Hear ye, hear ye! For my English-speaking followers, around the end of summer, I’ll appear in a British history podcast for the first time to discuss Emperor Charles V. Watch this space for more updates :)

#OTD in 1441, Jan van Eyck, one of the greatest painters ever, died in Bruges. His obsession with realism and the proper use of oil-paint (decades before the Italian Renaissance) revolutionised painting in Western Europe.

#OTD in 1546, Don Carlos, heir to the Spanish empire was born. He was mentally unstable and often aggressive. In 1568 he was imprisoned by his father Philip II after plans were revealed Carlos wanted to flee to the Habsburg Netherlands . He died in mysterious circumstances

So last week many were asking ‘’but was has ever come out of #Belgium  except chocolate’’. Well, here are a few things: the saxophone, modern concrete asphalt, bakelite (the first plastic). JPEG, the WWW (yes, everyone forgets Robert Cailliau) or the internal combustion engine.

Wondering which country Charles V would have supported: the place where he was born (Ghent), raised (Mechelen) and where he abdicated (Brussels) or the place he did not visit until he was 17, but enabled the Habsburgs to became a world power #Belgium   #Spain   #worldcup

So #Belgium  will meet #Spain  this week. Both countries have very deep historical links that really took root when Philip the Fair married Joanna of Castile in 1496 in Lier, binding the Habsburg Netherlands to the Spanish crowns #WorldCup

#OTD in 1553, king Edward VI died. Before his death he wrote a new instrument of succession excluding his catholic half-sister Mary and appointed Lady Jane Grey as heir.

In New York City you’ll find Rombouts Avenue named after Francis Rombouts, a merchants from Hasselt who became alderman and even served as mayor of NCY in 1679-1680 #USABEL #WorldCup

On the 4th of July 1780, Charles Alexander of Lorraine, Regent of the Habsburg Netherlands died at the Castle of Tervuren near Brussels. He was an approachable extrovert who loved parties which made very popular among the popular.

This week the grand Ommegang was held: a reenactment of the Emperor Charles V’s entry into Brussels in 1549 when he wanted to present his son Philip as heir. Photo: Ommegang

Did you know presidents Ulysses S. Grant and Franklin D. Roosevelt are both descendants of Jean de Lannoy & Marie Mahieu, who both came from the francophone part of the County of Flanders. Their son Philip arrived in the colonies in 1621. #unitedstates  #belgium  #worldcup

The grand medieval belfry of Bruges is even more spectaculair during a light show ! Here is a cool 16th c. map of the city projected on the building that is a symbol of Bruges’ role as a major medieval European economic hub.

#OTD in 1423, king Louis XI of France was born. Known as a schemer and manipulator he was dubbed ‘the universal spider’ who maintained a web of intriges

Emperor Charles V dividing his empire between his brother Ferdinand (Austrian branch) and son Philip (Spanish branch) #worldcup #espaut #spain  #austria

The honour or Emperor Charles V’s 17 provinces has been saved :) #WorldCup #Belgium  #belsen

#OTD in 1523, the first Lutherans in were at the stakes in Brussels; Hendrik Voes & Jan van Essen were friars from Antwerp who preached Luther’s doctrine. They were arrested and condemned by the Council of Brabant. They became the first Lutheran martyrs in history.

#OTD in 1559, king Henri II of France was mortally wounded during a jousting match after a fragment of a splintered lance got lodged in his eye.

It you happen to be in Bruges, do visit the new fantastic Brusk museum. There you’ll spot a magnificent 800 year old crown made for Philip I of Namur. Photo: Cultuursmakers Brugge

#OTD in 1517, physician and botanist Rembert Dodoens was born in Mechelen, Habsburg Netherlands. In 1554 his herbal ‘Cruydeboeck’ was published, which at the time would become the most translated book after the Bible

#OTD in 1577, the formidable Pieter Paul Rubens was born in Siegen as a son of calvinist refugees from Antwerp. In 1590 the family returned to Antwerp and Pieter would become one of the most famous Baroque painters in history

26/06/1794: the French defeated the Habsburg army at Fleurus after which the Habsburg Netherlands fell into French hands. The Habsburg army was led by Prince Josias of Sade-Coburg & Saalfeld who happened to be the great uncle of the man who became King of the Belgians in 1831.

Belgium anno 2026 (by Pieter Breughel the Elder, 1565) #heatwave

The symbol of Bruges medieval wealth: a harbour crane. A cool replica placed near one of Bruges’s many old city gates.

#OTD in 1322, Joanna, Duchess of Brabant and Limburg was born. In 1355 she succeeded her father Jan III and was faced with a Flemish invasion and later in life the rise of the Burgundians. A fascinating and impressive ruler

If there is any interest in doing a podcast or otherwise in English on Emperor Charles V do send me a message. In March I published a very well received bio on the man so have a few things to say :)

Als er verenigingen/organisaties zijn die mij eens graag bezig horen over mijn boek en dus het waanzinnig interessante leven van keizer Karel V, stuur mij gerust een berichtje :)

#OTD in 1479, Philip the Fair was born at the Prinsenhof Palace in Bruges as son of Mary of Burgundy and Maximilian of Habsburg. His marriage to Joanna of Castile would forever change the history of Europe. His oldest son was Emperor Charles V (born in Ghent in

The Emperor and Empress of Japan have spent the weekend at the summer residence of the King and Queen of the Belgians (Castle of Ciergnon). Here is the Belgian royal family with the imperial couple. Photo: Belgian Monarchy

This is Celestinus Thys, last Sovereign Abbot of Stavelot-Malmedy (in present day Belgium). He was the last abbot in a line that started in 637 with abbot Remaclus ! The man represented more than a 1000 years of history and when his little state vanished in 1795 nobody noticed.

Het economische, politieke en inderdaad religieuze zwaartepunt (reminder de vele Calvinistische Republieken) lag in de eerste decennia van de opstand in het Zuiden. Ook vertegenwoordigers uit het Zuiden tekenden het Plakkaat van Varlaetinghe, maar ook dat wordt volledig vergeten.

Als Belgische historicus heb ik het altijd vreemd gevonden hoezeer de belangrijke rol van de Zuidelijke Nederlanden in het verhaal van de 80 Jarige Oorlog vakkundig werd/wordt genegeerd door veel historici. Die Opstand is evenzeer deel van onze nationale geschiedenis denk ik dan.

Belgian physicist François baron Englert has died. In 2013 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics for the discovery of the Brout–Englert–Higgs mechanism. The same year he was enobled by King Albert II of the Belgians.

#OTD in 1867, Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico was executed. His Belgian wife, Charlotte, who travelled to Europe to find support fell into a severe state of depression and finally insanity

#OTD in 1815, Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo. 3 days later marshal Blücher issued a proclamation addressed to the ‘Brave Belgians’ thanking them for their contribution to the victory. State Archives, Brussels

Een mythe ontkrachten: de Slag bij Waterloo werd niet gevochten op Nederlands grondgebied omdat het nog geen NL grondgebied was. In 1814 werd immers het Generaal-gouvernement van België opgericht met eigen regering dat pas in september 1815 zou samensmelten met het Noorden.

#OTD in 1464, painters Rogier van der Weyden died in Brussels. His ‘Descent from the Cross’, painted in 1435 for the Guild of Crossbowmen Guild of Leuven, is considered one of the most influential paintings of the Middle Ages

The ´Charter of Kortenberg´, a key document in European ´constitutional´ history. Issued by Duke Jan II of Brabant in 1312 It set out the rights / privileges of the rich and poor. It went further than the Magna Carta but for some reason has always been overlooked.

Did you know the citadel of Namur in Belgium has a pretty long history: People already lived on the rock some 8000 years ago and used to house a Roman camp, before a castle was built in the 10th c. It slowly became a formidable fortress that even dazzled Napoleon.

Map of the Habsburg Netherlands anno 1730. The various colours note the 'sub-states' (Flanders, West-Flanders, Hainaut, Namur, Brabant, Mechelen, Artois, Limburg, Tournai, Austrian-Gelre and Luxemburg). By Johann Baptist Homann.

#OTD in 1467, Philip the Good, one of the most powerful men in 15th c. Europe died at his grand residence in Bruges. Dubbed the ‘Grand Duke of West’ he ruled over one of the richest areas in Europe and presided over a court that was the envy of kings and emperors.

#OTD in 1594, composer Orlando di Lasso died. Born in Mons, County of Hainault, Habsburg Netherlands (probably as Roland de Lassus) he became one of Europe’s leading Renaissance composers

Probably one of the most successful artists in 16th c. Europe, yet somewhat forgotten these days: Bernard van Orley, born in Brussels in 1487. He designed tapestries that ended up in practically every royal and imperial palace across Europe.

The 16th c. ceiling of St Jacques' Church at Liege, Belgium is a whole different level of beauty. Photos: Visitez Liege

When it comes to 16th c. European portrait painters, Antonis Mor really smashes most of his colleagues out of the park. Here is his portrait of English merchants/trader Thomas Gresham who was also active in Antwerp.

#OTD in 1403, Duke John IV of Brabant and Limburg was born. He became Duke after his father was killed at Agincourt and would turn out to be a pretty weak ruler. He supported the foundation of the University of Leuven though in 1425. He died in 1427.

#OTD in 1584, Francis of Anjou died. This French prince was at some point appointed as Sovereign of the Habsburg Netherlands by the rebellious States-General, but his reign turned out to be a massive disaster. Here he is after his coronation as Duke of Brabant in Antwerp

Coat of Arms of Emperor Charles V at St Baafs' Cathedral in Ghent (Belgium). This coat of arms was made for the Chapter of the Golden Fleece that met in Ghent in 1559 - a year after Charles' death -.

Italian Renaissance painters are often credited for introducing realism and observation into painting. Well, this was painted by Jan van Eyck in Bruges 2 decades before Da Vinci was born and almost 70 years before Rafael made his first painting.

#OTD in 929, Ælfthryth of Wessex, d. of Alfred the Great died in Ghent. In 884 she married Count Baldwin II of Flanders. She was laid to rest next to her husband at Ghent’s St Peter’s Abbey

Little Iron box which contained the heart of Philip the Fair. After Philip's death in 1506 his heart was removed a shipped to Bruges where it would be buried in his mother's tomb. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.