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Belgian History
Although Belgium has been inhabited for many thousands
of years, its written history begins in 54 BC when Julius Caesar
conquered the area as part of his campaigns in Gaul, as described in his
Commentaries on the Gallic War
(Latin: Commentarii de Bello Gallico). As a result, for the next
several centuries, Belgium and the surrounding areas
were incorporated in the Roman Empire as the province of
Gallia Belgica.
When the Roman Empire eventually collapsed in the 5th century CE,
and Belgium then became part of the area ruled
by the Merovingian Frankish dynasty. Eventually the Merovingian
dynasty was replaced by the Carolingians, and Belgium found
itself on the border between the successor states of
France and the Holy Roman Empire.
It was during this period in the Middle Ages that the more northerly
parts of the country became Germanized, whereas southern parts did not,
thus giving rise to the Flemish and Walloon language
regions that are still found in Belgium today.
In the mid 16th century, Belgium,
Luxembourg and the
Netherlands all came under
Habsburg rule. In the reformation,
northern parts of this region turned to Protestantism,
whereas southern parts remained Catholic. When the Spanish
Habsburgs tried to reimpose Catholicism across the
entire region, this led to the 80 years war (1568 to 1648),
but ultimately this effort largely failed - the northern parts of
the region becoming the new country of the United Provinces
(the precursor of the Netherlands), although
the southern parts remained under Habsburg rule as the Spanish Netherlands.
The area that is Belgium was ruled by the Habsburg for
more than 300 years, first as the Spanish Netherlands, and later as
the Austrian Netherlands. During this period, it was a frequent site
of battles during the Habsburg's many wars with France.
During the French Revolutionary Wars, the Austrian Netherlands were overran
and then annexed by France. However, following the defeat
of Napoleon in 1815, the area was removed from French control, and united
with the Netherlands as part of the United Kingdom
of the Netherlands.
In 1830, revolution broke out in Belgium, which led to
independence from the Netherlands. Leopold I became
king, and the new country became an independent Catholic parliamentary democracy,
The major powers of the Concert of Europe sanctioned the new country's existence
on acceptance of it being permanently neutral, a status that Belgium retained
until after World War I.
In 1885, King Leopold II of Belgium acquired the Congo Free State
as a personal possession, although in
1908
it became a Belgian colony. Other Belgian colonial possessions included a
concession in Tietsin, China (occupied until
1930
as a result of
Belgian forces' role in surpressing the Boxer Rebellion), and
Ruanda-Urundi (gained from Germany during World War I).
Durig the 20th century, Belgium has twice been invaded
by Germany - in World War I
in
1914,
and
in World War II in
1940.
As a result of World War I and the subsequent Treaty of Versailles,
Belgium gained several
border towns from Germany, which is the origin of the
German-speaking
community in the East of the country.
After World War II, Belgium joined NATO, formed the
Benelux group of countries (with Luxembourg and the
Netherlands), and was a founder member of
the European Coal and Steel Community and subsequent European Economic
Community (which eventually led to today's European Union).
Belgium's remaining colonial possessions were granted
independence in the post-war period; the Congo in
1960,
and Ruanda-Urundi
(as the two new countries of Rwanda and
Burundi) in
1962.
Here are some books about the history of
Belgium:
Disclosure: Products details and descriptions provided by Amazon.com. Our company may receive a payment if you purchase products from them after following a link from this website.
By Els Witte & Alain Meynen
ASP-VUB Press
Paperback (516 pages)
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Click Here | - ISBN13: 9789054875178
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Product Description:
Illustrating the tension of politics in contemporary Belgium, this historical perspective chronicles the growth of Belgium throughout the past two centuries. This analysis reveals how these two cultures—the economically, politically, and culturally less-developed Flemish majority and the Walloon minority—underwent a process of equalization that brought about a new federal model, in which a cosmopolitan Brussels became one of the most important international political centers in the world. |
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Berghahn Books
Paperback (503 pages)
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The history of the smaller European countries is rather neglected in the teaching of European history at university level. We are therefore pleased to announce the publication of the first comprehensive history of the Low Countries - in English - from Roman Times to the present. Remaining politically and culturally fragmented, with its inhabitants speaking Dutch, French, Frisian and German, the Low Countries offer a fascinating picture of European history en miniature. For historical reasons, parts of northern France and western Germany also have to be included in the Low Countries, a term that must remain both broad and fluid, a convenient label for a region which has seldom, if ever, composed a unified whole. In earlier ages it was even more difficult to give the region set parameters, again reflecting Europe as a whole, when tribes and kingdoms stretched across expanses not limited to the present states of Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. Nevertheless, its parts did demonstrate many common traits and similar developments that differentiated them from surrounding countries and lent them a distinct character. Internationally, the region often served both as a mediator for and a buffer to the surrounding great powers, France, Britain, and Germany; an important role still played today as Belgium and the Netherlands have become increasingly involved in the broader process of European integration, in which they often share the same interest and follow parallel policies. This highly illustrated volume serves as an ideal introduction to the rich history of the Low Countries for students and the generally interested reader alike. |
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By Paul Arblaster
Palgrave Macmillan
Released: 2005-12-01
Paperback (312 pages)
 | List Price: $30.00*
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This is the first full historical survey of the Benelux area (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg) to be written in English. Paul Arblaster describes the whole sweep of the history of the Low Countries, from Roman frontier provinces, through medieval principalities, to the establishment of the three constitutional monarchies of the present day. This readable overview highlights the international importance of the social, economic , spiritual, and cultural movements that have marked the region. |
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By William Siborne
Adamant Media Corporation
Released: 2001-05-23
Paperback (662 pages)
 | List Price: $32.99*
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This Elibron Classics book is a facsimile reprint of a 1848 edition by T. and W. Boone, London. |
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By Peter Scholliers
Greenwood
Hardcover (264 pages)
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Belgian food and drink, often overshadowed by the those of powerhouse neighbors France and Germany, receive much deserved attention in this thorough overview, the most comprehensive available in English. Belgian waffles, chocolate, and beer are renowned, but Food Culture in Belgium opens up the entire food culture spectrum and reveals Belgian food habits today and yesterday. Students and food mavens learn about the question of Belgianness in discussions of the foodways of distinct regions of Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels. Packed with daily life insight, consumption statistics, and trends gathered from the culinary community on the Web, this is the ultimate source for discovering what has been called the best-kept culinary secret in Europe. Scholliers thoroughly covers the essential information in the topical chapters on history, major foods and ingredients, cooking, typical meals, special occasions, eating out, and diet and health. He is keen to illuminate how Belgium's unique food culture has developed through time. Before independence in 1830, Belgian regions had been part of the Celtic, Roman, Spanish, Austrian, French, Dutch, and German empires, and Belgium's central location has meant that it has long been a trade center for food products. Today, Brussels is the European Union administrative center and a cosmopolitan dining destination. Readers learn about the ingredients, techniques, and dishes that Belgium gave to the world, such as pommes frites, endive, and beer dishes. A timeline, glossary, selected bibliography, resource guide with websites and films, recipes, and photos complement the essays. |
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By Demetrius Charles de Kavanagh Boulger
Adamant Media Corporation
Released: 2001-06-28
Paperback (462 pages)
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This Elibron Classics book is a facsimile reprint of a 1909 edition by the Author, London. |
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By Leon Der Essen
Thackeray Press
Paperback (192 pages)
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Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. |
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