In Mariemont, Belgium, an exhibition will be opening in Nov featuring Mary of Habsburg, the formidable Regent of the Habsburg Netherlands (+1558). Mariemont of course is the place where she built one of her many grand residences.

Charles was given a grand funeral in Brussels - the capital of his country of birth and the city where Philip resided - featuring crowns, flags and loads of mourners.

#OTD in 1558, Emperor Charles V died in Yuste from malaria. Once the most powerful man in Europe, he spent the last years of his life tinkering with clocks and dishing out advice to his son Philip II.

#OTD in 1567, the Duke of Alva, Regent of the Habsburg Netherlands, installed the Council of Troubles, a special tribunal to persecute folks who, according to the government, were participants in the recent political and religious troubles.

Very proud ! My book is on display at the State Archives in Brussels :) Photo : Hannes Lowagie

#OTD in 1902, Queen Marie-Henriette of the Belgians died in Spa. Born Archduchess of Austria as d. of Joseph, Palatine of Hungary, she married King Leopold II of the Belgians in 1853. This marriage was extremely unhappy.

#OTD in 1426, Hubert van Eyck, the mysterious brother of Jan van Eyck, died. Not much is known by Hubert, but he did kick-off on the greatest paintings ever: the Ghent Altarpiece. His tombstone still exists and can be found at Ghent’s St Baaf’s Cathedral.

#OTD in 1322, Robert III, Count of Flanders died in Ypres. He was succeeded by his son Louis I. Robert’s reign was dominated by the struggle with France and its fallout.

#OTD in 1679, John of Austria the Younger, an illegitimate son of Philip IV of Spain, died. He briefly served as Regent of the Habsburg Netherlands and seized power in Spain during the reign of young Carlos II.

#OTD in 1380, King Charles V of France died. He was considered a pretty succesful monarch who was able to retake most of the land conquered by the English during the early stages of the 100 Years’ War. He was succeeded by his son Charles VI who would throw France into chaos.

#OTD in 1505, the formidable Mary of Habsburg was born at the Coudenberg Palace as d. of Philip the Handsome and Joanna of Castile. She would become Queen-Consort of Hungary and Regent of the Habsburg Netherlands.

#OTD in 1523, Pope Adrian VI died. Born in Utrecht he was Charles V’s tutor and elected pope in 1522. Some claimed he was poisoned as he did not care for wealth and wanted to downsize the papal administration.

#OTD in 1598, King Philip II of Spain, the most powerful man in Europe, died at his sober appartments at the grand El Escorial Palace. He was known as the ‘paper king’ as he controlled every little detail of his massive empire.

Love this: Emperor Charles V and his brother Ferdinand chatting in the woods near the Coudenberg Palace in Brussels. ‘Hunts of Maximilian’ tapestries (1530s)

#OTD in 1494, King Francis I of France was born. He was a true Renaissance king, but also a man who engaged into endless wars with Charles V over French influence in Italy.

Coronation anno 1582: Francis of Anjou is crowned Duke of Brabant in Antwerp. His rule was a massive failure.

#OTD in 918, Count Baldwin II of Flanders died in Ghent. He reign was dominated by his struggle against the vikings. In 884 he married Ælfthryth, d. of King Alfred of Wessex. This was the first dynastic link between what is now 🇧🇪 and🇬🇧

Zet alvast in jullie agenda: op 1 november maak ik het onderwerp van mijn nieuwe boek (publicatie maart 2026) bekend: vaderlandse geschiedenis, koningen, keizers, intriges, oorlogen en zo veel meer zullen de revue passeren.

Nu ook officieel ! Op 1 november geef ik om 13:30 een lezing over Coudenberg tijdens Boektopia te Kortrijk, gevolgd door een signeersessie ! En ik maak er ook het onderwerp van mijn nieuwe boek in primeur bekend. Allen daarheen 🙂

#OTD in 1569, Brabantian painter Pieter Breughel the Elder died in Brussels, where he lived and worked. Often depicting the common man, one of his most famous paintings is the ‘Peasant Wedding’

Great pic: the King of the Belgians and the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg in Brussels. Old style royal guard and 1950s style car.

#OTD in 1573, Joanna of Habsburg died. Born as d. of Emperor Charles V and Isabella of Portugal, she married Dom João Manuel, Hereditary Prince of Portugal in 1552 (who died in 1554) and gave birth King Sebastián in 1554.

Inventions you did not know are Belgian (or invented by folks born in what is now Belgium): - Inline skates: invented in the 1760s by Jean-Joseph Merlin (from Huy, Prince-Bishopric of Liège)

Op 1 november hou ik een lezing over mijn boek ‘Coudenberg’ tijdens Boektopia en daarom bereid ik uiteraard een nieuwe PowerPoint voor :)

#OTD in 1235, Henry I of Brabant died on his way to Engeland to pick up Isabella of England who would marry Holy Roman Emperor Frederik II. Henry was buried at St Pieter’s Church in Leuven where you can still find his tomb.

Did you know the most powerful man in 16th c. Europe was born in a latrine in Ghent?

#OTD in 1609, Jean Richardot, President of the Brussels Privy Council died. He also appears in the famous portrait (2nd from the left) during the peace conference in London in 1604 (representing the Habsburg Netherlands)

In Belgian history also known as the man who snatched pieces of land that belonged to the county of Flanders of Hainaut for centuries. Yes, Lille was actually a Flemish city till the mid 17th c.

#OTD in 1715, King Louis XIV of France, the longest ruling monarch in European history, died at Versailles. During his long reign France once again became Europe’s most powerful country, but that came at a great financial cost.

On of my favorite 17th c. busts: Elector Maximilian II Emanuel of Bavaria, who also served as Regent of the Habsburg Netherlands and had plans to become King of said Habsburg Netherlands. By Willem Kerricx, Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Antwerp.

The Royal Library of Brussels has one of the finest collections of medieval manuscripts in the world. The bulk was collected by Philip the Good who established grand libraries at his residences in Brussels and Bruges.

#OTD in 1580, Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy, died in Turin. He also briefly served as Regent of the Habsburg Netherlands and led the Habsburg army to victory at the Battle of St Quentin (1557)

#OTD in 1935, Queen Astrid of the Belgians died in a car accident aged 29. Born princess of Sweden, she married Leopold (III) in 1926 and became extremely popular. Her youngest son, Albert (II), was 1 year old when she died.

#OTD in 1526, King Louis II of Hungary and Bohemia died during the Battle of Mohács fighting the Ottomans. He was the last Jagiellon monarch and would be succeeded by Ferdinand of Habsburg (although John Zápolya also claimed the throne)

In 1565, Alexander Farnese married Maria of Portugal during a grand ceremony at the Coudenberg Palace in Brussel. The whole ceremony was documented.

#OTD in 1547, Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma, was born. His mother was the formidable Margaret, an illegitimate d. of Charles V. Alexander would serve as Regent of the Habsburg Netherlands and was considered one of the finest military commanders of his age

#OTD in 1346, Flanders got a new count: Louis II, who succeeded his father Louis I who perished during the Battle of Crécy. His long reign (38 years) was dominated by internal struggles and international conflicts. And he minted cool coins.

Op 26 augustus 1666 stierf Antwerpenaar Frans Hals te Haarlem. Hals, wiens ouders Antwerpen ontvluchtten, werd een van de bekendste schilders uit de Nederlandse Gouden Eeuw.

#OTD in 1346, the Battle of Crécy was fought as part of the 100 Years’ War. The battle was a massive defeat for France and caused many high ranking casualties. One of those was the pro-French Louis I of Flanders who died that day.

#OTD in 1914 German troops set the Belgian city of Leuven on fire, including the university library. In the process roughly 1000 medieval manuscripts and 300.000 books were destroyed.

The Castle of Laken, official residence of the King of the Belgians, is quite fascinating. Built in the 1780s as a summer retreat for the regents of the Habsburg Netherlands and later bought by Napoleon for his wife Josephine. Napoleon stocked the place with custom made furniture

#OTD in 1830, during a performance of the opera ‘La Muette de Portici’ in Brussels, riots kicked off in the theatre that would start the Belgian Revolution and the establisment of the Kingdom of Belgium.

#OTD in 1945, Princess Stephanie of Belgium died. Born as d. of King Leopold II of the Belgians in 1864 she married Rudolf, heir to the Austrian-Hungarian throne, in 1881. This marriage was deeply unhappy and Rudolf committed suicide in 1889.

#OTD in 1628, George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham was killed by a disgruntled army officer. His most famous portrait was of course painted by one of Antwerp’s most famous sons: Peter Paul Rubens.

Richard’s sister Margaret was residing in Mechelen in the Burgundian Netherlands where she turned her court into an anti-Tudor hub (which often clashed with the policy of her step-daughter Mary and step-grandson Philip)

Yesterday, Mechelen recieved the portrait of a young Mary of Habsburg, sister of Emperor Charles V, who was raised with her brother and sisters in the city at the court of their aunt, Margaret, Regent of the Habsburg Netherlands. The painter was Jan Gossaert.

#OTD in 1517, Cardinal Antoine Perrenot de Granvelle was born. He would serve as principal minister to Margaret of Parma, Regent of the Habsburg Netherlands and became deeply unpopular

Mijn boek ‘Coudenberg’ duikt ook op bij de Noorderburen. Zowaar warm aanbevolen door de bekende Tilburgse boekhandel Gianotten Mutsaers 🙂

#OTD in 1493, Holy Roman Emperor Frederik III died. He was buried with his amputated leg in a grand tomb in Vienna. His son Maximilian was elected the new Emperor.

#OTD in 1559, Pope Paul IV died. Elected in 1555, he hated the Habsburgs with a vengeance, sided with Henri II of France and even entered into a war against Philip II of Spain.