Hurlus (Protestant rebels)

In the popular tradition of the area inhabitant of Lille and town of Mouscron, the hurlus are Protestants calvinists implied in attacks and plunderings.

Persecuted by the catholics, they would have taken refuge during a few years with Mount-with-Leux, with Mouscron, before seizing the castle of the Counts there. After push backbeing pushed back with Courtrai and Turned, they would have left Mouscron to attack Lille, from where they would have been pushed back by the archers inhabitant of Lille and the local population carried out by Jeanne Maillotte.

The " term; hurlu" would actually have been used to indicate, according to the moment, several types of active people all in the area of the Flanders and the Hainaut in the context of second half of XVIe century:

of the mercenaries;
of the partisans calvinists;
of the plunderers.

The name hurlu would derive from the word " hurleur" or of the howls of the victims or even of the Flemish hurlingen (" mercenaires").

They are celebrated every year with Mouscron at the time of the first weekend of October.

External bonds

Point of view of Claude Depauw, archivist of the town of Mouscron
Festival of the hurlus

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