Answer

“Flanders” as a nation is a creation of the Flemish Movement. Whilst nations such as Poland, Ireland, Croatia or Hungary had experienced independence in the past (and were incorporated in a larger empire in the nineteenth century), a political entity encompassing contemporary Flanders never existed historically. The only political community which was to a greater or lesser degree self-governing until its annexation by France in 1795, were the Southern Netherlands. This was a confederation of small principalities, the most important of which were the County of Flanders and the Duchy of Brabant. Flemish activists of the generation of Hendrik Conscience were convinced Belgian patriots who were preoccupied with the future of the new state. By speaking and writing about ´the Flemish people´ they intended to add more substance to the term ´Belgium´, ensuring that the singularity of ´Belgian´ culture stood out more clearly. ´The Flemish people´ was a novel notion, born from enthusiasm for the Belgian fatherland.

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