Editing Halle, Belgium (section)

== History ==

=== Antiquity and Middle Ages ===
Borders have always played an important role in the history of Halle.  Already in the prehistoric era, before the [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] conquests, a tribe of [[Nervii]] – either a Germanized [[Celt]]ic people or a Celticized [[Germanic people]] – lived in this region.  In the 7th century, Saint [[Waltrude]], the daughter of an important{{according to whom|date=May 2020}} [[Merovingian]] figure, gave some of her inherited land around Halle to the chapter of the abbey which she had just founded in [[Mons, Belgium|Mons]].  From that time on and until the French Revolution, the region around Halle would depend to various degrees on the [[County of Hainaut]].  In the 8th century, [[Hubertus]], archbishop of [[Tongeren]], founded a church dedicated to the [[Blessed Virgin Mary]]. This may have been the start of the regional devotion that continues today.
The town must{{why?|date=May 2020}} have grown quickly since [[Jeanne, Countess of Flanders]] and Hainaut granted its freedom charters in 1225.  The miraculous statue of the Virgin was sent to Halle in 1267 as a wedding gift to [[John II, Count of Holland]] and of Hainaut.  The cult of Mary attracted important visitors, such as [[Edward I of England]] and [[Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor|Ludwig the Bavarian]], making Halle an important frontier town between [[County of Hainaut|Hainaut]] and [[Duchy of Brabant|Brabant]]. A larger church, dedicated to Mary, was completed in the 15th century.  The death of [[Philip II, Duke of Burgundy|Philipe Bold, Duke of Burgundy]] in Halle in 1404 benefitted the city. All subsequent ruling [[Dukes of Burgundy]] paid visits here to honor the duke's grave. In 1460 [[Louis XI of France]] decided to bury his stillborn son in the Halle church.

=== Renaissance and modern era ===
After the death of [[Mary of Burgundy]], [[Flanders]] and Brabant revolted against her husband [[Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor|Maximilian]]. Hainaut, and therefore Halle, remained loyal to the Holy Roman emperor.  Two attempts by a [[Brussels]] army to conquer Halle in 1489 failed.  

In the 16th century, Brussels and Halle were fighting again, this time over religion. Following the Protestant Reformation, the predominately Calvinistic Brabant tried to take over Catholic Hainaut.  Again, two attempts failed, leading to an increased devotion among residents to the city's miraculous statue.  In 1621, with the support of archdukes [[Albert VII, Archduke of Austria|Albert]] and [[Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia of Spain|Isabella]], the [[Jesuits]] were invited to establish educational institutions in the city, expanding their religious influence.

[[Philip IV of Spain]] used his stake in Halle and the surrounding area as a warrant against a loan; in 1648 he was forced to cede the city to the Duke of [[Arenberg]]. [[Louis XIV]]'s wars at the end of the century resulted in serious losses. In the 18th century there was a resurgence in devotional and economic prosperity.  

The [[French Revolution]] at the end of the century suppressed much religious practice. But the pilgrimage site and the statue were spared confiscation thanks to the initiative of the inhabitants.  When [[Napoleon I of France|Napoleon]] gained power, his government restored religious services. The tradition of [[Napoleon I of France|Napoleon]] princely visits to the church of Halle continues until this day.

Today, Halle is a regional services and care center, offering trade, educational establishments, general hospital, and public services (61% of the active population works in the services sector).

A [[2010 Halle train collision|train collision in February 2010]] in Buizingen killed around 18 people.