History of Brussels
Brussels has had a long and often troubled history, caught between powerful neighbours and was often the site of battles to decide disputes not of its own making. The early history of the city is a story largely of prosperity, while modern day Brussels has emerged from the scars of two world wars as the capital of not only Belgium, but of the European Union.
Guild Rebellions
While the site of Brussels had been inhabited since before the 10th century, it was only after the town was fortified that it began to grow in earnest. In the 13th century, the town was granted a charter, but soon after, the craftsmen and their guilds became disgruntled with the meddling of the aristocracy in their affairs and began to stage successful rebellions, one in 1302 and another in 1356.
The result of these rebellions was to make the guilds very powerful, and Brussels enjoyed around 200 years of relatively uninterrupted commercial prosperity, with the city's craftsmen being regarded among the finest in Europe. This dominance was ended by two events; the patronage of nearby Antwerp during the 15th century and the destruction brought about by the Reformation of the 16th century.
The Reformation
The fanaticism of the Spanish Pope Philip II's Reformation took a particularly gruesome toll on cities caught between the Catholic low countries and the Protestant north. Brussels was no exception and its churches, religious art and buildings were destroyed in a series of attacks.
Even after the Reformation had ended, wars between Europe's royals over control of this territory often put strategically-placed Brussels right in the thick of the fighting, which culminated in the famous Battle of Waterloo, in 1815. During this period, much of medieval Brussels was destroyed.
Belgian Independence
After the Napoleonic Wars, a new Europe began to take shape. Initially the Netherlands and Belgium were lumped together as one united country; however, this soon proved unworkable and following a rebellion by the Belgians in 1830, Belgian independence was granted in January 1831, with Brussels as the capital.
The new king, Leopold I, installed by Britain and France, wasted no time in trying to create a Belgian identity and initiated a huge number of public works projects to bolster the standing of the city. Not all were happy however, and the Flemish-speaking north of the country often clashed with the French-speaking south. The new nation survived this test however, and also attempted to remain neutral in European affairs while participating in colonialism, which was rampant at the time. Brussels grew in stature and prosperity.
Modern Era
Brussels' strategic position ensured that its attempts to remain neutral were in vain, as Germany sacked the city during WWI and again in WWII, on its way to invade France. In stark contrast to Albert I's heroic Belgian stand against the Germans in WWI, Leopold III capitulated meekly to the Germans in 1940 and even worked with the Germans, leading to a dark episode in Brussels' history.
After liberation, Brussels quickly rebuilt itself, rejected the exiled Leopold III in favour of his son, and regained a prominent position in Europe as the home of the EU and NATO. Unfortunately, the disagreements between the Flemish-speaking and French-speaking populations of Belgium have become more serious in modern times, and now only Brussels is a truly bilingual city, with the rest of the country polarised.
