in Brussels, violent fights broke out soon. 

At first, the liberal bourgeoisie were at the forefront of the revolution, was appalled by the violence and the willingness to accept risk with the Dutch.

The revolution got a number of reasons. On a political level, the highest level in the Netherlands, Belgium felt-represented in "Prince, Brussels unacceptable in the bottom of the elected assembly and a representative of Orange, King William I, William II disliked the future. French-speaking Walloons and Dutch-speaking majority also felt ostracized in the country.

 Dutch Protestants in a nation controlled by the Belgian Catholic majority felt there were significant religious complaints.

Thought the king would blow itself in protest. Unless he is a foreigner and the leaders of all revolutionaries for mercy, proclaiming, was looking for a hand. This effort was not successful, he sent in the army. Dutch forces were able to penetrate the Brussels Schaerbeek door, but was abandoned in the Parc de Bruxelles under sniper fire and ice. 

I met with opposition from the determination of the revolutionaries obstacles remain compromised by the royal troops. This time, when more than 6,000 Dutch soldiers in Brussels (for "undisciplined rabble," described as the French ambassador) is estimated to be no more than 1,700 were revolutionaries. However, faced with strong opposition, the Dutch troops landed three days after the order was outside the capital on the evening of September 26. Dutch forces in the struggle with the conflict, there were revolutionaries around the country. In Antwerp, eight Dutch warships revolutionary forces following the capture of the city to stay.

Belgian freedom was allowed by Congress in Vienna 1815; But the revolutionaries of the major European powers, especially Britain were tenderness in sympathetically. In November 1830, the 1830 conference in London, or "Belgian Congress" (Great Britain, France, Russia, Prussia and Austria with delegates from Muslims) a statement in November ordered the British and French Armistice on November 4 at the end of - any kind of military intervention and interference in Belgium a separate government - William I. absolutist rule, said the military intervention in favor of the other three participants to be more conservative, and was rejected,

20 January 1831 signed a protocol on Belgium, said the new government would be formed in regions that property in the north of Foreign Affairs in 1790. He was required to enter. British Foreign Secretary was to maintain the link between the Royal Netherlands as the new king and the new government, Lord Palmerston, which strongly backed the Prince of Orange County election. Prince William want a clear break with the Netherlands, I, his father, and the French proved to be acceptable. Finally, Palmerston second choice, Saxe- Coburg came with the Leopold I - all.

On July 21, 1831, the first "King was approved - Princess of Wales' widower of Charlotte, and the British constitutional model, an admirer of the Belgian" was inaugurated. 21 July 1831 - - is a sign of acceptance of the Constitution Day, a national holiday.

First, the revolution in the balance accused in the liberal bourgeoisie, hastily officially on October 4, declaring the freedom of the Belgian, Dutch and negotiate with Charles Rogier under a provisional government was established in 1830. 

The Belgian National Congress was formed out of a constitution. According to the new constitution, Belgium's royal sovereignty with the constitution, they have become independent Kingdom. Most of the French language, however, there was no place in the Constitution of the country so badly, would restrict the right to vote in the French-speaking bourgeoisie and the clergy yeperišini-. The Catholic Church interference-free status would be a good role model.

Another eight years of war with the Netherlands, but in 1839, the London agreement signed between the two countries. By agreement in 1839, Luxembourg, Belgium to join, but had remained in the possession of the Netherlands because of the different inheritance laws as a separate independent Duchy. This was due to the historical claim on which four regions: East, Belgium and Limburg, Zeeuws Vlaanderen and French Flanders and lost Eupen.

 Louis XIV, when he was French Flanders, French, while two remained in the possession of the former Netherlands retain, they are retained, and compensation had to go to Belgium after World War II, even though Eupen, left Germany in the CAF.