The history of Leuven

In this interactive timeline, you’ll journey from Year 0 to the modern era, exploring pivotal historical events involving the territory surrounding Leuven, my alma mater. Leuven is used as the reference point because of Europe’s diverse past which makes it impossible to cite one single ruling power for any broader territory.

Each colored bar indicates the period in which a ruler was the dominant authority in this region. You can see his name by clicking on the bar. The bars are colored by dinasty or form of government.

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Julio–Claudian dynasty

Julio–Claudian dynasty

The first emperor of rome, founder of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, dies from natural causes at 75 years of age.

Assassination of Caligula

Littleboots was murdered by his corrupt bodyguards after attending games at the circus maximus. Pictured: the galleries where the deed was done.

Great Fire of Rome

Batavian revolt

Atuatuca Tungrorum is destroyed during the revolt of the Batavi

Flavian dynasty

Flavian dynasty

Start construction of the Colosseum

Nerva–Antonine dynasty

Nerva–Antonine dynasty

Largest territorial extent

Largest territorial extent

The roman empire reaches it's largest extent under emperor Trajan

Severan dynasty

Severan dynasty

Septimius Severus defeats Albinus at the battle of Lugdunum

Caracalla massacres Alexandria

Crisis of the third century

Crisis of the third century

Pictured: Gallienus

Gallic empire

Gallic empire

Dominate

Dominate

The capital of the Western Roman Empire
is moved to Mediolanum.

Carausian revolt

Carausian revolt

Carausius, a naval commander from Belgic Gaul, declares himself emperor of Britain and Northern Gaul.

Baptism of Emperor Constantine

Salian Franks start settling in Texandria, modern day Kempen.

The capital of the Western Roman Empire is moved to Ravenna.

Sack of Rome

Sack of Rome

The Visigoths, led by their king Alaric, sack Rome.

Fall of the Western Roman Empire

Merovingian dynasty

Merovingian dynasty

A shift of power

Pepin of Herstal takes the title Duke and Prince of the Franks upon his conquest of all the Frankish realms, becoming the de facto ruler of Francia.

Battle of Tours

Carolingian Empire

Carolingian Empire

Church and state

Church and state

Pope Leo III crowns Charlemagne as emperor. 

Founding of Leuven

Founding of Leuven

East Francia defeats the Vikings at the Battle of the River Dyle. According to legend, Leuven was founded on the battlefield.

Duchy of Lower Lotharingia

Duchy of Lower Lotharingia

Call for aid

At the Council of Clermont, Pope Urban II answered Byzantine emperor Alexius I Comnenus’s call for help against the invading muslim Seljuk Turks, sparking the First Crusade.

Duchy of Brabant

Duchy of Brabant

Origin of Verdonckt

Origin of Verdonckt

First record of patrilineage Van Der Donckt. Gheeraert van der Donckt signs a charter from July 1291 wherein Jehanne de Lai, with his feudal consent, sells and donates all the tithes she holds in the parish of Kwaremont to the Abbey of Beaulieu at Petegem for the sum of 180 pounds of Artois.

Pictured: castle Ter Donck

Blijde inkomst

The newly-ascended Duchess Joanna grants the burghers of the Duchy of Brabant liberties through the 'Joyous Entry' charter.

Een pintje aub

Een pintje aub

Opening of brewery Den Hoorn, which would be renamed to Artois in 1717.

Founding of Katholic University of Leuven

Burgundian Netherlands

Burgundian Netherlands

Begin construction town hall of Leuven

Begin construction town hall of Leuven

Habsburg Netherlands

Habsburg Netherlands

Discovery of the Americas

Discovery of the Americas

Beeldenstorm

Beeldenstorm

Calvinist Protestant crowds destroy Catholic art and many forms of church fittings and decorationas as part of the Protestant Reformation.

Siege of Leuven

Siege of Leuven

Part of the 80-years war, Leuven was sieged from 24th of june to the 4th of july by French and Dutch troops under leadership of Frederik Hendrik van Oranje.

Austrian Netherlands

Austrian Netherlands

French empire

French empire

Kingdom of the Netherlands

Kingdom of the Netherlands

Saxe-Coburg-Belgium

Saxe-Coburg-Belgium

German Reich

German Reich

German Reich

German Reich

European Union

European Union

The European Union was formally established when the Maastricht Treaty—whose main architects were Horst Köhler,[51] Helmut Kohl and François Mitterrand—came into force on 1 November 1993.

Augustus
Tiberius
Calicula
Claudius
Nero
Year of the Four Emperors
Vespasianus
Titus
Domitian
Nerva
Trajan
Hadrian
Antoninus Pius
Marcus Aurelius
Lucius Verus
Commodus
Year of the Five Emperors
Septimius Severus
Caracalla
Geta
Elagabalus
Severus Alexander
Crisis of the third century
Maximinus Thrax
Gordian III
Philip I
Decius
Trebonianus Gallus
Valerian
Postumus
Victorinus
Tetricus
Gallic Empire
Imperium Britanniarum
Carausius
Gallienus
Claudius II
Aurelianus
Probus
Carinus
Diocletian
Maximian
Constantius Chlorus
Constantine
Constantine II
Constans
Magnentius
Constantius
Julianus
Jovianus
Valentinianus I
Gratianus
Magnus Maximus
Valentinianus II
Eugenius
Theodosius I
Honorius
Merovingian kingdom
Salian Franks
Chlodio
Childerik I
Clovis I
Theuderic I
Theudebert I
Theudebald
Chlothar I
Sigebert I
Childebert II
Theudebert II
Theuderic II
Sigebert II
Chlothar II
Dagobert I
Sigebert III
Childebert the Adopted
Chlothar III
Childeric II
Dagobert II
Theuderic III
Clovis IV
Childebert III
Dagobert III
Chilperic II
Chlothar IV
Chilperic II
Theuderic IV
Childeric III
Pepin of Herstal
Charles Martel
Carloman
Pepin III
Karolingian Kingdom
Pippin III the Short
Charlemagne
Louis the Pious
Lothair I
Middle Francia
Lothair I
Lotharingia
Lothair II
West Francia
Charles "the Bald"
Louis II “the Stammerer”
East Francia
Reunified Carolingian Empire
Charles III “the Fat”
East Francia
Arnulf of Carinthia
Zwentibold
West Francia
Louis III "the Younger"
Louis IV “the Child”
Charles III “the Simple”
East Francia
Henry I “the Fowler”
Otto I “the Great”
Lower Lotharingia
Otto II
Otto III
Henry II
Conrad II
Henry III
Henry IV
Henry V
Lothair III
Conrad III
Frederick I “Barbarossa”
Duchy of Brabant
Henry I
Henry II
Henry III
Henry IV
John I
John II
John III
Johanna
Antoine de Brabant
John IV
Philip I
Burgundian Netherlands
Philip the good
Charles the Bold
Mary
Habsburg Netherlands
Philip the Handsome
Charles V
Philip II
Albert and Isabella
Philip IV
Charles II
Philip V
Maximilian II
Charles VI
Maria Theresia
Jozeph II
Leopold II
Francis II
French Period
Napoleon Bonaparte
United Kingdom of the Netherlands
William 1
Kingdom of Belgium
Leopold 1
Leopold 2
Albert 1
German Occupation
Wilhelm II
Leopold 3
German occupation
Adolf Hitler
Baudouin
Albert 2
Philippe
European Union
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