outbreak of the
Netherland revolt, 1568 (see NETHERLANDS).

In the course of the eighty years' war of independence the province of
Brabant became separated into two portions. In the southern and larger
part Spanish rule was maintained, and Brussels continued to be the seat
of government. The northern (smaller) part was conquered by the Dutch
under Maurice and Frederick Henry of Orange. The latter captured 's
Hertogenbosch (1629), Maastricht (1632) and Breda (1637). At the peace
of Munster this portion, which now forms the Dutch province of North
Brabant, was ceded by Philip IV. to the United Provinces and was known
as Generality Land, and placed under the direct government of the
states-general. The southern portion, now divided into the provinces of
Antwerp and South Brabant, remained under the rule of the Spanish
Habsburgs until the death of Charles II., the last of his race in 1700.
After the War of the Spanish Succession the southern Netherlands passed
by the treaty of Utrecht (1713) to the Austrian branch of the Habsburgs.
During the whole period of Austrian rule the province of Brabant
succeeded in maintaining, to a very large extent unimpaired, the
immunities and privileges to which it was entitled under the provisions
of its ancient charter of liberty, the Joyous Entry. An ill-judged
attempt by the emperor Joseph II., in his zeal for reform, to infringe
these inherited rights stirred up the people under the leadership of
Henry van der Noot to armed resistance in the Brabancon revolt of
1789-1790.

Since the French conquest of 1794 the history of Brabant is merged in
that of Belgium (q.v.). The revolt against Dutch rule in 1830 broke out
at Brussels and was in its initial stages largely a Brabancon movement.
The important part played by Brabant at this crisis of the history of
the southern Netherlands was marked in 1831 by the adoption of the
ancient Brabancon colours to form the national flag, and of the lion of
Brabant as the armorial bearings of Belgium. The title of duke of
Brabant has been revived as the style of the eldest son of the king of
the Belgians. (G. E.)

BRABANT, the central and metropolitan province of Belgium, is formed out
of part of the ancient duchy. From 1815 to 1830, that is to say, during
the existence of the kingdom of the Netherlands, Belgian Brabant was
distinguished from Dutch by the employment of the geographical terms
South and North. The surface of Brabant is undulating