Border provinces celebrate rise of Duchy Brabant 900 years ago

LEUVEN - The local governments of all municipalities in the Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant and Antwerp as well as the Dutch province of Noord-Brabant recently celebrated the foundation of the Duchy of Brabant nine centuries ago. In 1106, Emperor Henry V elevated Count Godefroid of Louvain to Duke. The Duchy existed till 1648, when at the Treaty of Muenster, it was divided into a Dutch (Staten) and a Spanish Brabant. In later years these were reconfigured into four provinces, three in Belgium and one in the Netherlands. A year-long program of festivities will mark Brabant 900.