Joyeuse Entree
Encyclopedia
The Joyeuse Entrée was a famous charter of civic liberties originally granted by Duke John III
of Brabant
in 1354. John summoned representatives of the cities of the duchy to Leuven
to announce the marriage of his oldest daughter and heiress Jeanne of Brabant to Wenceslaus, duke of Luxemburg, and offered them liberal concessions so as to secure their assent to the change of dynasty. John III died in 1355. On the occasion of their state entry into Brussels
in January 1356, Wenceslaus and Jeanne signed the charter that had been drawn up and solemnly swore to uphold its provisions.
From the occasion on which it was first proclaimed this charter has been known in history as La Joyeuse Entrée (the "joyous entry"). With this instrument the dukes of Brabant undertook to maintain the indivisibility of the duchy, and not to wage war, make treaties, or impose taxes without the consent of their subjects, as represented by the municipalities. All members of the duke's council were to be native-born Brabanters. The charter became a model for other provinces and the bulwark of the liberties of the Netherlands
. Its provisions were modified from time to time, but remained practically unchanged from the reign of Charles V
onwards. The ill-advised attempt of the emperor Joseph II
in his reforming zeal to abrogate the Joyeuse Entrée caused a revolt in Brabant, before which he had to yield.
John III, Duke of Brabant
Jan III van Brabant , also called John III, the Triumphant , was Duke of Brabant, Lothier, and Limburg...
of Brabant
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
in 1354. John summoned representatives of the cities of the duchy to Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
to announce the marriage of his oldest daughter and heiress Jeanne of Brabant to Wenceslaus, duke of Luxemburg, and offered them liberal concessions so as to secure their assent to the change of dynasty. John III died in 1355. On the occasion of their state entry into Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
in January 1356, Wenceslaus and Jeanne signed the charter that had been drawn up and solemnly swore to uphold its provisions.
From the occasion on which it was first proclaimed this charter has been known in history as La Joyeuse Entrée (the "joyous entry"). With this instrument the dukes of Brabant undertook to maintain the indivisibility of the duchy, and not to wage war, make treaties, or impose taxes without the consent of their subjects, as represented by the municipalities. All members of the duke's council were to be native-born Brabanters. The charter became a model for other provinces and the bulwark of the liberties of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. Its provisions were modified from time to time, but remained practically unchanged from the reign of Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
onwards. The ill-advised attempt of the emperor Joseph II
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I...
in his reforming zeal to abrogate the Joyeuse Entrée caused a revolt in Brabant, before which he had to yield.