Oudenaarde

From my mother's side, it's all West Flanders.

From my father's side, it's all around Oudenaarde.

And it's really like the gateway, like everything is flat from here to Russia.

My dad used to say, if the wind comes from the east, you know, like it comes straight from Moscow.

Initially in 2016 or like 2015, we started a beer firm.

called Peter de Vos, that I founded with my older brother, Karel, and one of my youth time friends, Emmanuel Peter.

And so his grandfather was one of three brothers in the city of Oudenaarde that were the last brewers of Petre de Vos, which was one of these beautiful old monumental breweries that you can compare to Liefmans.

They made similar products.

Artevelde, on the other hand, sought the support of England, and it was so manifestly the interest of England to avail itself of Flemish sympathy against France that the success of his application might almost have been supposed a matter of course.

The English council, however, were lukewarm and dilatory, and while Philip van Artevelde was besieging Oudenaarde, he found himself obliged to turn aside and give battle to the French, unaided by any but his own countrymen.

In 1382 the Flemings, though strong in numbers, were deficient in cavalry, and were defeated by the French in three several engagements, in the last of which, the Battle of Roosebeck, van Artevelde was slain.

So great a triumph to France, so complete an overthrow to allies like the Flemings, created serious alarm in England for the safety of Calais.

With an expedition that was of happy omen, the matter was begun and closed within the compass of a single year.

Brilliant as was the lustre and real as was the importance of Blenheim and Romilly's, Oudenaarde and Malplaquet, those glorious days were infinitely less fruitful in fortunate consequences to the realm than the sixth day of March 1707, when Queen Anne went down to the House of Lords and gave the royal assent to the act approving and ratifying the Treaty of Union between the two kingdoms henceforth to be known as Great Britain.

The immediate consequences of the measure were not favourable to the ministers who carried it.

The union involved the admission of Presbyterians to Parliament, and this strengthened the cry, which was so loud during the first fifteen years of the century, that the Church was in danger.

The troops were fired by his spirit, and before their vigorous attack the enemy gave way.

The Danish and the Dutch troops charged at the same time, and the French were driven back round Ramillies, whilst the Allies gained the height of Oudenarde.

The day was lost.

But Villeroy and the Elector still hoped to make a stand at Orphee.

They reached Lessines in time to see the French army appearing just too late upon the heights.

Marlborough had thus managed to place himself between them and their own frontier.

They withdrew disappointed to cross the Scheldt at Gavres, and shelter themselves in a strong position behind the river as they were obliged to give up hopes of investing Oudenarde.

Marlborough's next plan was to cross the Scheldt a little higher up than the French, to place himself between them and Oudenarde, and if possible force them to give battle.

Artevelde, on the other hand, sought the support of England, and it was so manifestly the interest of England to avail itself of Flemish sympathy against France, that the success of his application might almost have been supposed a matter of course.

The English Council, however, were lukewarm and dilatory, and while Philip van Artevelde was besieging Oudenaarde, he found himself obliged to turn aside and give battle to the French, unaided by any but his own countrymen.

In 1382 the Flemings, though strong in numbers, were deficient in cavalry, and were defeated by the French in three several engagements, in the last of which, the battle of Roosebeke, van Artevelde was slain.

So great a triumph to France, so complete an overthrow to allies like the Flemings, created serious alarm in England for the safety of Calais.

Artevelde, on the other hand, sought the support of England, and it was so manifestly the interest of England to avail itself of Flemish sympathy against France that the success of his application might almost have been supposed a matter of course.

The English Council, however, were lukewarm and dilatory, and while Philip van Artevelde was besieging Oudenaarde, he found himself obliged to turn aside and give battle to the French, unaided by any but his own countrymen.

In 1382 the Flemings, though strong in numbers, were deficient in cavalry, and were defeated by the French in three several engagements, in the last of which, the Battle of Roosebeck, van Artevelde was slain.

So great a triumph to France, so complete an overthrow to allies like the Flemings, created serious alarm in England for the safety of Calais.

Section 1.

Oudenaarde and Lille.

The discontent felt in England against the war and the fact that the bonds which held the alliance together seemed to be growing loose convinced Marlborough that this year, 1708, a blow must be struck.

He reports that the burgomaster of Amsterdam, who had hitherto been in favor of the war, had warned him that the Dutch were turning toward the idea of making for themselves a separate peace.

Bruges and Ghent opened their gates to French troops.

There was disaffection among the soldiers at Antwerp, but Marlborough, having received information of it, was able to prevent any outbreak.

The next place which the French attempted to secure was Oudenaarde, a strong fortress on the Scheldt.

It was important to them on account of its position, standing between Brabant and their own frontier.

Yeah, I think it was a big step in my career because before to be here in Europe, uh, I was in the track, and I got a team in Mexico where the name is Pato Bike, that now is a f- a female team, and they helped me to be here in Europe the first year in Belgium.

I was living in Oudenaarde, where the, where the cycling, uh, lives.

I don't know.

I think, uh, Flanders, you know?

It was just an amazing experience, and I hope to ne- to be, uh, next year there also.

And yeah, we will see.

So you first came to Oudenaarde, um, and then where, which other places in Europe have you lived since then?

Uh, after Belgium, uh, the first year I lived in Oudenaarde.

Artevelde, on the other hand, sought the support of England, and it was so manifestly the interest of England to avail itself of Flemish sympathy against France, that the success of his application might almost have been supposed a matter of course.

The English council, however, were lukewarm and dilatory, and while Philip van Artevelde was besieging Oudenaarde, he found himself obliged to turn aside and give battle to the French, unaided by any but his own countrymen.

In 1382, the Flemings, though strong in numbers, were deficient in cavalry, and were defeated by the French in three several engagements, in the last of which, the Battle of Roosebeck, van Artevelde was slain.

So great a triumph to France, so complete an overthrow to allies like the Flemings, created serious alarm in England for the safety of Calais.