The Ypres Times.
71
YPRES
Historical Sketch.
By V. de DEYNE (late Professor of the Council School at Ypres),
The origin of Ypres is buried in obscurity enveloped in a mist of uncertainty. It came
gradually into existence encircling a small fortress built in the 10th century on an island
of the Yperlee, facing the site of the ancient monastery of St. Martin. The city must
have developed rapidly, for in a charter of 1073 it is mentioned as an important agglomera
tion endowed with two parish churches, St. Martin and St. Peter.
Thriving on its industry of cloth-weaving, and patronised by the Counts of Flanders,
the town grew daily more prosperous. Having obtained certain franchises and liberties
it held an exalted position among the cities of Flanders. These privileges facilitated
industrial and commercial relations not alone in the country, but also abroad. From the
year 1127 the Ypres market was the resort of the merchants of Europe and the East. In
the 13th century it may be said that Ypres was at the zenith of her power. Her popula
tion numbered 200,000 she possessed seven parish churches, and within her walls more
than 8,000 trades and crafts flourished with unceasing activity. The guild of drapers,
or cloth-weavers, erected out of their own funds the imposing Cloth Hallthe most remark
able civil monument of the middle ages.
As time went on, the traders finding they were ignored and overruled by the very
classes whom they had enriched, rose up in revolt, determined to assert their rights.
Hence the violent strife in the 14th century between rulers and subjects, the great and the
small. Allied to Bruges and Ghent, Ypres took up arms against the Counts of Flanders,
who tried to restrict its ancient privileges, and against the Kings of France, always inimical
to the Flemish nation. Among themselves, the great communes were divided by com
mercial rivalry. These incessant troubles and ruinous wars paralysed industry and
drove away the foreign merchants who had their counting-houses here. The cloth trade
declined irremediably, and Ypres gradually lost her power and greatness.
During the Burgundian dominion, the city had to defend the last remnant of her
rights and conquests. John the Fearless destroyed her most important charters. So
that, with the departure of the weavers in 1383 the ancient cloth-trade of mediaeval times
ceased to exist.
Ypres still maintained her rank as third city of Flanders. In 1560 it became an
episcopal see. Under the despotic rule of the Duke of Alba, her population deereased
considerably many of her most worthy citizens having emigrated to England and Holland.
In 1584 there were less than" 5,000 inhabitants, and the town was merely a heap of ruins.
By the Peace of Nimégue (1678) it became French property. Louis XIV fortified
it to such an extent that it was one of the strongest places of the conquered territory.
In pursuance of the Barrier Treaty (1715) a Dutch garrison was quartered there
which had to be kept by the Belgians.
For two centuries our city had suffered siege, bombardment, plunder and fire also
heavy taxation to enable its Spanish and Austrian masters to fight against France. It
was under French government during the Republic and the Empire.
By a decree of December 15th, 1792, the French Revolutionary Convention proclaimed
its laws in Belgium. Ypres was powc'rless against the Jacobins, and lost its municipal
autonomy, which, in spite of all disaster, she had hitherto maintained.
The wonder is, that after so many vicissitudes we find her magnificent buildings still
erect at the time of the Revolution
The Concordat of 1801 deprived her of episcopal rights. Under the Dutch rule
her fortifications were again strengthened. In fact she only ceased to be a fortified town
in 1855, when, under Leopold I, the Government ordered the dismantling of her stronghold.
On the eve of the bombardment in 1914, Ypres had a population of 17,500. The
inhabitants were chiefly tradesmen and artisans but there was a wealthy middle class
