Belgium History

The name “Belgium” originated from the tribe the Belgae, which was the first to enter the country. Many historical sources emphasize that history of Belgium began with the invasion of the Romans, when the territory of Gaul was conquered by Julius Caesar. The name, the Romans gave to a new province, was Gallia Belgica. The Roman Empire collapsed in the 5th century. As a result, the territory of modern Belgium was separated between France and Germany. It should be said that under the rule of the Counts of Flanders such Belgium cities as Bruges, Ghent and Ypres became very rich. The Flanders succeeded in making clothes out of the wool, imported from England, the goods were sold to Europe. In 1834 Burgundy became the ruler of Flanders. Philip the Good, Burgundy took under his control Brussels, Namur and Liege.

The religious unrest in the middle of the 16th century stimulated the economic instability in the country. In the 17-18th centuries Belgium has been alternatively ruled by Rome, France, and Germany. From 1815 to 1830 Belgium was a part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. Independence of Belgium was proclaimed in 1831, the country became a constitutional monarchy and also parliamentary democracy. In 1908 Belgium possessed a new colony - the Congo Free State. There followed numerous murders of Congans in order to seize local raw materials.

During the First World War the Western Front was partly located in Belgium. Germany invaded the country in 1914. As for the Word War II Belgium remained occupied by German troops until the liberation campaign at the end of the war. The postwar years were successful for the country. It joined the NATO (nowadays its HQ is in Brussels), became one of the initiators of the Benelux group of nations, later entered European Economic Community. High level of health care and education, developed economy, decent quality of life make the attractive image of Belgium in the world.