Nobility and its impact on the land reforms in Gheel

Special thanks to Mr. Willockx, a specialist in history and nobility

Contents

• Saint Dymphna

• The Merodes of Westerlo

• The Belgian independence

• The impact of nobility on the

cultivation of farmground in Gheel

Saint Dymphna

• Her story

• Mental care in Gheel

The legend of Saint Dymphna

• 7th century• Forced to marry her father, the

king• Fled to Gheel• Beheaded• Became the patron saint of the

mentally ill

Mental care in Gheel

• Host families

• Importance

• City of the kind-hearted

The Merode family

• The castle

• Jan de Merode III

• Jean-Philippe-Eugène de Merode

The castle

• First castle 13th century

• Second castle 20th century

Jan de Merode III

• 16th century

• Established the first mental home

• Tombstone

Jean-Philippe-Eugène de Merode

• 18th century

• Military career

• agriculture

The Belgian independence 1830

• United Kingdom of the Netherlands• 4 Merode brothers: • Frederik• Felix• Werner• Henri

Frederik de Merode

• Active participation in riots

• Lost his leg

• “I fought for the freedom of my

country, but I have no further

ambitions”

Felix de Merode

• interim government• National congress• Member of the

delegation that searched for the king

Werner de Merode

• Member of national congress• Member of parliament• Related to the principality of Monaco

Henri de Merode

• Highly-honored guest

• Writer

• Senator

The impact of nobility on the cultivation of farmground in Gheel

• Baron Karel Coppens

• King Leopold I

Baron Karel Coppens

• Member of national congress

• Special interest in agriculture

• Learned about Gheel through his friendship

with the Merodes

• Started the cultivation of Ten Aard

King Leopold I

• The first king of belgium

• Interested in the Kempen

• Bought the royal pavillion

• Built farms on his royal domain

The Royal Pavillion