Ypres - SpeedyLook encyclopedia

History of Ypres

The town of Ypres occurred around a Carolingian field and of a market distant one from the other from approximately 600 Mr. In XIe century, these two centers had practically amalgamated to form a borough equipped with administrative attributions, since a Burgrave controlled there the châtellenie of Ypres in the name of the count de Flandres.

It was the birthplace of Guillaume d' Ypres, a captain of mercenaries who fought successfully at the sides of the king Etienne of England against the empress Mathilde.

The city medieval clothier

It is in XIIe century that Ypres became flourishing. As a third town of Flandres (behind Ghent and Bruges), Ypres had to play a leading role in the history of the county. Its annual market had a European radiation, and it became for a time the second more important city of the Flemish Hanse of London; at the beginning of XIIe century, Ypres traded with Novgorod, England, the towns of Champagne, Italy and the countries of Raising. It was also with Arras one of the great artisanal centers of the drapery, whose trade was then more lucrative, and during all XIIe century the capital of cloth in Flandres. The craft industry of cloth (of wool) reached its apogee about 1250. Ypres could be easily supplied with a wool of high-quality, which was conveyed by boats on the Yser and the Ieperlee (which is not navigable today any more) from the coast where the sheep were raised, then sold on the suburbs. Ypres joined the scabini Flandriæ , a league of cities of the north which, in consequence of the French invasion inter alia, was reduced finally to four members: Ghent, Bruges, Ypres and Brugse Vrije. Ypres preserved its right to vote until 1678 at it.

The city clothier was affected by the majority of the conflicts which agitated the Middle Ages, among which the Bataille of the gold spurs, the Bataille of Mons-in-Pévèle, the peace of Melun which followed the Bataille of Bouvines, the Bataille of Cassel.

Decline of the craft industry of cloth amorça, like a little everywhere in Flanders, with the turning of XIVe century. The city remained despite everything a administrative and hospital center major. The first fortifications seem to go back to 1385: a part in is still visible close to the Door of Lille ( Rijselpoort ). Famous Halle with cloths dates from XIIIe century. It is about this time that one precipitated the cats, which then symbolized the Malin and the Sorcellerie, out of the Market to cloths, to undoubtedly mean by this act which the transactions would be virgin of any malefic action. This ritual is commemorated today by the triennial “festival of the cat”.

Competition with English and Dutch wool, the war with France, the Jacquerie S, the seat of the city and a bombardment supported by the English army in 1383, large the Plague of 1347 and the episodes of Disette overpowered Ypres, whose manufacturing output fell to 50% of what it was in 1300. The city did not manage to preserve its outlets for trade as well as other Flemish cities (Bruges, for example). Economic collapse and the epidemics caused the exodus of most of the working-class families in XVe century. The plague still devastated the city with many recoveries between XIVe and the XVIIe century.

The échevinage

The city was managed by a Baillif and alderman S. These magistrates were assisted by a Grand the Council . The aldermen, after a two years mandate, were to wait one year before being able to again present their candidature for this office. They could however preserve a political activity in the interval while sitting at the Great Council. With the Middle Ages, the échevinage was practically held by a Oligarchie of some families. Contrary to other Flemish cities, a mandate of alderman could be held anybody consequently during several years: as long as one remained faithful to the count de Flandres, the load was perennial.

The Great Council was composed of the baillif, the aldermen, and 27 advisers, including four representatives of the districts, fifteen representatives of the middle-class and five representatives of the craftsmen (tisserands and fullers primarily). The college of the aldermen was made up (in any case at the XVIIe century) essentially of aristocrats, lords and knights, which can be explained in the following way: it is known that during the Middle Ages, 75% of the aldermen were devoted to the trade and the craft industry; with the fall of Charles Bold the, all the aldermen had become ground owners, and in 1521, the three quarters of these aldermen lived ground rents and Tenure S. Thus the craftsmen became minority within the Great Council.

Finally it should be added that, contrary to the other towns of Flanders, the échevinage employed remunerated clerks. These civils servant, who were to lend oath, took over temporarily the duties of the college of the aldermen.

Reform and Counter-Reformation

At the end of XVe century, the city started to be repopulated. Tisserands having their clean Weaving loom settled there. They brought a new mentality, made curiosity and of interiorized faith (Devotio moderna). These new citizens enlarged the rows of the vague evangelic. In 1525, the alderman S of the city reflect in application the political program suggested by the philosopher Juan Luís Vives, particularly the setting with contribution of the congregations for the social treatment of the begging. This initiative, fought by Franciscains, was finally sanctioned favorably by the Sorbonne and the emperor Charles Quint. It is in Ypres, in 1566, that the first disorders of the fury iconoclast in the Netherlands occurred. This outburst of violence gained the provinces of north quickly. Ypres, like Bruges, fell to the hands from the calvinists Gantese in 1577. The protesting party preserved the capacity until 1583, when Farnèse invades the Netherlands.

Since 1559, following the Council of Thirty, Ypres had become seat of one évêché, causing the arrival of several religious congregations. It had in particular as a bishop Cornelius Jansen, known as Jansenius, the father of the Jansénisme. The city found a certain prosperity at the beginning of the XVIIe century: one sees it with the recrudescence of construction of stone buildings.

It is only at this time that one thought of taking again the fortifications of the city. Since Ypres, it was easy to control all the ports of the Flemish littoral: Nieuport, Bruges, Ostend, Furnes, and especially Dunkirk. The Spaniards cut down the old medieval walls and surrounded the town of an enclosure Bastion born, which did not prevent the French from seizing Ypres, initially in 1658, then again on March 25th 1678 by the treaties of Nimègue. The fastening of Ypres in France is a consequence of the Bataille of Peene delivered to Noordpeene one year earlier. Vauban, which had been able to judge defects of the device in place, deeply modified in its turn the works of enclosure: it acted for him of a place border of the “Pre square”. The city consequently sheltered an important garrison (5 000 men), to which all the manufacturing and commercial activities were subordinate. It set up an economy autarkical and especially very dependant on the political context and soldier. At the time of the Treated of Utrecht (1713), the city was finally attached with seven other towns of Flanders to the United Provinces. In 1782, the emperor Joseph II ordered the dismantling of the fortifications. This decision facilitated the catch of the city by the French Republicans in 1794.

First World War

Ypres is sadly famous for the first use of gas chloric in a battle of the face of the West, at the time of the Second battle of Ypres, on April 22nd, 1915. Ypres was also the site of the first military use of the Mustard gas, at the time of the Third battle of Ypres in July 1917. One gave him, for this reason, the name of Ypérite.

Geography

Town of plain, Ypres was a long time the turntable commercial between the coast Flemish apart 60 km and its commercial ports (Dunkirk, Furnes, Nieuport, Ostend and Bruges before the stranding) on the one hand, and the road of the Champagne fairs. Served by some main roads, located in the middle of a network of rivers and channels (majority unsuitable with modern navigation), this opulent city controlled the access to the North Sea, and it was still the case at the beginning of the First World War.

Demography

The files of Ypres having been destroyed during the German bombardments at the beginning of the First World War, the figures which follow, subordinates with the publications of historians amateurs and scholars of the XIXe century, must be considered with precaution.

Twinning

Old communes belonging to Ypres

Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke and Zuidschote

Monuments

the town square
the Market with cloths (Lakenhal) Belfort (62m hoog). Of vleugels zijn 132m Lang-->
the cathedral Holy Martin
the door of Menin (Menenpoort)
the " Last Post" , every evening with since the armistice: homage to the victims of the wars to the sound of the bugle, under the door of Menin.
the walk on the Ramparts built by Vauban. Can be done at the beginning of the door of Menin.
the " house Biebuyck " (1544) - Diksmuidsestraat 48
the museum of the war " In Flanders Field" in the markets.
the museum Merghelynck (XIXe century) - A. Merghelynckstraat 2

Festivals

the festival of the cats or " Kattenstoet " who takes place every 3 years (the next in May 2009)

See too

Articles of Wikipédia

First battle of Ypres
Second battle of Ypres
Battle of Passchendaele or third battle of Ypres
Battle of the Lily or fourth battle of Ypres
Conference of Ypres

External bond

Site of the city

Sources

H. Stynen, J.M. Duvosquel (ED.), “ Omtrent of vestingstad Ieper ” (1992), Brussels, Mutual credit of Belgium and Fondation king Baudouin.

Random links:

1371 | Report | Coitus intercrural | Gift Jose Álvarez there Cubero | Embryo