. The earth and its inhabitants .. . MUNICIPAL INSTITUTIONS.—TOWNS. OWjS^S abound now in those lowlands of Belgium where in the time of the Romans there existed but two cities, Turnacum (Tournay) and Atuatuca Tungrorum (Tongres). In some localities the towns are more numerous than are villages in most parts of Europe. After the struggles between races and classes had ceased, each of these towns organized itself as an independent commune, prepared to resist the encroachments of bishops, barons, and kings. Charlemagne, as early as 779, foresaw the danger to the sovereign power of combinations of
. The earth and its inhabitants .. . MUNICIPAL INSTITUTIONS.—TOWNS. OWjS^S abound now in those lowlands of Belgium where in the time of the Romans there existed but two cities, Turnacum (Tournay) and Atuatuca Tungrorum (Tongres). In some localities the towns are more numerous than are villages in most parts of Europe. After the struggles between races and classes had ceased, each of these towns organized itself as an independent commune, prepared to resist the encroachments of bishops, barons, and kings. Charlemagne, as early as 779, foresaw the danger to the sovereign power of combinations of merchants and artisans dwelling within cities. He forbade the formation of trade guilds and other associations ; but the guilds, notwithstanding his edicts and the persecutions to which they were subjected, grew in power, and ultimately succeeded in firmly establishing the municipal liberties of the towns. Originally the cities of Flanders were governed by aldermen chosen amongst the members of a few patrician families, or geslackter. Ordinary citizens or artisans had no share in the government, and hence dissensions between the " great " and the "little" were of frequent occurrence. The trade guilds availed themselves of every civil or foreign war to assert their claims, and though frequently defeated and most cruelly punished after every unsuccessful revolt, they persevered until their representatives were admitted to the city council. In the thirteenth century most cities of Belgium had a municipal council, in which the representatives of the guilds sat side by side with the aldermen chosen amongst the patrician families. At Brussels, Louvain, and other cities of Flanders these guilds had a burgomaster of their own ; and at Liège no patrician was allowed to enter upon that office unless he had previously joined one of the twenfy-five trade guilds. The members of the guilds were subjected to a rigorous discipline. They were bound to furnish themselves
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade18, booksubjectgeography, bookyear1883
