Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VII.djvu/807

 GHENT 791 in Ghent,. as was also John of Gaunt, "time- honored Lancaster," who derived from it his appellation. As early as the latter part of the 14th century, Froissart estimated the number of fighting men that Ghent could bring into the field at 80,000. Under Jacob van Arte- velde iC revolted against the count of Flan- ders, and, with all Flanders, maintained its independence from 1838 to 1345. The revolt was renewed under his son Philip in 1382. (See AETEVELDE.) Soon afterward it passed into the possession of the dukes of Burgundy, against whom it rose in vain in 1450. At the end of the 15th century there was no town in Christendom to be compared with it for power, political constitution, or the culture of its in- habitants. By its jurisdiction over many large but subordinate towns, Ghent controlled more than its own immediate population, which has been estimated as high as 200,000. The consti- tution of the city was very liberal, and in all but name it was a republic. All this prosperity was destroyed by the insurrection that broke out in 1539, occasioned by an attempt to force upon Flanders the payment of 400,000 ducats, being the third part of a subsidy granted by the Netherlands to Charles V. This claim was resisted by Ghent as a violation of the great charter granted to the city by Mary, sister of the emperor and regent of the Netherlands. Charles V. punished this resistance by depri- ving the city of all its privileges and immuni- ties (1540). A number of the principal citi- zens were executed; the revenues, and all property held by the corporation or the tra- ders in common, were confiscated ; the ancient form of government was abolished ; the right to appoint the city magistrates was vested in the crown ; a new system of laws and po- litical administration was established ; and or- The Place St. Pharailde, and Gateway of the Old Castle of the Counts of Flanders. ders were given for erecting a strong citadel in order to bridle the revolutionary spirit of the population. A fine of 150,000 ducats, in addition to the 400,000, was imposed upon the citizens, as well as an annual contribution of 6,000 for the support of the garrison. A con- gress assembled in Ghent in 1576 to form a confederacy for the expulsion of the Spaniards from the Netherlands. The massacre of Ant- werp and the eloquence of the prince of Orange produced a quickening effect upon its deliber- ations, which had proceeded with decorum while the citadel was being cannonaded. The latter fell on-the same day (Nov. 8, 1576) which saw the conclusion of the treaty known as the " Pacification of Ghent," and in the following year it was razed to the ground. In the stormy period which followed, in which the ^ revolt against the Spanish authority was varied by intestine dissensions, the city became a prey to riot and anarchy. Early in the spring of 1 a formal resolution was passed by the govern- ment of Ghent to open negotiations with Spam, and within three months after the murder o William of Orange, whose policy had saved the city on many occasions, it fell into the hands of the duke of Parma, the Spanish viceroy (bept. 17 1584) The citadel was rebuilt, and about a third of the population left the city. In 1596 Ghent, with the other cities and provinces ot the Netherlands, was severed from the opamto crown in favor of Isabella, daughter of Philip II., who married Albert, *on of the emperoi of Germany. -Louis XIV. took it in 1678, but restored it soon after to Spam in the peace o Nimeguen. During the war of the Spanish suc- cession, at the end of which it was given b the treaty of Rastadt to Austria, Ghent was