The history of Brussels

  

 

Brussels is a cosmopolitan city, the seat of the EU and NATO has drawn many people from all over Europe to the city. In addition, the city is bilingual, the Walloons speak French and the Flemings speak dutch, which often leads to conflicts but also unites two cultures in one city.  

 

 

977

A fort is built on an island in the river Senne.  

996

The town "Bruoscella" is first mentioned in a document. 

11th 

The Count of Leuven built a residence on the Place Royal.  

12 th

The first city wall of Brussels is built.  

1379

The second city wall is completed.

1450

Burgundian dukes reside in Brussels, the city has 40,000 inhabitants.  

1477

Brussels falls to the Habsburgs and court life unfolds.  

1522

"Brussels Treaties" between Charles V and his brother Ferdinand on the division of the country into a German and a Spanish part.  

1531

Charles V makes Brussels the capital of the Netherlands.  

1546

Maria of Hungary moves from Mechelen to Brussels.   

1555

Charles V abdicates in Brussels and transfers the Netherlands to his son Philip II. The Netherlands become Spanish.

1568

Rebellion against the Spanish rule. The predominantly Protestant parts of the Netherlands are fighting against the rule of the Catholic Spanish. The war is also being waged in the colonies. The Dutch can seriously weaken the Spanish Armada and force Spain to peace.

1648

The Spanish-Dutch war ended after 80 years with the Peace of Westphalia. The Republic of the United Netherlands, to which Brussels belongs, becomes independent.

1695

France bombs the city center of Brussels, destroying the Grand-Place. The reason for the attack was the blockade of Namur by Wilhelm III. of Orange in the Palatinate War of Succession. Brussels was only bombarded by the French but not occupied. The war ended with the Peace of Rijswijk .    

1714

After the War of the Spanish Succession, the southern Netherlands were awarded to Austria in the Treaty of Utrecht. Brussels has around 70,000 inhabitants.  

1790

The United Belgian States declare their independence from Austria. The Brabant uprising led by Hendrik von der Noot and Jan Frans Vonck was ended by Austria in the same year. 

1795

France occupies the Austrian Netherlands and the United Netherlands. 

1810

The French impose the continental block on England. Trade in the Netherlands comes to a standstill, resulting in a severe economic crisis.

1815

Napoleon is crushed in Waterloo, a small town south of Brussels. An alliance of English, German and Dutch troops can defeat the great French general.  

1816

The Kingdom of the United Netherlands is created at the Congress of Vienna, Brussels and The Hague are alternately capital cities.     

1830

Belgium separates from the United Netherlands and becomes independent. The gap between Catholics in Belgium and Protestants in the Netherlands was too big. Brussels becomes the capital of Belgium. 

1831

King Leopold I chooses Brussels as his residence. Brussels is the capital of Belgium.

1846

Brussels connects with neighboring communities to form an agglomeration.  

1865

Leopold II becomes King of Belgium. Under his rule, Belgium rose to a colonial power and mercilessly exploited the Congo. How many millions of Africans lost their lives is not documented, but it is believed that around 10 million Congolese fell victim to the sole rule of Leopold II. Large construction projects in Brussels were financed with the substantial profits from the Congo Free State .  

1910 

The world exhibition takes place in Brussels.  

1935

Second world exhibition in Brussels.  

1958

The third world exhibition in Brussels. The Atomium is built for the Expo. Brussels becomes the seat of the EEC (EU).   

1960

The Congo becomes independent. The country has been exploited by Belgium since 1885.

1967

NATO moves its headquarters to Brussels.  

2000

The population of Brussels is 950,000.  

2014

A radical Muslim shoots 3 visitors of the Jewish Museum in Brussels.  

2015

The attacks in Paris, in which 130 people were murdered, were carried out by Muslim assassins from the Molenbeek district of Brussels . Over 1.1 million people live in Brussels.   

2016

On March 22nd, several bombs were detonated in the airport and in the Maelbeek metro station . The Muslim assassins killed 35 people. A few days earlier, a jihadist involved in the Paris attacks was arrested in Brussels.  

2021

The population of Brussels rises to around 1.2 million people. Over 5 million people live within a radius of 50 kilometers.

  
  

 

 

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Brussels History

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