Leuven/Louvain

Leuven/Louvain
   Leuven is located in Flemish Brabant 25 km (16 mi.) east of Brussels. Strategically positioned on the Dyle (Dijle) River commanding the route from the Rhineland to the sea, Leuven was founded as a trading settlement on the site of a Viking fortress. The capital of the dukes of Brabant, it grew wealthy in the cloth trade. Brussels began to emerge as a rival as early as the second quarter of the 14th century by which time its wealth equaled that of its eastern neighbor. The dukes began spending increasing amounts of time in Brussels, which, less dependent on cloth, suffered less from English competition. Economic malaise in Leuven induced hundreds of merchants and craftsmen to move to Brussels in the mid-14th century. Leuven was also plagued by persistent political turmoil as the popular classes sought a share in government. The dukes, notably John III, Joan, and Wenceslaus, stayed frequently in Brussels, whose calmer political climate induced the gradual relocation of the ruling court and household there. By the end of the ducal wars of succession and the onset of the Burgundian regime in the early 15th century, Brussels had supplanted Leuven as the de facto capital, a status made official in 1531.
   In 1425, the Université catholique de Louvain was founded after officials in Brussels rejected locating it there, fearing an influx of student-borne licentiousness and rowdyism.

Historical Dictionary of Brussels. .

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  • Leuven, Catholic University of — ▪ university, Leuven, Belgium Flemish  Katholieke Universiteit Leuven , French  Université Catholique de Louvain   renowned institution of higher learning founded in 1425 in Leuven (Louvain), Brabant (now in Belgium). The university was a unitary …   Universalium

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  • Louvain-la-Neuve — is a planned city in the municipality of Ottignies Louvain la Neuve, Belgium. To a great extent, it still lives following the rhythms of the university that is its raison d être. However, with the recent construction of L Esplanade shopping… …   Wikipedia

  • Louvain School of Management — Informations Fondation 1903 Type Business School Régime linguistique Français, Anglais …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Leuven — [lö′vən] city in central Belgium: pop. 87,000 * * * Leu·ven (lœʹvən) See Louvain. * * * ▪ Belgium French  Louvain   municipality, Flanders Region, central Bel …   Universalium

  • LOUVAIN — LOUVAI Ville belge de la province de Brabant, Louvain (Leuven en néerlandais; 85 592 hab. en 1993) est située sur la Dyle. D’origine médiévale, la ville apparaît au IXe siècle, autour d’un premier château où le roi de Germanie, Arnould de… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Louvain-la-Neuve — Photo prise à Louvain la Neuve …   Wikipédia en Français

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  • Louvain — can refer to two distinct cities in Belgium: * Louvain, the French name of Leuven, still often used in English; * Louvain la Neuve, the French speaking new town created in the 1960s …   Wikipedia

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