Limburg (Belgium)
Encyclopedia
- This article deals with a province in Belgium. For other uses of Limburg, see: Limburg (disambiguation). For the town of Limbourg or Limburg in Belgium, see: LimbourgLimbourgLimbourg is a medieval town located in the province of Liège, Wallonia, Belgium.On 1 January 2008 Limbourg had a total population of 5,680. The total area is 24.63 km² which gives a population density of 231 inhabitants per km²...
Limburg (Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
: ) is the easternmost province of modern Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
, which is one of the three main political and cultural sub-divisions of modern Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. It is located west of the river Meuse (Dutch Maas). It borders on (clockwise from the north) the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
provinces of North Brabant
North Brabant
North Brabant , sometimes called Brabant, is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country, bordered by Belgium in the south, the Meuse River in the north, Limburg in the east and Zeeland in the west.- History :...
and Limburg
Limburg (Netherlands)
Limburg is the southernmost of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by the province of Gelderland to the north, Germany to the east, Belgium to the south and part of the west, andthe Dutch province of North Brabant partly to...
and the Belgian provinces of Liège
Liège (province)
Liège is the easternmost province of Belgium and belongs to the Walloon Region. It is an area of French and German ethnicity. It borders on the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, and in Belgium the provinces of Luxembourg, Namur, Walloon Brabant , and those of Flemish Brabant and Limburg . Its...
, Flemish Brabant
Flemish Brabant
Flemish Brabant is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on the Belgian provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Liège, Walloon Brabant, Hainaut and East Flanders. Flemish Brabant also completely surrounds the Brussels-Capital Region. Its capital is Leuven...
and Antwerp
Antwerp (province)
Antwerp is the northernmost province both of the Flemish Region, also called Flanders, and of Belgium. It borders on the Netherlands and the Belgian provinces of Limburg, Flemish Brabant and East Flanders. Its capital is Antwerp which comprises the Port of Antwerp...
. Its capital is Hasselt
Hasselt
Hasselt is a Belgian city and municipality, and capital of the Flemish province of Limburg...
. It has an area of 2,414 km² which is divided into three arrondissement
Arrondissement
Arrondissement is any of various administrative divisions of France, certain other Francophone countries, and the Netherlands.-France:The 101 French departments are divided into 342 arrondissements, which may be translated into English as districts. The capital of an arrondissement is called a...
s (arrondissementen in Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
) containing 44 municipalities. Among them, apart from Hasselt, are Borgloon
Borgloon
Borgloon is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2006 Borgloon had a total population of 10,152. The total area is 51.12 km² which gives a population density of 199 inhabitants per km². Borgloon gave its name to the former county of Loon.-External...
, the early medieval capital, Genk
Genk
Genk is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. The municipality only comprises the city of Genk itself...
, a major economic centre, Diepenbeek
Diepenbeek
Diepenbeek is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. On January 1, 2006 Diepenbeek had a total population of 17,706. The total area is 41.19 km² which gives a population density of 430 inhabitants per km²....
, home to Hasselt University
Hasselt University
Hasselt University is a university with campuses in Hasselt and Diepenbeek, Belgium. It was founded in 1971, as the Limburgs Universitair Centrum...
, and Tongeren, known as the oldest city in Belgium because it was the only Roman city in the province. Belgian Limburg was never called Limburg until the 19th century, it's name being a result of post-Napoleonic politics. The same region was historically called Loon
County of Loon
The County of Loon was a state of the Holy Roman Empire, lying west of the Meuse river in present-day Flemish-speaking Belgium, and east of the old Duchy of Brabant. The most important cities of the county were Beringen, Bilzen, Borgloon, Bree, Hamont, Hasselt, Herk-de-Stad, Maaseik, Peer and...
.
Language
As in all Flemish provinces, the official language is DutchDutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
, but two municipalities: Herstappe
Herstappe
Herstappe is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2008 Herstappe had a total population of 84. The total area is 1.35 km² which gives a population density of 61 inhabitants per km². It is the least populous municipality in Belgium. Only Saint-Josse-ten-Noode...
and Voeren are to a certain extent allowed to use French to communicate with their citizens. Such municipalities are called the municipalities with language facilities in Belgium.
Several variations of Limburgish are also still actively used, these being a diverse group of dialects which share features in common with both German and Dutch. Limburg mijn Vaderland is the official anthem
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
of both Belgian and Dutch Limburg, and has versions in various dialects of Limburgish, varying from accents closer to standard Dutch in the west, to more distinctive dialects near the Maas. Outside of the two Limburgs related dialects or languages are found stretched out towards the nearby Ruhr valley region of Germany. And there are also related dialects around Aachen
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
and in the extreme north of the province of Liège.
As in the rest of Flanders a high level of multi-lingualism is found in the population. Limburg is close to Germany and Wallonia, and because of the natural political, cultural and economics links, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
have long been important second language
Second language
A second language or L2 is any language learned after the first language or mother tongue. Some languages, often called auxiliary languages, are used primarily as second languages or lingua francas ....
s in the area. English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
has also now become a language which is widely understood and used in business and cultural activities, and is supplanting French in this regard.
Veldeke, the medieval property of Hendrik van Veldeke, was near Hasselt, along the Demer river, to the west of Kuringen. He is one of the first authors known by name in both Dutch and German.
Geography
Belgian Limburg is crossed east to west by the Albert CanalAlbert Canal
The Albert Canal is a canal located in northeastern Belgium, named after King Albert I of Belgium. It connects the major cities Antwerp and Liège and the Meuse and Scheldt rivers. It has a depth of , a free height of and a total length of...
, which runs a similar path to the river Demer
Demer
The Demer is an 85 km long river in eastern Belgium, right tributary of the Dijle. It flows through the Belgian provinces Limburg and Flemish Brabant. Its source is near Tongeren. It flows into the river Dijle in Werchter, Rotselaar municipality....
. This river's drainage basin covers most of the south of the province.
South of the Albert Canal and the river Demer, is the northern part of the Hesbaye
Hesbaye
Hesbaye or Haspengouw , is a region spanning the south of the Belgian province of Limburg, the east of the Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant and Walloon Brabant, and the northwestern part of the province of Liège.The Limburgish portion contains the cities of Tongeren, Sint-Truiden, Bilzen and...
region (Dutch Haspengouw), with fertile soils, farming and fruit-growing, and historically the higher population density. The hilliness increases in the southest, including the detached Voeren part of Limburg.
North of the Albert Canal and the river Demer, is part of the Campine
Campine
The Campine is a natural region situated chiefly in north-eastern Belgium and parts of the south-western Netherlands which once consisted mainly of extensive moors, tracts of sandy heath, and wetlands...
(Dutch Kempen) region, with sandy soils, heathlands, and forests. This area has historically also been a relatively low populated area, until coal-mining area started in the 19th century, attracting immigration from other areas, including immigration from the Mediterranean.
The east of the province corresponds to the western bank of the river Maas (French Meuse).
Celts, Germani and Romans
As mentioned above southern Limburg contains Tongeren which is often called the oldest city in Belgium because of its relative importance as a Roman city. It was a major town on several notable east-west Roman routes including AmiensAmiens
Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...
-Bavay
Bavay
Bavay is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It lies 15 m. ESE of Valenciennes by railway.-History:Under the name of Bagacum or Bavacum, the town was the capital of the Nervii and, under the Roman Empire, an important center of roads, the meeting-place of which was marked by a...
-Tongeren-Maastricht
Maastricht
Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
-Heerlen
Heerlen
Heerlen is a city and a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. The municipality is the second largest in the province of Limburg. It forms part of Parkstad Limburg, , an agglomeration of about 220,000 inhabitants.After its early Roman beginnings and a rather modest medieval period, Heerlen...
-Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, which was a very important route, and Boulogne-Kortrijk
Kortrijk
Kortrijk ; , ; ) is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province West Flanders...
-Tienen-Tongeren, which ran just to the south of the modern main road running Tienen-St Truiden-Borgloon
Borgloon
Borgloon is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2006 Borgloon had a total population of 10,152. The total area is 51.12 km² which gives a population density of 199 inhabitants per km². Borgloon gave its name to the former county of Loon.-External...
-Tongeren, through the villages of Overhespen, Helshoven, and Bommershoven. The city, which is in the southeast of Belgian Limburg, was capital of a Roman administrative region, named after a tribal grouping, the "civitas Tungrorum" (city of the Tungri). The region it controlled is thought to have included all or most of Belgian Limburg, and possibly also the southern extremity of Dutch Limburg (south of the river Geul
Geul
The Geul is a river in Belgium and the Netherlands. It is a right tributary to the river Meuse. The source of the Geul is near the German-Belgian border south of Aachen at approx. altitude. After approx. it flows into the Netherlands, and after a further it flows into the river Meuse, north of...
). Under the Romans, the Tungri civitas was first a part of Gallia Belgica
Gallia Belgica
Gallia Belgica was a Roman province located in what is now the southern part of the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, northeastern France, and western Germany. The indigenous population of Gallia Belgica, the Belgae, consisted of a mixture of Celtic and Germanic tribes...
, and later split out with the more militarized border regions between it and the Rhine, to become Germania Inferior
Germania Inferior
Germania Inferior was a Roman province located on the left bank of the Rhine, in today's Luxembourg, southern Netherlands, parts of Belgium, and North Rhine-Westphalia left of the Rhine....
, and still later it became part of Germania Secunda
Germania Secunda
In the early fourth-century Notitia Dignitatum, Germania Secunda , situated along the Lower Rhine and administered by a Consularis, was the name under the Dominate of Germania Inferior, a military border territory which had been established under the Flavian reorganization of the Roman Empire, out...
.
Before the Romans, Tongeren (Aduatuca Tungrorum) is also generally considered to be the same as the Aduatuca, which had been a fort of the Eburones
Eburones
The Eburones , were a Belgic people who lived in the northeast of Gaul, near the river Meuse and the modern provinces of Belgian and Dutch Limburg, in the period immediately before it was conquered by Rome. They played a major role in Julius Caesar's account of his "Gallic Wars", as the most...
who fought Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
under their leader Ambiorix
Ambiorix
Ambiorix was, together with Catuvolcus, prince of the Eburones, leader of a Belgic tribe of north-eastern Gaul , where modern Belgium is located...
. This place is also associated with the neighbours of the Eburones, the Aduatuci
Aduatuci
The Aduatuci or Atuatuci were, according to Caesar, a Germanic tribe formed in east Belgium descended from the Cimbri and Teutones, who are tribes thought to have originated in the area of Denmark. They were allowed to settle in the region by local tribes...
, who also fought Caesar. The Eburones and Aduatuci were nations in the Belgic area of the Gaulish sphere of cultures described by Caesar in his De Bello Gallico. These Belgic tribes were strongly influenced not only by the native tribes to their south and west, such as the Treveri
Treveri
The Treveri or Treviri were a tribe of Gauls who inhabited the lower valley of the Moselle from around 150 BCE, at the latest, until their eventual absorption into the Franks...
and Nervi
Nervi
Nervi is a former fishing village 12 miles Northwest of Portofino, now a seaside resort in Liguria, in northwest Italy. Once an independent comune, it is now a quartiere of Genoa. Nervi is 7 km east of central Genoa.-Geography:...
, but also by Germanic peoples to their north and east. The Belgae, or at least some of them, possibly spoke a Germanic language (as Flemish is today), or at least had come to speak one by the time the Romans encountered them. Caesar described both the Eburones as one of the tribes known as the Germani cisrhenani
Germani cisrhenani
Germani Cisrhenani is a Latin term which refers to that part of the tribal people known as Germani who lived to the west of the Rhine river. Cisrhenane, the English form of the word, means "this side of the Rhine"...
, and the Aduatuci as the descendants of the Cimbri
Cimbri
The Cimbri were a tribe from Northern Europe, who, together with the Teutones and the Ambrones threatened the Roman Republic in the late 2nd century BC. The Cimbri were probably Germanic, though some believe them to be of Celtic origin...
and Teutones who came from Denmark. The Tungri
Tungri
The Tungri were a tribe, or group of tribes, who lived in the Belgic part Gaul, during the times of the Roman empire. They were described by Tacitus as being the same people who were first called "Germani" , meaning that all other tribes who were later referred to this way, including those in...
, the name of the people in the area in Roman imperial times, are generally accepted as being speakers of a Germanic language, descended from people who had come from the direction of the Rhine, possibly including the Eburones. Tacitus
Tacitus
Publius Cornelius Tacitus was a senator and a historian of the Roman Empire. The surviving portions of his two major works—the Annals and the Histories—examine the reigns of the Roman Emperors Tiberius, Claudius, Nero and those who reigned in the Year of the Four Emperors...
equates them to the earliest tribes of "Germani" to have settled in Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
, implying that they were substantially still descended from the Germani cisrhenani, and also states that this name had been spread to cover a grouping of different tribes, for example those in Germany. The Tungri participated in the Revolt of the Batavi against the Romans.
Franks
In late Roman and early medieval times, the northern or "Kempen" part of Belgian Limburg became a more separate area, referred to as ToxandriaToxandria
Toxandria is the classical name for a region between the Meuse and the Scheldt rivers in the Netherlands and Belgium. The name is also spelled Taxandria...
(an older name, referring to a tribe of the civitas Tungrorum which have some have suggested could be a Latin translation of the name Eburones, both apparently referring to Yew). It became virtually empty because of Germanic plundering, and was then settled and ruled by incoming Salian Franks
Salian Franks
The Salian Franks or Salii were a subgroup of the early Franks who originally had been living north of the limes in the area above the Rhine. The Merovingian kings responsible for the conquest of Gaul were Salians. From the 3rd century on, the Salian Franks appear in the historical records as...
from Germany. These were amongst the first of a wave of Germanic tribes to become strongly established within the late Roman empire, and the ancestors of the Merovingians. The southern or "Haspengouw" part of Belgian Limburg remained more heavily Romanised, but eventually became a core land of the Franks. The two east-west Roman routes through Tongeren, mentioned above, became a front line of defense for a while, and are sometimes referred to as the Limes
Limes
A limes was a border defense or delimiting system of Ancient Rome. It marked the boundaries of the Roman Empire.The Latin noun limes had a number of different meanings: a path or balk delimiting fields, a boundary line or marker, any road or path, any channel, such as a stream channel, or any...
Belgicus. Gregory of Tours
Gregory of Tours
Saint Gregory of Tours was a Gallo-Roman historian and Bishop of Tours, which made him a leading prelate of Gaul. He was born Georgius Florentius, later adding the name Gregorius in honour of his maternal great-grandfather...
reports that it was from the area of Toxandria bordering Tongeren that Chlodio, in the 5th century, launched the Franks into military campaigns of conquest in northern Gaul, soon to become France or "Francia", the country of the Franks. By the 9th century, the Frankish Carolingian empire
Carolingian Empire
Carolingian Empire is a historiographical term which has been used to refer to the realm of the Franks under the Carolingian dynasty in the Early Middle Ages. This dynasty is seen as the founders of France and Germany, and its beginning date is based on the crowning of Charlemagne, or Charles the...
eventually included not only the region of Belgium and northern France, but also eventually much of Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
.
Under the Franks, the region begins to be referred to with new placenames, which last into the Middle Ages and in some cases into modern times. A gouw or gau was a Frankish administrative region, translated into Latin as pagus, and roughly corresponding to English "county" or "shire". The northern Kempen was still referred to as Toxandria. The eastern part of Belgian Limburg, bordering the river Maas or Meuse, was sometimes referred to as the "Maasgau" (Maasau). The southern part, received its modern name of Haspengouw, found in forms such as Haspinga, pagus Hasbaniensis or Hasbania, in old documents such as the Treaty of Meersen. The ruler of a gouw, if it had a single ruler, was typically a count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
or graf. There were counts of Hesbaye in Carolingian
Carolingian
The Carolingian dynasty was a Frankish noble family with origins in the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD. The name "Carolingian", Medieval Latin karolingi, an altered form of an unattested Old High German *karling, kerling The Carolingian dynasty (known variously as the...
times, but their exact territories are not known with certainty. Early Christianity
Early Christianity
Early Christianity is generally considered as Christianity before 325. The New Testament's Book of Acts and Epistle to the Galatians records that the first Christian community was centered in Jerusalem and its leaders included James, Peter and John....
was also in first this romanised southeastern corner of Limburg, around Tongeren. Together with nearby Maastricht and Liège, this was the area of activity of St Servatius and later St Lambert. St Lambert lived at the time of Willibrord
Willibrord
__notoc__Willibrord was a Northumbrian missionary saint, known as the "Apostle to the Frisians" in the modern Netherlands...
, around 700AD and like him he is said to have preached the gospel as a missionary to the pagans who were still dominant to the north of this region. Out of these three romanised and early Christian cities, Liège became the eventual seat of the bishop in the Middle Ages. Another early saint in the south of Limburg was St Trudo
Trudo
Saint Trudo was a saint of the seventh century. He is called the "Apostle of Hesbaye" . His feast day is celebrated on November 23....
.
After the death of Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
, Limburg was part of the Lotharingian
Lotharingia
Lotharingia was a region in northwest Europe, comprising the Low Countries, the western Rhineland, the lands today on the border between France and Germany, and what is now western Switzerland. It was born of the tripartite division in 855, of the kingdom of Middle Francia, itself formed of the...
division of frankish Europe which lay between France and Germany and stretched to Italy. After the death of its first ruler, Lothar
Lothair I
Lothair I or Lothar I was the Emperor of the Romans , co-ruling with his father until 840, and the King of Bavaria , Italy and Middle Francia...
, it was only slowly integrated into Eastern Francia
Eastern Francia
East Francia , also known as the Kingdom of the East Franks or Francia Orientalis, was the realm allotted to Louis the German by the 843 Treaty of Verdun...
, which was to become the Holy Roman empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
. In the period around 881 and 882 the areas along the Maas and in the Haspengouw were plundered by Normans
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
, who established a base at Asselt on the Maas, today in Roermond
Roermond
Roermond is a city, a municipality, and a diocese in the southeastern part of the Netherlands.The city of Roermond is a historically important town, on the lower Roer at the east bank of the Meuse river. It received city rights in 1231...
in Dutch Limburg. The emperor Charles the Fat
Charles the Fat
Charles the Fat was the King of Alemannia from 876, King of Italy from 879, western Emperor from 881, King of East Francia from 882, and King of West Francia from 884. In 887, he was deposed in East Francia, Lotharingia, and possibly Italy, where the records are not clear...
tried to negotiate with them. In 1891, the Normans were back fought several times with forces of Arnulf of Carinthia
Arnulf of Carinthia
Arnulf of Carinthia was the Carolingian King of East Francia from 887, the disputed King of Italy from 894 and the disputed Holy Roman Emperor from February 22, 896 until his death.-Birth and Illegitimacy:...
, who had taken control of most of the eastern Frankish empire at that time.
Middle Ages
Belgian Limburg corresponds closely to the medieval territory of the County of LoonCounty of Loon
The County of Loon was a state of the Holy Roman Empire, lying west of the Meuse river in present-day Flemish-speaking Belgium, and east of the old Duchy of Brabant. The most important cities of the county were Beringen, Bilzen, Borgloon, Bree, Hamont, Hasselt, Herk-de-Stad, Maaseik, Peer and...
(French Looz), which originally centred on the fortified town of Borgloon
Borgloon
Borgloon is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2006 Borgloon had a total population of 10,152. The total area is 51.12 km² which gives a population density of 199 inhabitants per km². Borgloon gave its name to the former county of Loon.-External...
, which had somehow become the centre of power in the Haspengouw during the early Middle Ages, taking over from earlier counties such as the Hocht, near the Maas (Hocht itself is in Lanaken
Lanaken
Lanaken is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2007 Lanaken had a total population of 24,724. The total area is 59.00 km² which gives a population density of 415 inhabitants per km²....
today), and Avernas, near St Truiden (Avernas itself being in Hannut
Hannut
Hannut is a municipality of Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Province of Liege. On January 1, 2006 Hannut had a total population of 14,291...
today). From this starting point it came to possess a larger part of Haspengouw, and also the large part of the Kempen which the province contains today. As part of Loon, Belgian Limburg eventually became subject, not only spiritually but also politically, to the Prince Bishops of Liège.
Modern history
Loon, and the rest of the prince-bishopric of Liège, were not joined politically with the rest of what would become Belgium until the French revolutionFrench Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
. Nevertheless, in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries the population of Loon was constantly and badly affected by the wars involving neighbouring Brabant
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
and Dutch Limburg
Duchy of Limburg
The Duchy of Limburg, situated in the Low Countries between the river Meuse and the city of Aachen, was a state of the Holy Roman Empire. Its territory is now divided between the Belgian provinces of Liège and Limburg , the Dutch province of Limburg , and a small part of North Rhine-Westphalia in...
, including the Eighty Years' War, the War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
, the War of the Austrian Succession
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
, and even the Brabant Revolution
Brabant Revolution
The Brabant Revolution took place between January 1789 and December 1790, when a popular revolt broke in the Austrian Netherlands against the unpopular reforms of the Emperor Joseph II...
against the unpopular reforms of the Emperor Joseph II. During this period the region's episcopal government was often unable to maintain law and order, and the economy of the area was often desperately bad, affected by plundering by soldiers and gangs of thieves such as the "Bokkenrijders". Nevertheless the population contained strongly conservative catholic elements, and not only supported the Brabant revolution, but also rebelled unsuccessfully against the revolutionary French regime in the Peasants' War of 1798
Peasants' War (1798)
The Peasants' War was a peasant revolt in 1798 against the French occupation of the Southern Netherlands, including modern Belgium, Luxembourg, and parts of Germany, during the French Revolutionary Wars.-Luxembourg:...
.
Almost none of the modern Belgian province Limburg was ever part of the nearby Duchy of Limburg
Duchy of Limburg
The Duchy of Limburg, situated in the Low Countries between the river Meuse and the city of Aachen, was a state of the Holy Roman Empire. Its territory is now divided between the Belgian provinces of Liège and Limburg , the Dutch province of Limburg , and a small part of North Rhine-Westphalia in...
, and only a small part of the area of the current Dutch Limburg was. However, Limburg's modern name derives from this Duchy, which originally centred upon the fortified castle town known as Limbourg
Limbourg
Limbourg is a medieval town located in the province of Liège, Wallonia, Belgium.On 1 January 2008 Limbourg had a total population of 5,680. The total area is 24.63 km² which gives a population density of 231 inhabitants per km²...
, situated on the river Vesdre
Vesdre
thumb|right|250px|The course of the VesdreThe Weser or Vesdre is a river in eastern Belgium, in the province of Liège, and is a right tributary to the river Ourthe. Its source lies in the High Fens , close to the border with Germany near Monschau...
in the Ardennes
Ardennes
The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests, rolling hills and ridges formed within the Givetian Ardennes mountain range, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France , and geologically into the Eifel...
, now in the Wallonian province
Provinces of Belgium
Belgium is divided into three regions, two of them are subdivided into five provinces each.The division into provinces is fixed by Article 5 of the Belgian Constitution...
of Liège
Liège (province)
Liège is the easternmost province of Belgium and belongs to the Walloon Region. It is an area of French and German ethnicity. It borders on the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, and in Belgium the provinces of Luxembourg, Namur, Walloon Brabant , and those of Flemish Brabant and Limburg . Its...
. The modern Limburg region, containing the Belgian and Dutch provinces of that name, were first united within one province while under the power of revolutionary France
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, and later the Napoleonic empire, but then under the name of the French department of the Lower Meuse (Maas)
Meuse-Inférieure
Meuse-Inférieure is the name of a département of the First French Empire in present Belgium, Netherlands and Germany. It is named after the river Meuse. Its capital was Maastricht....
. Limbourg the town was not in this region, but a small part of its old Duchy was. Following the Napoleonic Era
Napoleonic Era
The Napoleonic Era is a period in the history of France and Europe. It is generally classified as including the fourth and final stage of the French Revolution, the first being the National Assembly, the second being the Legislative Assembly, and the third being the Directory...
, the great powers (the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
, the Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
, the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) granted the region to the new United Kingdom of the Netherlands
United Kingdom of the Netherlands
United Kingdom of the Netherlands is the unofficial name used to refer to Kingdom of the Netherlands during the period after it was first created from part of the First French Empire and before the new kingdom of Belgium split out in 1830...
in 1815. A new province was formed and was to receive the name "Maastricht
Maastricht
Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
", after its capital. The first king, William I
William I of the Netherlands
William I Frederick, born Willem Frederik Prins van Oranje-Nassau , was a Prince of Orange and the first King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg....
, who did not want the name Limbourg to be lost, given its high status of being an ancient Duchy
Duchy
A duchy is a territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess.Some duchies were sovereign in areas that would become unified realms only during the Modern era . In contrast, others were subordinate districts of those kingdoms that unified either partially or completely during the Medieval era...
, insisted that the name be changed to the "Province of Limburg". It is only in border areas like Voeren that modern Limburg has any areas which were historically politically connected to the old Duchy, in that case through being within the county of Dalhem.
When both the Dutch and the French speaking Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
regions in the south of the new kingdom split away from the mainly Calvinist
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
, Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
north in the Belgian Revolution
Belgian Revolution
The Belgian Revolution was the conflict which led to the secession of the Southern provinces from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and established an independent Kingdom of Belgium....
of 1830, the province of Limburg was at first almost entirely under Belgian rule, and its status became unclear. Dutch armies entered the area during some of this period, and there was armed conflict at Hasselt for example. Finally, in 1839 Limburg was split into so-called Dutch Limburg
Limburg (Netherlands)
Limburg is the southernmost of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by the province of Gelderland to the north, Germany to the east, Belgium to the south and part of the west, andthe Dutch province of North Brabant partly to...
and Belgian Limburg. Only Dutch Limburg has even a small part of the original Duchy of Limburg.
Twentieth century
Belgian Limburg became officially FlemishFlemish Region
The Flemish Region is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium—alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region. Colloquially, it is usually simply referred to as Flanders, of which it is the institutional iteration within the context of the Belgian political system...
when all provinces in Belgium came under control of linguistically defined institutional regions in 1962. In the case of Voeren, surrounded by French speaking parts of Belgium, and having a significant population of French speakers, this was not without controversy.
Only in 1967, the Catholic Church created a bishopric of Hasselt
Roman Catholic Diocese of Hasselt
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Hasselt, is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic church in Belgium. Comprising the whole of Belgian Limburg, the diocese was created in 1967, split from the Diocese of Liège. It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels...
, separate form the bishopric of Liège.
Economy
Coal mining became an important industry in the 19th century, but has now ended in Belgian Limburg. Nevertheless this laid the basis for a more complex modern economy and community. In the 20th century, Limburg became a centre for secondary industry, attracting Ford, who still have a major production centre in Genk, and the electronics company Philips, who had a major operation in KiewitKiewit
Kiewit is a parish and township within the northernmost section of the Dutch speaking Belgian municipality of Hasselt. It borders on the municipality of Zonhoven to the north and Genk to the east, with Kuringen, a part of Hasselt, to the west....
.
Many areas such as Genk continue to have a lot of heavy and chemical industry, but emphasis has moved towards encouraging innovation. The old Philips plant is now the cite of a Research Campus, and the Hasselt University
Hasselt University
Hasselt University is a university with campuses in Hasselt and Diepenbeek, Belgium. It was founded in 1971, as the Limburgs Universitair Centrum...
in Diepenbeek has a science park attached to it.
In many parts of Limburg, the population density levels remain relatively low for Belgium and tourism is being actively promoted, with publicized attractions including Limburg's claim to be "Bicycle Paradise" (Fietsparadijs), and walking in nature reserves such as the "High Kempen National Park". In the south, the Haspengouw (Hesbaye
Hesbaye
Hesbaye or Haspengouw , is a region spanning the south of the Belgian province of Limburg, the east of the Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant and Walloon Brabant, and the northwestern part of the province of Liège.The Limburgish portion contains the cities of Tongeren, Sint-Truiden, Bilzen and...
) is predominantly situated in Limburg, and is now Belgium's major area for fruit growing.
Meuse-Rhine Euroregion
The Meuse-Rhine Euregion is a Euroregion created in 1976, with judicial status achieved in 1991. It comprises 11.000 km² and has around 3.9 million inhabitants around the city-corridor of Aachen-Maastricht-Hasselt-Liège...
, which represents a partnership between the province, and neighbouring provinces in Germany, the Netherlands and Wallonia.
Adminstriative cantons showing municipalities (Gemeenten)
Arrondissement Hasselt: 2. As As (municipality) As is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2006 As had a total population of 7,497. The total area is 22.07 km² which gives a population density of 340 inhabitants per km².-History:... 3. Beringen 8. Diepenbeek Diepenbeek Diepenbeek is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. On January 1, 2006 Diepenbeek had a total population of 17,706. The total area is 41.19 km² which gives a population density of 430 inhabitants per km².... 10. Genk Genk Genk is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. The municipality only comprises the city of Genk itself... 11. Gingelom Gingelom Gingelom is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2006 Gingelom had a total population of 7,847. The total area is 56.49 km² which gives a population density of 139 inhabitants per km².... 12. Halen Halen Halen is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg, to the east of Hasselt. On January 1, 2006 Halen had a total population of 8,624. The total area is 36.29 km² which gives a population density of 238 inhabitants per km².... 13. Ham Ham (municipality) Ham is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2006 Ham had a total population of 9,705. The total area is which gives a population density of 297 inhabitants per km².- Historical population :... 15. Hasselt Hasselt Hasselt is a Belgian city and municipality, and capital of the Flemish province of Limburg... 18. Herk-de-Stad Herk-de-Stad Herk-de-Stad is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2006, Herk-de-Stad had a total population of 11,795. The total area is 42.83 km² which gives a population density of 275 inhabitants per km².... 20. Heusden-Zolder Heusden-Zolder Heusden-Zolder is a municipality located in the Belgian province of province of Limburg near Hasselt. On 1 January 2006 Heusden-Zolder had a total population of 30,769... 26. Leopoldsburg Leopoldsburg Leopoldsburg is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2006 Leopoldsburg had a total population of 14,403. The total area is 22.49 km² which gives a population density of 640 inhabitants per km².-External links:*... 28. Lummen Lummen Lummen is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. On January 1, 2006 Lummen had a total population of 13,691. The total area is 53.38 km² which gives a population density of 256 inhabitants per km².... 33. Nieuwerkerken Nieuwerkerken Nieuwerkerken is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. On January 1, 2006 Nieuwerkerken had a total population of 6,606. The total area is 22.46 km² which gives a population density of 294 inhabitants per km². It consists of 4 villages: Binderveld, Wijer, Kozen and... 34. Opglabbeek Opglabbeek Opglabbeek is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2006 Opglabbeek had a total population of 9,607. The total area is 24.98 km² which gives a population density of 385 inhabitants per km².-External links:*... 38. Sint-Truiden Sint-Truiden Sint-Truiden is a city and municipality located in the province of Limburg, Flemish Region, Belgium, near the towns of Hasselt and Tongeren. The municipality includes the old communes of Aalst, Brustem, Duras, Engelmanshoven, Gelinden, Gorsem, Groot-Gelmen, Halmaal, Kerkom-bij-Sint-Truiden,... 39. Tessenderlo Tessenderlo Tessenderlo is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. It is where the three Belgian provinces of Limburg, Flemish Brabant and Antwerp meet at the front gate of the Averbode Abbey. The municipality Tessenderlo encompasses the villages of Tessenderlo proper, Schoot, Engsbergen,... 43. Zonhoven Zonhoven Zonhoven is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. On January 1, 2007 Zonhoven had a total population of 20,060... 44. Zutendaal Zutendaal Zutendaal is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On 1 January 2008 Zutendaal had a total population of 6,985. The total area is 32.07 km², giving a population density of 218 inhabitants per km².-External links:... | Arrondissement Maaseik: 5. Bocholt Bocholt, Belgium Bocholt is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2006 Bocholt had a total population of 12,355. The total area is 59.34 km² which gives a population density of 208 inhabitants per km². The Priory of Our Lady of Klaarland of the Trappistins is located in... 7. Bree Bree, Belgium Bree is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2006 Bree had a total population of 14,503. The total area is 64.96 km² which gives it a population density of 223 inhabitants per square km... 9. Dilsen-Stokkem Dilsen-Stokkem Dilsen-Stokkem is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2006 Dilsen-Stokkem had a total population of 19,106. The total area is 65.61 km² which gives a population density of 291 inhabitants per km².... 14. Hamont-Achel Hamont-Achel Hamont-Achel is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2006 Hamont-Achel had a total population of 13,770. The total area is 43.66 km² which gives a population density of 315 inhabitants per km²... 16. Hechtel-Eksel Hechtel-Eksel Hechtel-Eksel is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2006 Hechtel-Eksel had a total population of 11,473. The total area is 76.70 km² which gives a population density of 150 inhabitants per km².-Events:... 22. Houthalen-Helchteren Houthalen-Helchteren Houthalen-Helchteren is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. Houthalen-Helchteren consists of: Houthalen-centrum, Houthalen-Oost, Laak, Meulenberg and Lillo. On January 1, 2006 Houthalen-Helchteren had a total population of 29,945... 23. Kinrooi Kinrooi Kinrooi is a village located in the Belgian province of Limburg, between Kessenich and Bree.-Municipality:Kinrooi is a municipality since September 18, 1971, when the four municipalities Kinrooi, Kessenich, Geistingen-Ophoven and Molenbeersel were fused. There have been three mayors. The current... 27. Lommel Lommel Lommel is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2006 Lommel had a total population of 31,898. The total area is 102.37 km² which gives a population density of 312 inhabitants per km².-Lutlommel:... 29. Maaseik Maaseik Maaseik is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. The city is located on the river Meuse , bordering the Netherlands. The Maaseik municipality includes the town of Maaseik and the villages of Neeroeteren and Opoeteren... 31. Meeuwen-Gruitrode Meeuwen-Gruitrode Meeuwen-Gruitrode is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2006 Meeuwen-Gruitrode had a total population of 12,583. The total area is 91.26 km² which gives a population density of 138 inhabitants per km².... 32. Neerpelt Neerpelt Neerpelt is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2006 Neerpelt had a total population of 16,117. The total area is 42.78 km² which gives a population density of 377 inhabitants per km².-Famous inhabitants:... 35. Overpelt Overpelt Overpelt is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2006 Overpelt had a total population of 13,435. The total area is 40.85 km² which gives a population density of 329 inhabitants per km².The current mayor is Jaak Fransen.... 36. Peer Peer, Belgium Peer is a municipality located in the province of Limburg, Flemish Region, Belgium. On January 1, 2006 Peer had a total population of 15,810. The total area is 86.95 km² which gives a population density of 182 inhabitants per km².... | Arrondissement Tongeren: 1. Alken 4. Bilzen Bilzen Bilzen is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. On January 1, 2006, Bilzen had a total population of 30,057... 6. Borgloon Borgloon Borgloon is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2006 Borgloon had a total population of 10,152. The total area is 51.12 km² which gives a population density of 199 inhabitants per km². Borgloon gave its name to the former county of Loon.-External... 17. Heers Heers Heers is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. Since 1971 it comprises the parishes Batsheers, Opheers, Veulen, Gutschoven and Mettekoven, and since 1977 also Mechelen-Bovelingen, Rukkelingen-Loon , Heks, Horpmaal, Vechmaal , and Klein-Gelmen Heers is a municipality located in... 19. Herstappe Herstappe Herstappe is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2008 Herstappe had a total population of 84. The total area is 1.35 km² which gives a population density of 61 inhabitants per km². It is the least populous municipality in Belgium. Only Saint-Josse-ten-Noode... 21. Hoeselt Hoeselt Hoeselt is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2006, Hoeselt had a total population of 9,265. The total area is 30.02 km² which gives a population density of 309 inhabitants per km².... 24. Kortessem Kortessem Kortessem is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. On January 1, 2006 Kortessem had a total population of 8,074. The total area is 33.90 km² which gives a population density of 238 inhabitants per km².-External links:**... 25. Lanaken Lanaken Lanaken is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2007 Lanaken had a total population of 24,724. The total area is 59.00 km² which gives a population density of 415 inhabitants per km².... 30. Maasmechelen Maasmechelen Maasmechelen is a municipality located on the Meuse river in the Belgian province of Limburg. The Maasmechelen municipality comprises the former communes of Mechelen-aan-de-Maas, Vucht, Leut, Meeswijk, Uikhoven, Eisden, Opgrimbie, Boorsem, and Kotem... 37. Riemst Riemst Riemst is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2006 Riemst had a total population of 15,963. The total area is 57.88 km² which gives a population density of 276 inhabitants per km².... 40. Tongeren 41. Voeren 42. Wellen Wellen Wellen is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On 1 January 2008 Wellen had a total population of 7,102. The total area is 26.72 km², giving a population density of 266 inhabitants per km².... |  |
| Arrondissement Hasselt | Arrondissement Maaseik Maaseik Maaseik is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. The city is located on the river Meuse , bordering the Netherlands. The Maaseik municipality includes the town of Maaseik and the villages of Neeroeteren and Opoeteren... | Arrondissement Tongeren |
Judicial cantons
Not to be confused with, though related to, the DutchNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
province of Limburg
Limburg (Netherlands)
Limburg is the southernmost of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by the province of Gelderland to the north, Germany to the east, Belgium to the south and part of the west, andthe Dutch province of North Brabant partly to...
.
Formula one circuit
An internationally well-known place in Limburg is the racing circuit Terlaemen in ZolderHeusden-Zolder
Heusden-Zolder is a municipality located in the Belgian province of province of Limburg near Hasselt. On 1 January 2006 Heusden-Zolder had a total population of 30,769...
, upon which two world championships in road-cycling have been held, as well as several Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
car races, and other international events.
Famous Limburgers
- AmbiorixAmbiorixAmbiorix was, together with Catuvolcus, prince of the Eburones, leader of a Belgic tribe of north-eastern Gaul , where modern Belgium is located...
(1st century B.C.) - Leader of the GaulishGaulsThe Gauls were a Celtic people living in Gaul, the region roughly corresponding to what is now France, Belgium, Switzerland and Northern Italy, from the Iron Age through the Roman period. They mostly spoke the Continental Celtic language called Gaulish....
EburonesEburonesThe Eburones , were a Belgic people who lived in the northeast of Gaul, near the river Meuse and the modern provinces of Belgian and Dutch Limburg, in the period immediately before it was conquered by Rome. They played a major role in Julius Caesar's account of his "Gallic Wars", as the most...
against Julius CaesarJulius CaesarGaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
. - Robert CailliauRobert CailliauRobert Cailliau , born 26 January 1947, is a Belgian informatics engineer and computer scientist who, together with Sir Tim Berners-Lee, developed the World Wide Web.-Biography:...
, (1947) - Co-inventor of the World Wide Web, together with Tim Berners-Lee. - Willy ClaesWilly ClaesWillem Werner Hubert "Willy" Claes was the eighth Secretary General of NATO and a Belgian politician. He was a member of the Flemish Socialist Party....
(1938) - Politician; former Secretary General of NATO. - Neel DoffNeel DoffCornelia Hubertina Doff was an author of Dutch origin living and working in Belgium and mainly writing in French...
(1858-1942) - Writer. - Jan van EyckJan van EyckJan van Eyck was a Flemish painter active in Bruges and considered one of the best Northern European painters of the 15th century....
(ca.1390-1441) - Flemish painter. - Adrien de GerlacheAdrien de GerlacheBaron Adrien Victor Joseph de Gerlache de Gomery was an officer in the Belgian Royal Navy who led the Belgian Antarctic Expedition of 1897 to 1899.-His early years:...
(1866-1934) - Former Antarctica explorer. - St Lambert - Early Christian saint.
- St Servatius - Early Christian saint.
- Barthélémy de Theux de Meylandt (1794-1874) - Politician; former Prime Minister.
- Hendrik van Veldeke - First writer from the Low Countries known by name (c. 1140-c. 1190).
Sports & Entertainment
- Ingrid BerghmansIngrid BerghmansIngrid Berghmans is a judoka from Belgium who has eight times been named Belgian Sportswoman of the Year. A former world title holder, she is also an Olympic competitor....
(1961) - Former judoJudois a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
world champion - Kim ClijstersKim ClijstersKim Antonie Lode Clijsters is a Belgian professional tennis player. As of 7 November 2011, Clijsters is ranked No. 13 in singles. Clijsters is a former World No. 1 in both singles and doubles....
(1983) - Tennis player - Harry EvertsHarry EvertsHarry Everts is a former motocross racer from Belgium. Everts won the 1975 F.I.M. 250cc world championship as a member of the Puch factory racing team. After a period with Bultaco he signed with the Suzuki factory team and won three consecutive 125cc motocross world championships between 1979 and...
- Former motocross world champion - Stefan EvertsStefan EvertsStefan Everts is a motocross racer from Belgium, who retired in 2006 after securing his record 10th World Title. He also holds several other motocross records....
(1972) - Former motocross world champion - Eric GeboersEric GeboersEric Geboers is a former motocross racer and racing driver from Belgium. Nicknamed The Kid, he was the first person to win world championships in the 125cc, 250cc and 500cc divisions. He retired from the international competition after his victory in Namen, on August 5, 1990...
(1962) - Former motocross world champion - Eric Gerets (1954) - Former soccer player
- Karel LismontKarel LismontKarel Lismont is a former Belgian athlete, who competed mostly in the marathon. He won two Olympic medals: a silver medal at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich and a bronze at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal in the same event. At the European Championships in Helsinki in 1971, he won a gold...
(1949) - Former athlete - Jacky MartensJacky MartensJacky Martens is a former professional motocross rider and F.I.M. 500cc Motocross World Champion.-Racing career:...
(1963) - Former motocross world champion - Axelle RedAxelle RedAxelle Red is a Belgian singer-songwriter.-Biography:She was born at Hasselt, Flanders, Belgium, the daughter of Roland Demal, a solicitor in Hasselt and Councillor for the Flemish Liberals and Democrats in the City Council.Nowadays a committed artist and a militant humanist, back in 1993 Axelle...
(1968) - Singer-songwriter - Steven Van BroeckhovenSteven Van BroeckhovenSteven Van Broeckhoven is a Belgian windsurfer, specialized in freestyle. In 2010 he was ranked #4 on the PWA overall ranking Freestyle Men.- Training :...
(1985) - Professional Freestyle Windsurfer - Ingrid VandeboschIngrid VandeboschIngrid Vandebosch is a model and actress who won the Elite Look of the Year Award in 1990. She is the wife of NASCAR racecar driver Jeff Gordon.-Modeling career:...
(1970) - Model and actress, married to NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon - Eric VanderaerdenEric VanderaerdenEric Vanderaerden is a retired road cyclist from the town of Lummen, Belgium.He was a considerable talent, winning the prologue time trial of the Vuelta and the Tour de France in his professional debut year 1983. As for classics, he won the Ronde van Vlaanderen in 1985 and Paris–Roubaix in 1987...
(1962) - Former cyclist
Governors since 1815
The following list contains all governors of the province of Limburg since 1815.- Herman Reynders, governor of Limburg from 5 October 2009 until present (°1958)
- Steve StevaertSteve StevaertSteve Stevaert is a Belgian politician of the Flemish Socialist Party: the SP.A....
, governor of Limburg from 1 June 2005 until 15 June 2009 (° 1954) - Hilde Houben-BertrandHilde Houben-BertrandHilde Houben-Bertrand is a Belgian politician of the Christian Democratic and Flemish Party . She is best known for being a former governor of the Belgian province Limburg.- References :...
, governor of Limburg from 1995 until 2005 (° 1940) - Harry Vandermeulen, gouvernor of the king from 1978 until 1995 (°1928)
- Louis Roppe, gouvernor of the king from 1950 until 1978 (°1914 - +1982)
- Hubert Verwilghen, governor of Limburg 1928-1940 and again 1944-1950 (°1883 - +1955)
- Jozef Lysens, governor of Limburg from 1941 until 1944 (°1896 - +1950)
- Gérard Romsée, governor of Limburg from 1940 until 1941 (°1901 - +1976)
- Hubert Verwilghen, governor of Limburg 1928-1940 and again 1944-1950 (°1883 - +1955)
- Graaf Theodore de Renesse, governor of Limburg from 1917 until 1927 (°1845 - +1927)
- Henri Theodore Jules de Pitteurs-Hiégaerts, governor of Limburg from 1894 until 1914 (°1834 - +1917)
- Adolphe Goupy de Beauvolers, governor of Limburg from 1879 until 1894 (°1825 - +1894)
- Joseph Bovy, governor of Limburg from 1872 until 1879 (°1810 - +1879)
- Pierre Jacques François de Decker, gouvernor of Limburg in 1871 (°1812 - +1891)
- Theodoor de T'Serclaes de Wommersom, governor of Limburg from 1857 until 1871 (°1809 - +1880)
- Pierre Leonard Louis Marie baron de Schiervel, governor of Limburg from 1843 until 1857 (°1783 - +1866)
- Werner de Lamberts, governor of Limburg from 1834 until 1843 (°1775-1849)
- Jean-François Hennequin, governor of Limburg from 1831 until 1834 (°1772 - +1846)
- Frans de Loë, governor of Limburg from 1830 until 1831 (°1789 - +1838)
- Maximilien de Beeckman, governor of Limburg from 1828 until 1830 (°1781 - +1834)
- Charles de Brouckère, governor of Limburg from 1815 until 1828 (°1757 - +1850)
See also
- Limburgish languageLimburgish languageLimburgish, also called Limburgian or Limburgic is a group of East Low Franconian language varieties spoken in the Limburg and Rhineland regions, near the common Dutch / Belgian / German border...
- List of Governors of Limburg, Belgium
- Limburg (Netherlands)Limburg (Netherlands)Limburg is the southernmost of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by the province of Gelderland to the north, Germany to the east, Belgium to the south and part of the west, andthe Dutch province of North Brabant partly to...
, a province in southeastern Netherlands. - HesbayeHesbayeHesbaye or Haspengouw , is a region spanning the south of the Belgian province of Limburg, the east of the Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant and Walloon Brabant, and the northwestern part of the province of Liège.The Limburgish portion contains the cities of Tongeren, Sint-Truiden, Bilzen and...
- CIPALCIPALCIPAL is an inter-municipal ICT service with headoffices in Geel. Its name refers to the province of Antwerp and Limburg. The organisation is a governmental ICT-agency and inter-municipal association of municipalities, cities, towns, Social Welfare Centers, Provinces and other public authorities...
- CampineCampineThe Campine is a natural region situated chiefly in north-eastern Belgium and parts of the south-western Netherlands which once consisted mainly of extensive moors, tracts of sandy heath, and wetlands...
- Limburg Science ParkLimburg Science ParkThe Limburg Science Park is a business incubator and science park located in Diepenbeek on the campus of Hasselt University. The organisation was founded in 1989 at the initiative of the University of Hasselt, the Board of the Provincial Government and the Regional Development Society Limburg...