Editing Ingelmunster (section)

===Religious conflict===
[[Image:Ingelmunster Kasteel 10.JPG|thumb|left|{{center|The castle of Ingelmunster}}]]
During the religious wars of the 16th century, Ingelmunster became the victim of both warring parties. In August 1566, the [[Beeldenstorm]]ers passed by the village and pillaged and destroyed the church. The church was rebuilt with a tower in its center. In 1739, that tower would be torn down and a new one rebuilt in front of the church. The new tower remains standing to this day.

In 1580, Ingelmunster became the battlefield of a clash between the French [[Huguenots]], under [[François de la Noue]], and the Spanish occupying the castle. The village was destroyed, but de la Noue was arrested and sent to the Spanish lord [[Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma and Piacenza]]. In 1878, a large tapestry was woven in the local factories in commemoration of "The Battle of Ingelmunster, 1580." This tapestry currently hangs on the wall of the Town Hall.

The extensive fighting in [[France]] and the [[Southern Netherlands]] exhausted the French crown's money. [[Paris]] was barely able to pay its German colonels. The fiefdom of Ingelmunster-Vijve-Dendermonde was given as pay to the colonels. Otto [[von Plotho]], a German colonel serving in the French army, purchased the fiefdom in 1583. In doing so, he satisfied the needs of his superiors and also accumulated significant wealth for himself.

Otto von Plotho assigned to his [[bailiff]], François de Cabootere, the mission to organize his Flemish regions and to create legislative order. Ingelmunster became the center of the region and the administration there had absolute power. Even the executions in the region were carried out in Ingelmunster. In 1789, the last execution was carried out and the body was put on display in the field behind the café called "'t Leestje".

Fifteen generations of lords owned the fiefdom and ruled it, with variable luck. However, after 400 years, the wealth was exhausted and the last remnants of the old fiefdom, the park and castle, were sold in 1986 to the two brothers Vanhonsebrouck.

The 17th century was a troublesome time for the region. Many skirmishes and conflicts between the English, French, and Spanish soldiers made life in the village of Ingelmunster trying. In 1695, the castle and the village were again completely razed. Only 1050 inhabitants survived to the turn of the century. In that time, France had extended its control to the village border with [[Emelgem]].