Editing Sint-Niklaas (section)

===14th to 17th century===

The city was never walled, which made it an easy target for conquest. In 1381, it was engulfed by fire and plundered. However, the central location of Sint-Niklaas between [[Ghent]] and [[Antwerp]], not far from the [[Scheldt]], favoured further development. By 1513, [[Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Maximilian]] had granted the city the right to hold a weekly market. Around 1580, the church of Saint Nicholas suffered heavy damage from roving [[Iconoclasm|iconoclasts]]. The 17th century was generally a period of prosperity that was marked by economic growth, mostly in the flax and wool industries. This was also the time when Sint-Niklaas was endowed with administrative buildings and three cloistered communities ([[Oratory of Saint Philip Neri|Oratorians]], [[Franciscan]]s, and [[Nun|Black Sisters]]), which provided educational, religious, and medical services to the region. On 25 May 1690 another fire destroyed most of the city. During this period the famous Spanish noble family Sanchez de Castro y Toledo resided in Sint-Niklaas.<ref>Recuerdos españoles en Flandes, Volume 3</ref>