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History

695-712 The Bishop of Cambria and Arras, St Vindicien, lives his whole life on the site of Brussels
966 First written mention of Bruocsella (Brussels) in a decree from Emperor Otton the Great
1100 Brussels gains its first walled fortifications
1357 Work begins on the second walled fortifications and their seven gates (an area that is now covered by the inner ring road)
1402 The foundation stone for Brussels Town Hall (completed in 1455) is laid
1404 The Burgundian period commences, with Antoine, son of Philip the Good, proclaimed Regent of Brabant
1436 Rogier de la Pasture is made the official artist of Brussels
1467-77 Reign of Charles the Bold
1531 Brussels is made capital of the Spanish Netherlands
1568 The Counts of Egmont and Hornes are beheaded for high treason on the orders of the Duke of Alba, the Spanish viceroy
1569 Brueghel dies in his house in Rue Haute
1577 Supporters of the Prince of Orange rise up against Philip II
1585 A second uprising against the Spanish is unsuccessful
1599 Isabella (daughter of Philip II) and her husband Albert reside in Brussels
1617 Rue Neuve is laid out
1695 The Marshal de Villeroy orders French troops to bombard Brussels and Grand-Place
1703 Brussels Chamber of Commerce is founded
1715 The Treaty of Utrecht decrees that Brussels becomes Austrian
1719 Unsuccessful uprising againt Joseph II results in the beheading of the Dean of the Guilds, François Anneessens
1731 Coudenberg Palace is destroyed by fire
1794 The Directory annexes the Catholic Netherlands to France
1814-30 Brussels becomes joint capital with the Hague of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
1815 Following Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo, the Treaty of Vienna puts Belgium under Dutch control
1830 The Belgian Revolution leads to independence, with Brussels capital of the new kingdom
1831 LÉopold Saxe-Coburg rules over an independent Belgium of 100,000 inhabitants
1865 Following the death of LÉopold I, his son LÉopold II accedes to the throne
1866 Cholera epidemic in Brussels; the polluted Senne River is buried underground
1871 The great boulevards of Brussels are constructed
1880 International Exhibition in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Belgian independence
1909 LÉopold II dies with no male heir; his nephew, Albert I, becomes king
1928 Victor Horta completes the Palais des Beaux Arts
1934 Albert I dies in a fatal rock-climbing accident; his son LÉopold III succeeds to the throne
1944 Charles, brother of LÉopold II, becomes Regent
1951 The Regent abdicates; his son Baudoin I accedes to the throne
1958 Expo 58 universal exhibition runs for six months at the Heysel
1959 Following the Treaty of Rome (1957), Brussels is nominated the headquarters of the European Community
1967 Nato establishes its headquarters in the city
1980 150th Independence Anniversary celebrations
1992 Belgium becomes a federal state
1993 King Badouin I dies, his brother Albert accedes to the throne
2000 Brussels is a European City of Culture



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