Wakken
Encyclopedia
Wakken is a village and deelgemeente
in Dentergem
municipality, in the Belgian
province of West Flanders. The village is located near the confluence of the Lys
and Mandel
rivers.
In the Middle Ages
, Wakken was a city without city gates. The fiefdom
was owned by the Lords of Harelbeke
.
Antoine
, bastard-son of Philip the Good, made the court of Wackene to his residence in 1480. His son, Antoine II, married the daughter of Andries Andriessen, knight and Lord of Wackene. Their son Adolf of Burgundy
became Governor of Zeeland
, Vice Admiral of Flanders
and special envoy of Philip II of Spain
.
The fiefdom Wackene became a barony in 1614 and a county in 1626. It had its own arrondissement
until 1823, when it became part of the arrondissement of Tielt
.
Deelgemeente
A deelgemeente is a subdivision of a gemeente in Belgium and the Netherlands.-Belgium:...
in Dentergem
Dentergem
Dentergem is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Dentergem proper, Markegem, Oeselgem and Wakken. On January 1, 2006 Dentergem had a total population of 8,188. The total area is 25.94 km² which gives a population density of 316...
municipality, in the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
province of West Flanders. The village is located near the confluence of the Lys
Lys River
The Leie or Lys is a river in France and Belgium, and a left tributary of the Scheldt. Its source is in Pas-de-Calais, France, and it flows into the river Scheldt in Ghent, Belgium. Its total length is ....
and Mandel
Mandel River
The Mandel is a small river in the Belgian province of West Flanders, left tributary of the Lys.Its source is located in Passchendaele. It flows through Roeselare and Ingelmunster, and flows into the Lys near Waregem....
rivers.
History
Wakken is one of the seven oldest parishes in West Flanders. A charter dated to 791 makes the first known mention of Wakken: "in villa noncupante Wackinio." The spelling of the name has changed several times throughout history: Wackine (870), Wackinna (1010), Wachines (1183), Wackene (1351), Wacken (1467) and Wakken (since 1915).In the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, Wakken was a city without city gates. The fiefdom
Fiefdom
A fee was the central element of feudalism and consisted of heritable lands granted under one of several varieties of feudal tenure by an overlord to a vassal who held it in fealty in return for a form of feudal allegiance and service, usually given by the...
was owned by the Lords of Harelbeke
Harelbeke
Harelbeke is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Harelbeke proper and the towns of Bavikhove and Hulste. On January 1, 2006 Harelbeke had a total population of 26,172...
.
Antoine
Antoine, bastard of Burgundy
Anthony , known to his contemporaries as "the bastard of Burgundy" or "the Grand Bastard - le grand bâtard" - was the natural son of Philip III, Duke of Burgundy, and one of his mistresses, Jeanne de Presle.-Life:...
, bastard-son of Philip the Good, made the court of Wackene to his residence in 1480. His son, Antoine II, married the daughter of Andries Andriessen, knight and Lord of Wackene. Their son Adolf of Burgundy
Adolf of Burgundy
Adolf of Burgundy was Lord of Veere and admiral of the Netherlands.He was a son of Philip of Burgundy-Beveren and Anna of Borselen. In 1517 he succeeded Philip of Burgundy-Blaton, who became Bishop of Utrecht, as admiral of the Netherlands until 1540.In 1509 he married Anna of Bergen, daughter of...
became Governor of Zeeland
Zeeland
Zeeland , also called Zealand in English, is the westernmost province of the Netherlands. The province, located in the south-west of the country, consists of a number of islands and a strip bordering Belgium. Its capital is Middelburg. With a population of about 380,000, its area is about...
, Vice Admiral of Flanders
Admiral of Flanders
Admiral of Flanders and Admiral of the Netherlands was a title in the medieval Low Countries for the commander of the war fleet....
and special envoy of Philip II of Spain
Philip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
.
The fiefdom Wackene became a barony in 1614 and a county in 1626. It had its own arrondissement
Arrondissements of Belgium
The federalized country Belgium geographically consists of 3 regions, of which only Flemish Region and Walloon Region are subdivided into 5 provinces each; the Brussels-Capital Region is neither a province nor is it part of one....
until 1823, when it became part of the arrondissement of Tielt
Arrondissement of Tielt
The Arrondissement of Tielt is one of the eight administrative arrondissements in the Province of West Flanders, Belgium.-History:The Arrondissement of Tielt was created in 1818 and originally comprised the cantons of Ruiselede and Tielt, which were ceded from the Arrondissement of Bruges, and the...
.
Notable citizens
- Joris Van SeverenJoris Van SeverenJoris Van Severen was a Belgian nationalist politician, ideologist and leader of the national-solidarist Verdinaso.-Early years:...
, founder and leader of VerdinasoVerdinasoThe Verdinaso was an authoritarian and fascist-inspired political party in Belgium and the Netherlands during the 1930s... - Jodocus HondiusJodocus HondiusJodocus Hondius , sometimes called Jodocus Hondius the Elder to distinguish him from his son Henricus Hondius II, was a Flemish artist, engraver, and cartographer...
, cartographer, publisher and humanistHumanismHumanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism.... - Luc Verbeke, FlemishFlandersFlanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
poet, author, flamingantFlemish movementThe Flemish Movement is a popular term used to describe the political movement for emancipation and greater autonomy of the Belgian region of Flanders, for protection of the Dutch language, and for the over-all protection of Flemish culture and history....
, co-founder of the Committee for French Flanders - Hugo Verriest, Flemish priest, author and flamingant
- Modest Huys, painter