A Word About the Belgians

The little country called Belgium, it should be remembered, dates only from 1830, when the existing constitution was prepared and adopted for the nine southern provinces of the ancient Netherlands. The sudden and unexpected revolt against the Dutch in that year has been since styled "a misunderstanding" upon the part of the Belgians, and was brought about by the action of the King, William I, of the house of Orange-Nassau, who attempted ostentatiously to change at once the language and religion of his southern subjects. They were both Roman Catholic and conservative to the last degree, attached to traditional rights and forms and fiercely proud of the ancient separate constitutions of the southern provinces, which could be traced back to the charters of the Baldwins and Wenceslas.

Undoubtedly the French Revolution of 1830, which closed the Monarchy of the Bourbons, hastened the crisis. For the Belgians had no liking for the rule of the House of Orange-Nassau against which they had discontentedly struggled for some years more or less openly. But matters might have gone on thus indefinitely had not the French Revolution furnished ground for hope of support from a people akin in religion and language, as well as race. The smouldering fire of discontent broke into fierce flame on August 25th, 1830, in the city of Brussels, during a performance of the opera "Muette de Portici," when the tenor was singing the inspired words of Massaniello:

The immense audience, roused to patriotic enthusiasm, took up the words of the song and, rushing from the theatre en masse, paraded the streets, attacking the residences of the Dutch ministers, which they sacked and burned.

The few troops in the town were powerless to stem the revolt, which grew until Brussels was entirely in the hands of the revolutionists, who then proceeded to appoint a Council of Government, which prepared the now celebrated Document of Separation.

William sent his son, the Prince of Orange, to treat with the Council, instead of sending a force of soldiers with which the revolt might have been terminated easily, it is claimed. The Prince entered Brussels accompanied only by a half dozen officers as escort. After three days' useless parley, he returned to King William with the "Document of Separation."

The reply of the King to this message was made to the Dutch Chambers ten days later. Denouncing the revolt, he declared that he would never yield to "passion and violence." Orders were then issued to Dutch troops under Prince Frederick of Holland to proceed to Brussels and retake the city. The attack was made upon the four gates of the walled city on September 23rd. The Belgians prepared a trap, cunningly allowing the Dutch soldiers to enter two of the gates and retreating towards the Royal Park facing the Palace. Here they rallied and attacked the troops of William from all sides at once. Joined by a strong body of men from Liège they fought for three days with such ferocity that Prince Frederick was beaten back again and again, until he was forced to retreat at midnight of the third day.

In the battle six hundred Belgian citizens were slain, and to these men, regarded now as the martyrs of the Revolution, a great monument has been erected in the Place des Martyrs, near the trench in which they were buried.

A provisional government was now formed which issued the following notice: "The Belgian provinces, detached by force from Holland, shall form an independent state." Measures were taken to rid the country of the Dutch, who were expelled forcibly across the border.

Envoys to Paris and London presented documents to secure sympathy for the new government, while the fight for independence was still going on fiercely. Waelhern and Berchem, besieged by the Belgian volunteers, soon fell, and the city of Antwerp was occupied by them before the end of October.

Then the Conference of the Five Powers, sitting in London, interposed to force an armistice in order to determinate some understanding and arrangement between the Dutch and the Belgians, since it had become evident that the Netherlands kingdom of 1815 had practically come to an end. By the treaty of London in 1814, and that of Vienna in 1815, Belgium, after a short interregnum of Austrian rule, was incorporated with Holland into the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

In the space of a month then the Belgian patriots had accomplished their task, and on November 18th the National Assembly, convoked, declared as its first act the independence of the Belgians.

It was now necessary to find a head upon which to place the crown. The first choice of the provisional government was the Duc de Nemours, the son of Louis Philippe, but objection was made to him on the ground that his selection would add too much, perhaps, to the power of France, so his candidature was withdrawn.

Choice was fixed finally upon Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg, who had but recently declined the throne of Greece by advice of the European diplomats. A resident of England, this Prince, who had espoused Princess Charlotte, the daughter of George IV, was well known as a most clear headed diplomat, a reputation he enjoyed during his whole career.

In his acceptance he said: "Human destiny does not offer a nobler or more useful task than that of being called to found the independence of a nation, and to consolidate its liberties."

The people hailed and received him with great enthusiasm, and on July 21st he was crowned King of the Belgians, with most impressive ceremonies, at Brussels. The Dutch, however, viewed all this with much concern, and at once began hostilities, thinking that the powers would sustain them rather than permit France to occupy Belgium. At once Dutch troops were massed for attack on both Brussels and Louvain. Outnumbered by the Dutch, the badly organized national forces of Belgium met disaster at Hasselt, and, realizing his peril, Leopold besought the French, who were at the frontier, to come to his assistance. Simultaneously with the assault on Louvain, therefore, the French troops arrived at Brussels. Great Britain now entered the fray, threatening to send a fleet of warships to occupy the Scheldt unless King William recalled his army from Belgium. This settled the matter, and the Dutch withdrew. The French likewise returned to their own territory. Jealousy, however, was manifested by Austria, Prussia and Russia toward the new kingdom, and their refusal to receive Leopold's ambassadors was calculated to encourage hope in Holland that the reign of the new monarch was to be limited.

New troubles began for the Belgians, in the presentation of the London Protocol of October 15, 1831, in consequence of a demand that the greater part of Limbourg and Luxembourg be ceded. Not only the Belgians but the Dutch opposed this demand, as well as the conditions of the protocol. And at once King William prepared for armed resistance. Leopold immediately after obtaining votes for the raising of the sum of three millions sterling for war purposes, increased the army to one hundred thousand men.

Now ensued a most critical period for the little kingdom, but both France and England held their shields over it, while Leopold's marriage to the Princess Louise, eldest daughter of King Louis Philippe, gained for it still greater strength in its relations with France.

King William, however, refused stubbornly to recognise the protocol, and retained possession of Antwerp, which he held with a garrison of five thousand soldiers. Antwerp Citadel being the pride of the kingdom, the Belgians, restive under the control of the powers, demanded that both England and France help them at once to recover it, alleging that in case this help was refused, they, with their hundred thousand men, were ready to capture it themselves. So in the month of November the French troops, under Maréchal Gérard, laid siege to the Antwerp stronghold, held by General Chassé, who after three weeks' siege capitulated, and the Dutch, rather than have their warships captured, burnt and sank them in the Scheldt.

With the surrender of Antwerp, the French withdrew their army, but the Dutch sullenly refused to recognise the victory until the year 1839, when they withdrew from and dismantled the forts on the Scheldt facing Antwerp.

Naturally the support of the French and English brought about a deep and lasting feeling of gratitude on the part of the Belgians. Louis Philippe said, "Belgium owes her independence and the recovery of her territory to the union of France and England in her cause."

Her independence thus gained and recognised, Belgium turned her attention to the development of the country and its rich natural resources. The Manufactures flourished, her mines of coal and iron became famous throughout the world, and she trod the peaceful path of strict neutrality among the great nations. Passing over the all familiar history of Waterloo, one may quote the saying of M. Northomb: "The Battle of Waterloo opened a new era for Europe, the era of representative government." And this new era was enjoyed by Belgium until the Franco-Prussian War confronted the little country with a fresh crisis, and one fraught with danger. Although her absolute neutrality had been earnestly proclaimed and presented to the powers, it was feared that she might be invaded and be unable to maintain her integrity by her military force.

Leopold promptly mobilized the army and massed it upon the frontier. During and after the battle of Sedan, a large number of both French and German soldiers crossed the border and were interned until the close of the war.... Once more peace descended upon the Belgians, for a fresh treaty prepared by England and signed by both France and Prussia engaged the British Government to declare war upon the power violating its provisions.

After his acceptance of the Crown of Belgium, the Constitution declared the monarchy hereditary in the male line of the family of Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg, which consisted of two sons and one daughter. The elder of the sons was born in 1835, and succeeded his father as Leopold II, in 1865. The Austrian Archduchess Marie Henriette became his wife in 1853, and their descendants were one son and three daughters, none of whom is now living. The Salic Law prevailing in Belgium, the history of the female descendants is not of political importance. The only son of Leopold II dying in 1869, the succession passed to the brother of the King, the Count of Flanders, who married Mary, Princess of Hohenzollern, a sister of the King of Roumania.

The death of their son Prince Baldwin in 1891 was held to be a national calamity. This left the nephew of Leopold II, Prince Albert (the present King of Belgium), the heir presumptive to the throne. He married in 1900 the Princess Elizabeth of Bavaria; to them have been born three children, two boys and a girl. Both the King and Queen, the objects of intense devotion on the part of the Belgians, are very simple and democratic in their bearing toward the people. The Queen is a very beautiful woman, and a most devoted wife and mother.... Since the seat of government has been removed to Havre, the Queen divides her time between the little hamlet of La Panne, headquarters of the Belgian army, near the town of Furnes on the dunes of the north sea, and London, where the children are being cared for and educated.... May not one hope that brighter days are in store for this devoted and heroic King and Queen, for the once smiling and fertile land, and for the kindly, gentle, and law abiding Belgian people?[5]

THE END

INDEX

Albert, King of Belgium, 102, 207 Alost, church of St. Martin's, 113, 114 Hôtel de Ville, 111 Antwerp, carillon of, 52 cathedral of, 41, 44, 143 Archers of St. Sebastian, 66 Artists of Malines, list of the, 183–195 Aymon, legend of the four sons of, 133–136 Baldwin Bras-de-Fer, 55, 171 Baldwin the Ninth, Count of Flanders, 72, 121 Battle of the Dunes, the, 101 Battle of the Spurs, the, 120, 172 Battle of Waterloo, the, 206 Bayard, the horse, 133–138 Beguinage, the, Courtrai, 121 " " Malines, 23–24 " " Ypres, 82 Bell-founding, process of, 45–48 Berincx, Grégoire, 186 " Grégoire le Jeune, 186, 191 Bethune, Robert of, Count of Flanders, 75, 79 Biset, Charles Emmanuel, 191 " George, 191 Bol, Jean, 188 Bouts, Dierick, 48, 149 Broël Towers, the, Courtrai, 119, 123 Bruges, cathedral of, 41 library, 171 Brussels, cathedral of, 41 Museum of Decorative Arts, 76, 149 Burgundy, House of, 68 " Mary of, 165 Carillons of Antwerp, 52 " of Bruges, 52 " of Ghent, 52 " of Louvain, 52 " of Malines, 52 " of Tournai, 52 Carpreau, Jean, 187 Cathedral of Antwerp, 41 " of Bruges, 41 " of Brussels, 41 " of Ghent, 41 " of Malines, 18–19, 41, 42 " of Ypres, 69, 73 Charlemagne, 134–136 Charles the Bold, 25, 76, 81 Charles the Eleventh, 119 Charles the Fifth, 18, 130, 165 Cloth Hall, the, Ypres, 69, 72–75, 78, 80, 81 Commines, Philip of, 86 Cossiers, I., 24 Coxie, Jean, 185 " Jean Michel, 185 " Michel, 184 " Michel le Jeune, 184 " Michel the Third, 185 " Michel the Fourth, 185 " Raphaël, 185 Counts' Chapel, the, Courtrai, 121 Courtrai, the Counts' Chapel, 121 the Hall of the Magistrates, 129 the Town Hall, 129 Cuyp, 36, 102 De Gruyter, Jean, 185 De Hornes, Jacques, 191, 193 Deklerk, 44, 45 De Poindre, Jacques, 187 De Vos, Lambert, 188 Douai, Hôtel de Ville, 157, 160 Douai Bible, the, 158 Dyle, the river, 21, 26, 152 Elle, Ferdinand, 192 Franchoys, Luc, 189 " Luc le Jeune, 190, 192, 193 " Pierre, 190 Franco-Prussian War, the, 206 Furnes, Hôtel de Ville, 173 Ghent, the carillons of, 52 Gild of St. Luke, the, 181 Gothic architecture, styles of, 90 Great Wars of Flanders, the, 86 Hall of the Magistrates, the, Courtrai, 129 Hals, Frans, 141, 190 Hanseatic League, the, 69 Hanswyk, the Tower of Our Lady of, Malines, 26 Haweis, 41, 43, 49, 50 Hemony, 42, 49 Henry the First, 152 Herregouts, David, 191 Hoogenbergh, Jean, 186 Hôtel de Ville of Alost, 111 " " " of Douai, 157, 160 " " " of Furnes, 173 " " " of Louvain, 147, 149 150 " " " of Oudenaarde, 164 " " " of Ypres, 73 Huet, 87, 89 Hunin, Matthieu Joseph Charles, 194 " Pierre Paul Aloys, 194 Hugo, Victor, 52 Ingelrams, André, 187 " Corneille, 187 Inghelbrugtorre, Courtrai, 119 Inquisition, the Spanish, 68 Jansenius, Cornelius, Bishop of Ypres, 73, 80 Janssens, Daniel, 193 Joffroy, Jean Barthelemy, 193 Jordaens, 141 Jube, at St. Martin's, Dixmude, 55, 57–59, 62, 79 Keldermans, 17, 18, 130 Knights of the Golden Fleece, 36 Knights Templar, the, 99, 101 La Panne, 74, 207 La Pla, Jacques, 193 Leopold of Saxe-Coburg, King of Belgium, 203, 204, 205 Leopold the Second of Belgium, 207 Le Saive, Jean, 190, 193 Library, the, Bruges, 43, 171 Brussels, 43 Louvain, 43, 49, 150 Lion of Flanders, the, 22, 28 Louis of Maele, 66, 67 Louis of Nevers, 76 Louis Philippe, 203, 205 Louis the Eleventh, 157 Louis the Fourteenth, 158 Louvain, church of St. Peter, 147, 152 carillons of, 52 Hôtel de Ville, 149 library, 149 Loyola, Ignatius, 21 Luther, Martin, 21 Lys, the river, 119, 120, 122–123 Malines, carillons of, 52 cathedral of, 18–19, 41, 42 St. Rombauld, 17, 19, 22, 26, 37, 44 Margaret of Artois, 76 " of Austria, statue of, 22 " of Parma, 165 " of York, 25, 76 " the Courageous, the legend of, 150–153 Marguerite of Flanders, 152 " of Savoie, 18 Mary of Burgundy, 165 Matsys, Quentin, 149 Memling, 85, 148, 149 Mercier, Cardinal, Primate of Belgium, 21, 167 Moertens, Thierry, 112 Museum of Decorative Arts, the, Brussels, 76, 149 Mysteries of the Passion, the, 175 Nemours, Duc de, 202 Nieuwerck, Ypres, 70, 73, 77 Notre Dame, the church of, Courtrai, 121 Opdebeek, Antoine, 194 Oudenaarde, church of St. Walburga, 165 " Hôtel de Ville, 164 " Town Hall, 17, 165 Philip of Alsace, 119 " of Savoie, 18 " the Second of Spain, 85, 101 Place de la Boucherie, 25 Quesnoy, Jerome due, 24 Redel, August Casimir, 193 Rembrandt, 141 Rubens, 113, 141, 173, 190 Ruskin, 28, 42 St. Martin's, cathedral of, Ypres, 73, 77, 78, 79 " church of, Alost, 113, 114 " church of, Dixmude, 55, 56, 57, 60 St. Mary Bells, in Antwerp cathedral, 44 St. Nicholas, church of, Furnes, 99, 171 St. Peter, church of, Louvain, 147, 152 St. Pierre, tower of, Ypres, 80 St. Rombauld, Malines, chimes of, 19, 22 " " spire of, 17 " " tower of, 26–37, 44 St. Walburga, church of, Oudenaarde, 165, 174–176 St. Winoc, the abbey of, Bergues, 95 Sainte Begga, 23, 121 Salvator Bell, the, 20, 48 Scheldt, the river, 133, 204, 205 Smeyers, Egide Joseph, 192 " Gilles, 192 " Jacques, 192 Snellinck, Jean, 188 Speytorre, the, Courtrai, 119 Stevens, Pierre, 189 Taillebert, d'Urbain, 79 Thierry d'Alsace, 65, 85 Toeput, Louis, 188 Tournai, Town Hall, 52 Tower of the Templars, the, Nieuport, 99, 101 Town Hall of Brussels, 17 " " of Courtrai, 129 " " of Dixmude, 56 " " of Louvain, 17 " " of Oudenaarde, 17 " " of Tournai, 52 Trabukier, Guillaume, 184 Untenhoven, Martin, 78 Van Aken, Sebastian, 193 Van Artevelde, family of, 36 " " Philip, 66, 86 Van Avont, Pierre, 189 " " Rombaut, 189 Van Battele, Baudouin, 183 " " Gautier, 183 " " Jean, 183 " " Jean le Jeune, 183 Van den Gheyn, family of, 20, 33, 42, 44, 45, 158 " " " Mathias, 147 " " " Peter, 48 Van Dyck, 133 Van Eyck, Jean, 79 Van Halter, Catherine, 24 Van Ophem, Jean, 186 Van Orley, Bernard, 184 Van Orshagen, Jean, 183 Van Steynemolen, Zacherie, 184 Van Thieleu, Jean Philippe, 192 Van Valckenborgh, Luc, 188 " " Martin, 189 Van Yleghem, Daniel, 183 Van Yper, Carel, 80 Vauban, 65 Verbeek, François, 186 " Hans, 186 Vereeke, 65, 70 Verhaegan, P.J., 150, 153 Verhoeven, Jean, 191 " Martin, 191 Verhulst, Pierre Antoine, 194 Ver Vloet, Jean, 195 Vinckboons, Maur, 184 " Philip, 189 Waghemans, family of, 20 Waterloo, the Battle of, 206 Willems, Marc, 187 William the First of Holland, 199, 201, 204 Ypres, the Beguinage, 82 the cathedral of, 69, 72 the Cloth Hall, 69, 73, 74, 75, 78, 80, 81 the Hôtel de Ville, 73 Yser, the river, 55, 62 Zeelstman, 19

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