L’abbaye et la naissance d’une ville

Le cas de Nivelles des origines à la fin du XIIe siècle

Samenvatting

A Study of the Medieval Town of Nivelles: From Inception until the End of the Twelfth Century)

In this paper, we examine the role played by an ecclesiastical institution in the birth of a medieval town. Our choice fell on Nivelles. Our study extends from the mid-seventh century, when the abbey was founded, to the late twelfth century when Nivelles was officially recognized as a city. The following aspects are analyzed: the abbey as a place of high population density, as a place of agricultural production and handicraft, as place of (market) exchange, as a place of protection, and finally as a seat of power.