From my archives

.
All these houses with the corbie gables are in the Sint Amands street and in the foreground is the Sint Amands square.

Maria of Burgundy. The name still inspires respect in Bruges. And yet, her life and her achievements go back a good 500 years. During her all too short life, she did not live in Bruges all that long, and yet, this particular period in time still evokes a magical echo. That she married Maximilian of Austria is general knowledge. And so is the fact that she died on March 27, 1482, a few days after being thrown from her horse. But while in Bruges, Maria of Burgundy and Maximilian of Austria lived at the Princes Court.

In a fragment of the admirable "excellente cronike van Vlaenderen" (excellent chronicle of Flanders) we find the following anecdotal story of how Maria came to be married to Maximilian :

"On the 16th day of April 1477 there arrived in Bruges a delegation, sent by emperor Frederik III, to speak to our queen (Maria of Burgundy) and her noble counsellors. (.....) The delegates’ message and supporting letters, bearing the true seal of the emperor, announced that Maximilian, son of the emperor, wished to take Mary of Burgundy, sole daughter of the Duke Karel (Charles) as his wife. These letters had been written jointly by the emperor and Duke Karel when the latter was still alive, and the documents spelled out all provisions and conditions whereupon the two men had agreed after their discussions, which took place in the city of Neuss. These acts and letters of intention were delivered to Maria of Burgundy. Considering the far-reaching and beneficial effects on many affairs of state such an alliance would mean, Maria and her noble counsellors agreed to the marriage. The wedding took place on the 21st day of April, at 11:00 o"clock in the evening, at the Princes’ Court in Bruges. Since the traditions of the nobility demanded that the wedding had to be immediately consumed, the Duke of Beieren (Bavaria) spent the night in our noble lady’s room, in the name of Maximilian. On his right hip the Duke of Bavaria had a weapon by which he proved to Maximilian that he would help and protect the bride against all her enemies. When all this had been accomplished, wine and sweets were served and the delegation left Bruges, well pleased and full of joy to have succeeded in their mission, each according to their rank."

Don’t imagine that in 1477 the Prince’s Court looked anything as what it is now. Through the centuries, it fell in different hands, Parts were demolished, other parts were added, and there were restorations galore. And now, once again, at the treshhold of the 21st century, drastic changes are in store for the Prinsenhof domain : only the tower building and the two French neo-gothic wings dating from the end of the 19th century will be kept standing and undergo restoration.

Without love, warm love

The light, the dark light reigns

And the sand scours my land

My flat land, My Flandersland

Ay, Marieke, Marieke

I loved you so much

Between the towers

Of Bruges and Ghent

Ay, Marieke, Marieke

So long ago

Between the towers

Of Bruges and Ghent

In 1988, between the towers of Bruges and Ghent, but really quite near the towers of Bruges (namely near the Coupure) a statue of Marieke was unveiled. The Brel fan and expert Johan Antierens who was then still among the living, gave a speech at the ceremony. Jacques Brel wil eternally be linked with Belgium, and even with his "flatland", even though he spit on Flanders and the Flemish now and again, the Flemish being - in his opinion - a rather narrowminded lot. This mitigated love was - and still is - quite reciprocal.. Last year, while the Walloons elected Brel as the all-time great Belgian personality, the Flemish left him in 7th position. The girl Marieke of the song really did exist. It seems he knew her, somewhere in West-Flanders, when he was still a young boy. "Marieke" is probably still around, a glorious unknown, living in a small appartment in Knokke.