Editing Leuven (section)

==History==
{{For timeline}}

===Middle Ages===
[[File:Leuven, Belgium ; Ferraris Map.jpg|thumb|left|"Loven ou Louvain" on the [[Ferraris map]] (around 1775)]]

The earliest mention of Leuven (''Loven'') dates from 891, when a Viking army was defeated by the [[Franks|Frankish]] king [[Arnulf of Carinthia]] (see: [[Battle of Leuven (891)|Battle of Leuven]]). According to a legend, the city's red and white arms depict the blood-stained shores of the river [[Dyle (river)|Dyle]] after this battle, similarly to the [[flag of Austria]] and the [[flag of Latvia]].

Situated beside this river, and near to the stronghold of the [[Duchy of Brabant|Dukes of Brabant]], Leuven became the most important centre of trade in the [[duchy]] between the 11th and 14th centuries. A token of its former importance as a centre of cloth manufacture is shown in that ordinary linen cloth was known, in late-14th-century and 15th-century texts, as ''lewyn'' (other spellings: ''Leuwyn'', ''Levyne'', ''Lewan(e)'', ''Lovanium'', ''Louvain'').<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.library.ucla.edu/yrl/reference/maps/blaeu/germania-inferior-nt.htm#prima_brabantiae |title=Blaeu Atlas (UCLA Library – YRL Reference and Instructional Services) |publisher=Library.ucla.edu |date=2 April 2003 |access-date=16 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021027093553/http://www.library.ucla.edu/yrl/reference/maps/blaeu/germania-inferior-nt.htm#prima_brabantiae |archive-date=27 October 2002 }}</ref>

===Early modern period===
In the 15th century, a new golden era began with the founding of the largest and oldest university in the [[Low Countries]], the [[Old University of Leuven|University of Leuven]], in 1425.<ref name="Inc2009">{{cite book|author=Fodor's Travel Publications, Inc|title=Fodor's Belgium|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b9Skyy86HOQC|date=January 2009|publisher=Fodor's Travel Publications|isbn=978-1-4000-0881-0|page=27|access-date=23 October 2015|archive-date=4 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231004153524/https://books.google.com/books?id=b9Skyy86HOQC|url-status=live}}</ref> Prestigious buildings like the [[Leuven Town Hall|Town Hall]] and the [[St. Peter's Church, Leuven|Saint Peter's Church]] (itself designated a [[UNESCO]] [[Belfries of Belgium and France|World Heritage Site]] in 1999) were constructed. The art of painting flourished with painters such as [[Dirk Bouts]], [[Albrecht Bouts]] and [[Jan Rombouts the Elder]]. The painter [[Quinten Metsys]] was born and trained in Leuven.

By the turn of the 16th century, Leuven had become a major European center for art and knowledge with humanists like [[Erasmus]] and [[Hieronymus van Busleyden]] working there. In 1517 the latter founded the [[Collegium Trilingue]] in which the three ancient languages: [[Latin]], [[Greek language|Greek]] and [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] were taught. It promoted the critical study of classical literature and the Bible. [[Thomas More]] published his [[Utopia (More book)|''Utopia'']] at [[Dirk Martens]] printing house in Leuven in 1516. [[Gemma Frisius]] laid the foundation for modern triangulation methods and cartography. He further made important contributions to mathematics, geography and astronomy. [[Gerardus Mercator]] and [[John Dee]] were among his students. Leuven became a leading centre for the fabrication of precision astronomical instruments, such as the planetaria and the terrestrial and celestial globes built by [[Gaspard van der Heyden]] and [[Gualterus Arsenius]]. [[Andreas Vesalius]] completed his medicine studies in Leuven, before moving to Padova and Basel. Religious persecutions of Protestants, followed by greater religious and political turmoil starting in the late 1560s, greatly affected intellectual life in Leuven. Many professors and alumni from Leuven moved abroad. The newly founded [[University of Leiden]] in Holland, amongst others, would profit greatly from this brain drain. Despite this the university continued to excel in disciplines like theology with [[Johannes Molanus]] and classical studies with [[Justus Lipsius]].

===18th and 19th centuries===
[[File:Leuven, Belgium (ca. 1890-1900).jpg|thumb|View over Leuven, late 19th century]]

In the 18th century, the brewery Den Horn (meaning "the horn") flourished. In 1708, Sebastien Artois became the master brewer at Den Horn, and gave his name to the brewery in 1717, now part of [[AB InBev]], whose flagship beer, [[Stella Artois]], is brewed in Leuven and sold in many countries.

Leuven developed considerably during the 19th century. Dozens of squares were created, including the Sint-Jacobsplein, the Volksplaats (today's [[Ladeuzeplein]]) and the Statieplein (today's Martelarenplein).{{sfn|Van Even|1895|p=97}} From 1835, the streets of the city were lit with gas.{{sfn|Van Even|1895|p=96}} The Voer stream was vaulted, the channels occupying the middle of the streets were removed, a number of narrow streets were widened or simply destroyed and a considerable number of sewers were installed. The municipal theatre and the main post office were built, respectively in 1866 and between 1893 and 1895.{{sfn|Diriken|2006|p=24}} It was also at this time that the central prison was built.

===20th century===

====World War I====
{{Further|The Rape of Belgium#War crimes}}
{{Main|Sack of Louvain}}
[[File:Interior of the Famous Library at Louvain destroyed during World War I.jpg|left|thumb|The ruins of the [[Catholic University of Leuven (1834–1968)|Catholic University of Leuven]]'s [[Academic libraries in Leuven|library]] after it was burned by the German army in 1914]]
Leuven has several times been besieged or occupied by foreign armies; these include the [[Battle of Leuven (891)]], the [[Siege of Leuven]] (1635) and the [[Battle of Leuven (1831)]]. In the 20th century, both world wars inflicted major damage upon the city. Upon Germany's entry into [[World War I]], the town was heavily damaged by rampaging soldiers.<ref>[[Michael S. Neiberg]], ''Fighting the Great War: A Global History'', Harvard University Press, 2005. p. 15.</ref> In all, about 300 civilians died.<ref name="eb12">{{Cite EB1922|wstitle=Louvain}}</ref> [[University Hall, Leuven|The university library]] was [[List of destroyed libraries|destroyed]] on 25 August 1914, using petrol and incendiary pastilles.{{sfn|Kramer|2007|p=6, 8}} Approximately 230,000 volumes were lost in the destruction, including [[Gothic art|Gothic]] and [[Renaissance]] manuscripts, a collection of 750 medieval manuscripts, and more than 1,000 [[incunabula]] (books printed before 1501).<ref>Knuth 2006, p. 164.</ref>{{sfn|Williams|2018|p=38}} The German atrocities and the cultural destruction caused worldwide outrage.{{sfn|Charney|2010|p=122}}{{sfn|Williams|2018|p=41}} The burning of the city was done as a reprisal, which at the time was legal under international law, as the Germans alleged that Belgian civilians had taken part in the fighting and killed German troops.<ref>{{cite book |title= International Law: A Treatise, vol.2, Disputes, War and Neutrality |last= McNair|first= Arnold D. |year=1926 |publisher=Longmans, Green and Co.}}</ref><ref name="McNair">{{cite journal |last= Vance |first= Jonathan F. |title= Men in Manacles: The Shackling of Prisoners of War |journal= The Journal of Military History |date= July 1995 |doi= 10.2307/2944619 |jstor= 2944619 |url= https://www.jstor.org/stable/2944619 |access-date= 18 July 2021 |archive-date= 9 August 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210809133917/https://www.jstor.org/stable/2944619 |url-status= live }}</ref> The old library building was rebuilt after the war, and much of the collection was replaced. A new, dedicated Central Library was built on the square now known as [[Ladeuzeplein]]; it was officially opened on 4 July 1928.<ref>[http://www.kuleuven.be/international/news/historiker/Mark-Derez.pdf ''The burning of the library of Leuven and the international response''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103131847/http://www.kuleuven.be/international/news/historiker/Mark-Derez.pdf |date=3 November 2013 }}, Mark Derez, 2012, University Archives KU Leuven (pp. 9–12)</ref>

====World War II====
In World War II, after the start of the [[Case Yellow|German offensive]], Leuven formed part of the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]]'s front line and was defended by units of the [[3rd Division (United Kingdom)|3rd Division]] and Belgian troops. From 14 to 16 May 1940, the German [[Army Group B]] assaulted the city with heavy air and artillery support. The British withdrew their forces to the [[River Senne]] on the night of 16 May and the town was occupied the next day.<ref>*Ellis, L. F. (1954) [http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/UK-NWE-Flanders/UK-NWE-Flanders-4.html The War in France and Flanders 1939–1940] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130521205612/http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/UK-NWE-Flanders/UK-NWE-Flanders-4.html |date=21 May 2013 }}. J. R. M. Butler (ed.). HMSO. London (p. 62)</ref> The new university library building was set on fire by shelling, on 16 May, and nearly a million books were lost.<ref>Derez p. 13</ref>