Brabant

Brabant is a historic region in Western Europe in modern southern Netherlands and northern Belgium. It was settled by Franks in the 5th century, became part of Lotharingia in the 9th century, and then of Lower Lorraine after 959. After the break-up of Lower Lorraine, Brabant became an independent feudal duchy until, by a complicated line of inheritance, it passed to Philip III the Good of Burgundy in 1430. By marriage and inheritance, it passed to the Hapsburgs in 1477, and specifically to the Hapsburg King Philip II of Spain in 1556. In the Eighty Years War, 1568-1648, The Netherlands won independence from Spain and took the northern portion of Brabant, which became the two Dutch provinces of Noord-Brabant. The southern portion remained under Spain until the Treaty of Utrecht gave it to the Austrian Hapsburgs in 1713. Eventually after much struggle, the southern portion became part of Belgium and was split into two provinces, Brabant Wallon and Vlaams-Brabant. The flag of modern Belgium uses the colors of Brabant - yellow, black, and red.