Blommerschot
Encyclopedia
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
of Blommerschot is located in the southeast of Oostmalle
Oostmalle
Oostmalle is a village which is located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The village itself is part of the municipality of Malle.Oostmalle was an independent municipality until 1976. It has a surface area of 28.27 km² and in 2004 had 6,510 inhabitants....
in the Campine
Campine
The Campine is a natural region situated chiefly in north-eastern Belgium and parts of the south-western Netherlands which once consisted mainly of extensive moors, tracts of sandy heath, and wetlands...
region of Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
, Belgium. Blommerschot was already mentioned in 1300 as Eene oude Ridderlyck hof (E: a noble court
Noble court
The court of a monarch, or at some periods an important nobleman, is a term for the extended household and all those who regularly attended on the ruler or central figure...
), and possibly dates back from a Frankish
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
settlement. In the 17th century it was owned by Johan de Proost, Lord of Wechel
Lord
Lord is a title with various meanings. It can denote a prince or a feudal superior . The title today is mostly used in connection with the peerage of the United Kingdom or its predecessor countries, although some users of the title do not themselves hold peerages, and use it 'by courtesy'...
, who obtained the feudal rights of the Land of Turnhout (Wechelderzande-Vlimmeren, Lille, Gierle, Beerse-Vosselaar) from Philip IV Duke of Brabant
Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV was King of Spain between 1621 and 1665, sovereign of the Spanish Netherlands, and King of Portugal until 1640...
in 1626.
In the forests of Blommerschot stands a former hunting pavilion (Castle of Blommerschot), and a Chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes
Our Lady of Lourdes
Our Lady of Lourdes is the name used to refer to the Marian apparition said to have appeared before various individuals on separate occasions around Lourdes, France...
(1900). The Cross of Blommerschot, located at Pulderbos
Zandhoven
Zandhoven is a municipality in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises the towns of Massenhoven, Pulderbos, Pulle, Viersel and Zandhoven proper. On January 1, 2006, Zandhoven had a population of 12,286...
, commemorates Léon Nève de Mévergnies (La Hulpe
La Hulpe
La Hulpe is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. On January 1, 2006 La Hulpe had a total population of 7,224...
, 20 July 1848–Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
, 26 January 1934).