Editing Nivelles (section)

===13th century to 1830===
In the 13th century, the city that grew around the church became part of the [[Duchy of Brabant]]. The population was mainly artisans and [[guild]] members, who did not hesitate to fight the abbesses and the dukes to obtain their rights. These rights were finally granted by [[Joanna, Duchess of Brabant]] in the 14th century. In 1647, an important uprising by the thread manufacturers resulted in many of the city's entrepreneurs leaving for France, leading to the city's economic decline. The wars of the 17th century between France and the [[Spanish Netherlands]] made the situation worse as Nivelles went through successive sieges and military occupations. The [[Austrian Netherlands|Austrian]] and [[French First Republic|French]] regimes of the 18th century brought religious and administrative reforms to the city.