Everard 't Serclaes
Encyclopedia
Ternat
Ternat is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality comprises the villages of Sint-Katherina-Lombeek, Ternat proper and Wambeek. On January 1, 2006 Ternat had a total population of 14,625. The total area is 24.48 km² which gives a population density of 597...
), a citizen of Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, was made famous by his recovery of that city from the Flemish.
At the death of John III of Brabant on 5 December 1355, his daughter Joanna
Joanna, Duchess of Brabant
Joanna, Duchess of Brabant , also known as Jeanne, was the heiress of Duke John III, who died in Brussels, December 5, 1355. Her mother was Marie d'Évreux.- Family :...
and her husband, Wenceslaus, succeeded to the Brabantine throne, but this was disputed by the count of Flanders
Count of Flanders
The Count of Flanders was the ruler or sub-ruler of the county of Flanders from the 9th century until the abolition of the position by the French revolutionaries in 1790....
, Louis de Male
Louis II of Flanders
Louis II of Flanders , also Louis III of Artois and Louis I of Palatine Burgundy, known as Louis of Male, was the son of Louis I of Flanders and Margaret I of Burgundy, and Count of Flanders.On his father's death at the Battle of Crécy in 1346, he inherited the counties of Flanders, Nevers, and...
. Louis invaded Brabant and quickly seized Brussels. During the night of 24 October 1356, Everard scaled the city walls at the head of a group of patriots and drove the Flemings from the city. This enabled Joanna and Wenceslaus to make their Joyous Entry
Joyous Entry of 1356
The Joyous Entry of 1356 into Brussels is the charter of liberties granted to the Duchy of Brabant following the death in 1355 of Duke John III, by his daughter Joanna, the new Duchess, and her husband Wenceslaus, Duke of Luxembourg...
into the city.
Everard was later made schepen
Schepen
A schepen is a Dutch word referring to a municipal civic office in Dutch-speaking countries. The term is still in use in Belgium, but it has been replaced by wethouder in the Netherlands. The closest English terms are alderman, member of the municipal executive, councillor and magistrate,...
(alderman) of the city five times. He was assassinated for having defended the city's rights against the lord of Gaasbeek. Everard is commemorated by a monument carved by artist Julien Dillens
Julien Dillens
Julien Dillens was a Belgian sculptor born in Antwerp, the son of the painter Hendrick Joseph Dillens.Dillens studied under Eugène Simonis at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts. In 1877 he received the Prix de Rome for A Gaulish Chief taken Prisoner by the Romans...
(1849–1904). The monument is located on Charles Buls street, just off the Grand Place
Grand Place
The Grand Place or Grote Markt is the central square of Brussels. It is surrounded by guildhalls, the city's Town Hall, and the Breadhouse . The square is the most important tourist destination and most memorable landmark in Brussels, along with the Atomium and Manneken Pis...
.
It is said among locals that the statue of Everard 't Serclaes brings luck and grants the wishes of all who touch it. Many tourists touch (or rather rub) the statue, and this constant polishing keeps the body depicted in the statue in a shining color compared to the rest of the sculpture. Other parts are also touched frequently by the tourists such as the face of an angel, a dog, and one of the shields.