Braine-the-Count

Braine-the-Count (in Dutch 's-Gravenbrakel , in Walloon Brinne-e-Hinnot ) is a French-speaking city of Belgium located in Walloon region in the Province of Hainaut.

It is on the main road of Mons to Brussels, to 24 km of Mons, 6 km of Soignies, Écaussinnes and Ronquières.

Today, Braine-the-Count belongs to the legal district of Mons, administrative district of Soignies and with the canton of district court of Soignies. From the catholic religious point of view, its parish depends on the deanery of Soignies and of the diocese of Turned.

Other villages included/understood in the commune

Hennuyères, Henripont, Small-Rœulx-lez-Braine, Ronquières and Steenkerque

Etymology

The name of Braine-the-Count finds his origin in the Celtic word bragona meaning “muddy river”. However, it is the term which was applied to Brainette and it is of this small river that the city draws the name from Braine.

History

The origin of its name is extremely obscure.

Here some alternatives onomastics which the documents provide us:

BRAINA - BRENNACUM BRANIA - in 1060 BRAINE Wihote - 1070 BRANIA, WILHOTA - 1150 BRENNA, WILHOTICA - 1150 BRAINE the VILLOTE - about 1200 BRAINE in 1280

This locality rested by Saint-Gery, bishop of Cambric (death towards 619), was, in XIIe century, a village called BRAINE-LA-VILLOTTE.

The Count de Hainaut, Baudouin IV, the Builder, having acquired it in 1158 of the chapter of Holy-Waudru, in Mons, called it BRAINE-LE-COMTE; it strengthened it and made build a castle-extremely completed by his son Baudouin V.

Plundered and ransacked, in 1424, by let us brabançons, the city was taken by storm, the year 1583, by confederated Belgian, raised against the Spaniards.

Braine-the-count gave rise to François Dubois (Doctor Sylvius) 1581-1649, who deserved of the pope Benoît XIV the title of " Magni Nominis Théologus" , theologist of great reputation, because of the clearness and the solidity of its teaching. He wrote a very erudite comment of the Summa Theologica of Saint-Thomas.

In 1652, the king of Spain yielded the town of Braine-the-Count to the house of Arenberg in exchange of the ground of Sevenberghen, so that the duke of Arenberg had the seignery and the jurisdiction of it as his châtellenie which included/understood eleven villages.

In 1677, the duke of Villa-Hermosa, general governor of the Netherlands, made jump the castle built by the count de Hainaut, Baudouin IV, and his ramparts, to prevent the French from withdrawing itself there.

In 1815, the general headquarter of prince d' Orange remained with Braine-the-Count during six weeks. It left this city to be in first line opposite the Ney marshal, with the attack of Gimioncourt, Four-Arm.

Braine-the-count was in possession of a charter-law.

Economy

Twinnings

External bonds

Site of the commune of Braine-the-Count.
Site of the Union of the Cities and Communes of Wallonia asbl
Wikiz of Braine-the-Count
Sculptures of Braine-the-Count

Some artists brainois

Jacques Verly, Painter and sculptor.
Jemaro, Artist plastics technician computer graphics expert.
nicNaks, Painter.
Luc Declercq, poet, writer, storyteller

Brainoise festivity

24 hours bicycle of Braine-the-Count.

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