From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia States of Flanders
States of Flanders
of the Count of Flanders. These three estates were also
called the States. Supported by the economic strength of
the Flemish cities Bruges, Ghent and Ypres, the States al-
ways were an important power before the rulers of the
country.
After the county of Flanders and all Seventeen
Provinces of the Netherlands came under the rule of the
dukes of Burgundy, the States of Flanders were the first
host of the States-General of the Netherlands, on January
9, 1464 in Bruges.
In 1579–1580, during the Eighty Years’ War, the cities
and the States of Flanders joined Dutch independence de-
claration (Union of Utrecht and Act of Abjuration), but
Spanish troops reconquered most of the Flemish terri-
tory and restored Spanish Catholic rule (except for Zee-
landic Flanders).
On January 4, 1790, the States of Flanders again de-
clared independence, this time from Austrian imperial
rule, and seven days later, on January 11, 1790, joined
the United States of Belgium. All Southern Netherlands
Coat of arms of the Counts of Flanders "States" disappeared four years later, during French rev-
olutionary occupation.
The States of Flanders were the representation of the
three estates: Nobility, Clergy and Commons to the court
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=States_of_Flanders&oldid=332241762"
Categories:
• History of the Netherlands
• History of Belgium
• County of Flanders
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