Bosschaerts Persyn genealogical research: Bosschaerts - Persyn Genealogy

Bosschaerts - Persyn Genealogy - Historical notes

What happened in 1566 in Flanders?

It is rather mysterious why something happened. Why moved somebody to Hamburg in Germany, when he lived so peacefully in Antwerp? Why built somebody a stronghold in its backyard? Insight in history is often essential to make a good genealogical research. It is impossible to describe the destruction of everything that was beautiful in and around the churches and cathedrals of the Netherlands and Belgium. I advise the interested reader to consult some of the works of the many eminent authors of this subject e.g.: ‘Antwerp in the Age of Plantin and Brueghel’ by John J. Murray. On 20 August 1566 Iconoclasm reached Antwerp. It had already started on the 14th at Poperinghe where many Bosschaerts lived at that time and from there it gradually spread to Antwerp. It was an enormous intervention for the social life. The waves of iconoclasm continued to engulf Belgian society until 23 August 1566 when the Prince of Orange calmed and stilled these waves and stemmed the tide by restoring order and by allowing the preaching of Protestant Christian teaching. Thus ended the indirect unrest.
One year later, almost to the day on 22 August 1567, the Duke of Alva, the new Vice-Regent of his Majesty King Philip II of Spain, whose domains in the Netherlands were his own private property, rode into Brussels.
Alva crippled the economy of Antwerp with his levy of the 10% tax, the notorious ‘10th Penning’, which had the effect of driving from the City all the merchants, catholic as well as Protestant, native and foreign. In September of that year, Anthony van Staelen, the Lord Mayor of Antwerp, was arrested, all his property confiscated and he himself, a faithful son of the Church who loathed the Inquisition, was tortured and finally cruelly executed.
Van Straelen had used all his influence in his efforts to stop the spread of the iconoclastic destruction in his City and he had shielded the Dominicans from the bloodthirsty mob, yet, none of these things made any impression on the 'Iron Duke' who has often been described by his contemporaries as a man completely devoid of any emotion.
Alva and the Inquisition began a reign of terror in the Netherlands. He began to construct a huge castle in Antwerp, pressing 2.000 workmen into service an levying an extra tax on the City of 400.000 Florins to pay for its construction (a sum of money approximating the total cost of all the losses Antwerp had incurred during the iconoclastic rebellion).
Alva abolished the judicial system of the City and delayed the promulgation of King Philip's general Pardon so as to give himself more time to extract more money from the citizens.
Alva was succeeded on 17 November 1573 by Requessens who restored the Judiciary. Requessens died on 5 March 1576 and because the troops had not been paid for some time, due to King Philip's avarice on 4 November 1576, 5.500 Spanish troops fell upon Antwerp and looted, raped and burned at will. This action is often referred to by historians as the 'Spanish Fury'. People who could not pay the soldiers were often hanged and tortured and to this day it is impossible to assess the number of people killed, raped or held to ransom.
For as far as we can ascertain, some 8.000 people were killed. For many weeks Antwerp resembled one vest den of vice with troops gambling away their ill gotten gains in the Boarse. Eventually after many weeks, the Spanish troops left the City and the enraged citizens promptly demolished the Castle.
In 1583 Antwerp became the prey of yet another 'Fury', this time the 'French Fury'. Almost 1.500 Frenchmen were killed, but the citizens had learned their lesson. This time only 80 citizens were killed in the fray.
From 1583 to 1585 Marnix of Saint Aldegonde was Lord Mayor of Antwerp and he was also in charge of the defense of Antwerp. However the Duke of Parma, Alexander Farnese, a nephew of King Philip, besieged Antwerp and took it on 17 August 1585. He gave all the Protestants four years in order to leave the City. This resulted that the most able and most talented citizens left and that the commerce was virtually destroyed. Moreover Antwerp became a blockade, which was reinforced subsequently by a treaty.
It is against this background that our ancestors felt it necessary to leave for safer and more profitable shores.
For example, Ambrosius III Bosschaert was baptized on 16 November 1573 during the change of Vice-regal government and his family must have left Antwerp soon after the arrival of Requessens. Many Bosschaerts who were either monks or nuns left Belgium for the Northern Netherlands, where some received pensions and others took up teaching or preaching. The Bosschaerts usually took their religion very seriously and the family tree has produced much ecclesiastical fruit.

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