POTTER United Families

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© Nicolas de Potter d’Indoye, Brussels, 2020
Print on demand and eBooks published by
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Information & orders: www.potter.c.la
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FAMILIES FOREST REBELS
<< “Black sheeps” are path finders for families’ constellations.
Members of a fraternity, braking traditions. Those who, since childhood,
question beliefs and standards. Rebels, criticized, judged and
rejected by the clan. However, they feel a vacuum and fill it with love.
They are trend-setters, whistleblowers, releasing the group from
mistake or re-enacted stories, which frustrated entire generations.
Those modern strangers, against all conservative odds, shout their
rebellion towards the brotherhood and play a crucial role in each
bloodline. They repair, detoxify, uncover new roots, tree blossoms,
and reach out to DNA, show the beauty of united families.
Thanks to them, forests regenerate. Their thinking outside the box,
with a fresh approach, is fertile ground, nourishing. Their
stubbornness creates new tracks, their passion is the fire that
rekindles, in modern patterns, the hearts of the ancestors and reconnect
them to modern times.
Repressed desires, unrealized dreams, frustrated talents, murders of
ancestors, are manifested in the resistance of these disturbers. They
are pure souls, trying to be useful to all. The inertia of traditions
maintained a negative growth. Our brave “Robin Woods” empower
families with a new positive environment.
The human genome acid test is moving our hearts… Who would
bring new seeds and flowers to our plants, if not the Families Rebels?
Who would stretch out new leafs, build new ties, across ancient souls?
Without them, the hopes of previous generations, for next children
moving up, would be buried under rotting roots.
Heritage angels help with transmitted impairment and rarity of love.
Like a distant mirror in the sky, they inspire the beauty of peace.
Trillions of tears and smiles fall on you like sky dust, from the ancient
times, to nourish your tender re-united young spirits! >>

Based on the text of Bert Hellinger, genealogic therapy expert.
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LINEAGES POTTER(E)
Some of the allied families:
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Profound Respect to Her Royal Highness
MATHILDE
Gracious Queen of Belgium
of millennial ancestors UDEKEM d’ACOZ, beloved Belgian braves.
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Profound Respect to Her Royal Highness
ELISABETH
Gracious Princess of Belgium
of millennial ancestors UDEKEM d’ACOZ, beloved Belgian braves.
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Laugh with respect. Smile with love. Gather sensible people and kids.
Take advantage of criticism in good faith. Let go unfriending friends.
Appreciate others’ beauty. Leave good things behind: healthy child,
clean nature, humans breathing better. Because you passed here.
That's what I call: “a successful life”!
Ralph W. Emerson
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THANKS
To my beloved kids Aymar, Eleonor + , Olivia, Magali, Youri, Dorsan
de POTTER d’INDOYE, my family André, Amaury, Christophe,
Guillaume, Pierre, Stéphane, Marie-Claire de POTTER d'INDOYE,
the late honorable Dame Henri de POTTER d’INDOYE, born
Princess Elisabeth de MERODE, Suzanne, Ingrid Gaby, Gérald,
Miguel, Diego de POTTER, Jean de POTTER de ten BROECK,
Eric de POTTER de ZINZERLING, Fernand de POTTER de
DROOGENWALLE, Yvonne de POTTER said d’ELSEGHEM,
Denis, Serge, Christian, Peter-Frank, Sven, Vincent, Patrick, Hugo,
Etjen, Filippe, Dorothée DE POTTER, the POTTER Association,
cousins Dame Nicole d’UDEKEM d’ACOZ, Nicolas de
GHELLINCK d’ELSEGHEM, Véronique, Béatrice, Geneviève,
Isabelle, François van CALOEN, Alain van HILLE...
Cousin Henri BRUSSIN, Oxford professor Derrick GOSSELIN,
Pieter DONCHE, Heraldic College, Flemish Genealogy Board,
Dame Françoise de CASAUBON, Annick MALARD, DNA-experts
Wim PENNINX and Astrid KRAHN, Danielle de LAMINNE de
BEX, Arnaud WATELET.
For a Lophem Castle meeting, prof. Paul JANSSENS, former chairman
Nobility council of the Kingdom of Belgium, Cleveland MOFFETT,
ex-editor of The Bulletin Magazine and Noël VANDE PUTTE.
For their ad-hoc help, to baroness Els WITTE, Pierre-Paul DE
BEIR, Jo STEVERLINCK, Dominique RODENBACH, Paul DE
CLERCK, family of Louis de Potter’s aunt; Sebastiaan De RAEDT,
Laurent INGHELBRECHTS, Jos MEVENSEN, volunteers in
West-Flanders; Charles SCHOUW and Adrie RAADERSMA (NL);
Heads of Royal Archives Chris VANDE WALLE (Dixmude), Eric
DEVOS (Renaix), Maurice VANDERMAESEN (Bruges), Michiel
MESTDAGH (Tourhout); to Patrick ARNOU, Mayor of Zedelgem-
Loppem, Karl VANDENBROECK (Bozar).
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All my gratitude, for their genuine genealogy help, to the families van
CALOEN de BASSEGHEM, COPPIETERS t’WALLANT, de
GHELLINCK d’ELSEGHEM, van OUTRYVE d’YDEWALLE,
van POTTELSBERGHE de la POTTERIE, de SCHIETERE de
LOPHEM and, last but not least, d’UDEKEM d’ACOZ.
Private Nicolas de POTTER d’INDOYE, Esq.
Res. Lt Col., Cmdr Crown Order, hon. Advisor to the president of the
High Assembly of Canada, hon. Secretary General of the Euroregion
Team member Pieter Donche, genealogy expert, with Nic de Potter, in Renaix.
Pieter is not a book patron but made it possible with his immense work in Bruges.
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Why is it complex to be happy? You think...
The Past was better than it really was,
the Present, worse than it actually is,
the Future, harder than it will be!
Marcel Pagnol
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POTTER’s Street
Origin of a Name 17
Family Origins 23
Karel & Lodewyck de Potter 61
Potter Family Forest 83
French Pottier ‘s 87
British Potter ‘s 95
Dutch Potter ‘s 103
Jan de Potter 123
Louis de Potter 155
Armand de Potter 341
Frans De Potter 353
Jean de Potter 369
Nicolas de Potter 393
Making Of 397
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FOREWORD
I have known Esquire Nicolas de Potter d’Indoye, for more than 30 years.
Driven by a passion for family history and excellence, Nicolas started
to tell me about his dream, his opus magnum, more than 20 years ago.
What an adventure, what an accomplishment, what an effort and
dedication! A journey which generations will remember for sure.
Nicolas told me it all started around the emblematic year 2000 when
Cleveland Moffett, former editor of The Bulletin Magazine, suggested
to write a families book during a visit to the Castle of Lophem.
This visit was actually an important moment, even paramount to this
project, as it was built by the family of Belgium’s first Prime Minister,
Louis de Potter, Nicolas’ distant family member. This visit triggered
this broad historical sociological research and deep family genealogy
search. A journey of 20 years started with this single visit, with a distant
family mirror. Many steps would follow before this quest would reach
its destiny in 2020.
This book is a unique combination of history, sociology and
genealogy research, over nearly 1000 years. Hence it provides a
unique perspective as it is built around fascinating adventures of
various sociologically different families “de Potter”, reinforced by
extensive archives and library research, with the help of a team of
academic researchers. In combining disciplines around sociologically
different family names “de Potter”, Nicolas depicts how social
mobility evolved in Flanders and Belgium over nearly a millennium.
This resulted in a fine portrait of the “Belgian - Low Countries -
Flanders” society, reflected by different (de) Potter families, over a
time span between the years 1000 and 2000. Such a wide range
explains why it took Nicolas 20 years of study.
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Wars, revolutions, religious banishments make primary historical
records and sources scarce, especially in West-Flanders... However,
nothing stopped Nicolas. During so many years he worked hard on
this societal contribution, describing unpublished true stories.
They are well supported by numerous sources, here and on his
website, also pleasant to read, through the use of a modern language,
illustrated with many quality images.
We consider it a privilege to recommend this book and sign this
preface alike. We hope that the historical contribution of Nicolas will
be well received, recognized and studied by people who love history,
in its broader sociological context, as much as we do; and that others
will be stimulated to further contribute to the innovative approach
and knowledge inspired by the example of my friend Nicolas.
Derrick Philippe GOSSELIN,
Former Chief of Cabinet,
Minister-president of Flanders,
Fellow Royal Academy of Belgium,
Consul of France in Belgium (Bruges).
With genuine support of:
Paul BREYNE, OBE, Honorary Governor of West Flanders,
Lies LARIDON, Major of Dixmude, Councilor of West-Flanders
Hilde CREVITS, Flanders Minister of Education, Kingdom of Belgium.
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Origin of a name
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In early days, names were assigned in function of (1) a [saint’s] first
name, often used as “patronym”, (2) a geographic place e.g. village or
city, (3) in function of a characteristic such as physical appearance,
style or temper, (4) in function of demographic origin e.g.
“Hollander” or “Lefrançois”, (5) in function of a profession (see
below) or... combinations of the above!
Spelling of names was not so important in the past. Families who
were lucky to have their (first) name written down were the happy few.
There were less inhabitants and craftsmen in villages. Few people had
the same name or profession. Notaries, priests and civil servants were
not as accurate as today. The name “Potter” was transcribed
“Pottere” or “Potters” (Pottersoone, son of…; ‘s Potters, family of ...) or
Pottre (BE), Pottes (BE/FR), Pottier (BE), Pottiez (BE), Pottère
(FR), Pötter (DE), Poterus (NL), Potier (FR), Pooter (BE), Poortere
(BE), plus variants “le Pottere” (BE/FR/UK), “le Potier” (FR), “de
Pottier” (FR), “de Pottes” (FR/BE), “Depottere”...
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At the end of the 1st Millenium, in the cities of Cambrai, Tournai,
Courtrai, Roubaix and Renaix, some brave craftsmen were
manufacturing clay or iron pots. Some were esquires with the Duke of
Mortaigne in Potelle, cousin of French kings, husband of Countess
Alix of Flanders from Lille.
Different POTTERS’ families took advantage of rich soils and iron
crafts expertise in the region. Also, the presence of the Escaut river,
and the proximity of the sea, were advantages to ship heavy clay jars
(Hainaut, Flanders) and cast iron caldrons (Liège).
Quality work across centuries allowed transfer of their coat of arms and
crafts emblems onto local blasons of cities or places like: Potte (Arras),
Potes -Pottelbergh (Renaix), Trou Pottier (Tournai), Potelle (Mons),
Potterye (Roulers/ Bruges)...
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Pots were manufactured abundantly by craftsemen in Tournai
between 900 and 1200. These ones were found nearby, on
Pottelberghe mount near Renaix and in Poperinge.
Potters’ craftsmen were under pressure alongside
the “Bellum” (war) border region, soon Belgium
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Family Origins
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In the families table below, seven old roots of the POTTERE forest
were matched with survivors, archives and DNA. Ancient spellings,
refer to cities (Pottes, Potelle), landmarks (post, potteau, Roman sign),
crafts (potterye) or jobs (Poortere: door keeper).
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1. “Pottere” found around year 1089 in North-Brabant where
Herman, leader of the harbour of Bergen-Op-Zoom, initially
carried a Lion and three U-shaped signs.
This lineage flourished several centuries with: (1) elected
members of city councils (Bergen-Op-Z., Breda), (2) fleet
admiral with Dutch-Scotts marine, (3) fleet esquire with
knight Godfrey of Bouillon, (4) esquires of Charles Duke of
Lorraine, (5) Prelate of Zeeland in Middleburg.
Thereafter carrying three pots, sub-branches developed in
Amsterdam with various skills: (6) writer, (7) painter, (8)
Lutherian mayor (renamed Potterus in Utrecht) and (9) in
the United Kingdom, elected member of the Essex assembly
and (10) archbishop of Canterbury (le Pottere);

2. “Pottier” ancestors in Frasnes, province of Hainaut, were
found around 1100 near Renaix where the above branch
originated. They lived close to the family ”Pottes”, of the
Lords of Pottes, found as early as 970 in the cities of Pottes
(BE), Potte (FR) and Potelle (BE/FR), with several related
sub-groups: Pottiez, Pott(i)er, Potter, Potèlle, Potèrre.
They were also active in the booming clay, iron and textured
molding, occupying over ten mayorates during several
hundred years, in the cities of Tournai, Renaix and Frasnes.
All connected to nearby cities of Pottes and Potelle and, not
far, the city of Potte in France.
- An iron-craft sub-branch “Potter” moved to Brussels,
providing elected members in South Brabant Province
like Macaire in 1257 and in the Brussels City Council.
o The key-figure in Brussels was Jan, writing
famous Brussels chronicles under the byname
“Pottre” whose statute is on the façade of the
Brussels City Hal, near the one of Vesalius.
o With Jan’s father, Thomas, this branch originated
a whole Brussel Ommegang lineage of senior
“silversmith Nation” and ciseled chaldrons
craftsmen between 1300 and 1600, exposed today
in the Castle of Laarne (Ghent);
- A leading textile sub-branch “Potter” (ancient: Pottere),
the one of the book’s author, moved around 1500 to
Ghent providing elected members (Joseph, Henri...);
- Other textile craftsmen “De Poortere” on the Northern
France frontier also originated in the region of Renaix or
Roubaix but were not yet analyzed;
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- A line “Pot(t)ier”, linked to French Founding Fathers
identified in French-Flanders around 1100, providing a
stronghold with Receiver of King’s treasure in Lille, head
of an abbey near Mount Cassel, and one in Alveringhem
(West-Flanders), with ties to several leading priests and
abbey intendants in Poperingues and Tournai (1200).
3. “Potterie” and “Poterye” (and nordic style Potterik), found
around 1200 in West-Flanders, including Créstien, official
with the City of Bruges in 1170, followed by different elected
members and court members in that century.
Further down the line, a Lodewyck was deputy Bailiff of the
Free State of Bruges, a Liévin was head of the corporation of
the textile craftsmen and a Robert was high representative of
Bruges to the Prussian city of Bremen;
4. “Pottere” and “Pottaeyre” (seen “”Pottey”) found around 1300
in Mons (Egidius) and Liège (Leuder), related to the
“Pottier” and “Potier” branches above, occupying business
and political functions in and around both cities.
A sub-branch “Potère” moved to Roubaix, Mouscron and
Courtrai, also providing textile experts and elected members.
5. “Potter” found around 1400 in Liège-Limburg, providing a
back-link in Antwerp with cousin Thomas, Receiver of the
King of Spain in 1625. Members of that branch moved to
Prusland (Germany) with possibly adapted patronyms
“Pötter”, “Potten’dorf”, “Potter’hausen”.
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Working backwards on five roots, researchers Pieter Donche,
Jacques de Potter, other experts of Flanders family research board,
plus several archivists, helped us analyze hundreds of history records.
We matched five “modern branches”, detailed in the timeline and
verified DNAs with experts Yseq.net and Wim Penninx. Here is a
summary ot the results (colored on the family diagram to follow).
1. HAINAUT “Pottere” re-united root, with the tree ancient
lines as options:
- “Pottes” and “Potèlle” lordships and families provided
several mayorates in the city of Pottes in 1000-1400 and
Tournai. They then disappeared while several persons
still carry this name today, around Roulers.
Also, the “green branch” carries the same coat of arms,
inspired/ taken over from this original branch?
- Frasnes ”Pottier” sub-branch along with Renaix
“Potter” sub-branch, identified by princess Elisabeth de
Merode and her cousin, father Jacques de Potter, plus
genealogist Douxchamps for the years 1357-1650,
merging into the “blue branch” listed below, further
detailed and ascertained by a Leuven genealogist too;
- Mons, Dour, Alost “Pottier” and “Potèrre”, identified
by chief archivist of Renaix. This sublet provided a
mayorate in Dour in 1500, with sublet moved to
Audenaerde (mayorate in 1600) and further to
Avelghem (mayorate in 1700).
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2. WEST-FLANDERS “Potter” re-united roots, with three
old lines as solid basis:
- Bruges “Potterye” (1300), “Pottier” (1400), “Pottere”
(1500), “Potter de Droogenwalle“ in Keyem/
Dixmude, “Potter“ (1600+), precisely identified by
expert Pieter Donche.
Several volunteers found representatives of the district of
St. Omer (Créstien Potterye in 1300), an elected member
of the Free State of Bruges (Jean in 1307), a deputy Bayliff
of the Free State of Bruges (Lodewyk in 1680), a delegate
to the city of Bremen (Robert in 1600), etc.;
- Alveringhem ”Potter(e)” (1600) and then East-Flanders
Audenaerde (1650) identified by cousin Henri Brussin
plus Patrick de Potter. Kerchove “Potter” (1700)
dentified by Wim Penninx and the Yseq ADN lab, with
Fernand as survivor, Avelghem “Potter” (1750) identified
by Denis and Yvonne de Potter, with Sven as survivor,
and finally French Flanders Uxem “Potter” (1770)
identified by Paul De Clerck, with Joost, Liam and Pascal
as survivors of above green line.
- Westhoek “Pottere”, (1600) Courtrai-Heule
“Potterye” and French-Flanders well identified by
freelance volunteers Annick Malard in France and cousin
Henri Brussin in Mouscron-Roubaix, providing e.g. a
Receiver of the King’s estates in Lille in 1570 and ties to
several abbeys in Mount Cassel and Poperinge in 1600.
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3. GHENT AND BRABANT “Potter” re-united roots
“blue branch”, fully identified by Elisabeth de Merode,
genealogist Douxchamps and Fernand de Potter, providing
numerous alliances with the families Udekem, Holstein -
Luxembourg, Merode, Lannoy, Davignon, Ghellinck,
Caloen, Kint, Saverys, Casaubon...
4. DUTCH “Pottere”, Potter, Potterus re-united roots,
“parse branch”, fully identified as from 1093, by Jkhr
Beelaerts van Blokland and us, with direct link to the Ghent
branch (Abraham), identified by a Leuven expert, plus a
stronghold in Antwerp with the Receiver of the King of
Spain, Thomas (1650), but not yet known living descendants
in The Netherlands.
5. SAINT-NICOLAS “Potter” re-united “pink branch”
found around 1400 in the Land of Waes, fully identified with
the great support of biology dr. Vincent de Potter, Christian,
Serge (direct descendants of Frans), plus Peter-Frank de
Potter. They are all closely related to the famous historian
Frans de Potter, while all above roots relate 10.000 years ago.
Above colors match the Families Table (see large one on last page of the book)
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The oldest “reliable” basic POTxxxRx families background and
reference book which we found is shown below. It was based on
“noble names” of Cambray-Tournay regions, with their cities crafts
emblems and families “coats of arms”, as early as the 12th century.
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Across ages, transcription of names, on corn paper or papyrus, was
done with a bird’s feather, at candle light, in the cold, war after war,
many times in a row! It sometimes caused an “s” to become “r” or
“z”... Or “tt” to become “t”... And “o” to become “u”. Also, with
changes of official language, names varied from “de Potter” into “le
Potier” or “de Poorter” or “ ‘s Potters”.
In the 10th century, craftsmen living in the cities of Pottes (BE) and
Potte (FR), were identified as “Pott(i)er” or “Potier” or “Potters”
and “Po(t)tiez”. They lived all over the lower water regions, along
the rivers of Aquitaine, Brabant, Britanny, Flanders, Hainaut,
Picardy... Their crafts and art blasons (coats of arms) were often
conferred onto their city of deployment.
In the 11th century, the names “de Pottes”, “de Pottelle”, “de
Poterre” or “le Pottier” were being more consistently used. They did
refer to afore mentioned powerful iron and clay craftsmen along the
Escaut river. While some (natural childs?) “ Pottes(de)” and “(‘s)
Potters” still survive today in Ypres, here is a family “Pottes”
research made by late cousin Amaury de Ghellinck:
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According to the “Tournai ancient painters index”, listed around 1425,
an artist by the name of Pierrequin de Pottes, “also registered as
de Potter” (sic), was dispatched to the court of the Duke of
Burgundy in Bruges.
He had moved from Tournai to Bruges, to join the preparation of
celebrations for the installation of the Dukes of Burgundy’s family in
Bruges.
In the same period, the Lord of Gruuthuyse in Bruges married the
grand-daughter of Catherine de Pottere, as stated by Edward
Gaillard in the Royal Archives of Belgium in 1885.
Catherine was married around 1420 to Allart, son of Robert, count
of Mortaigne, family of the Dukes of Mortaigne, Lords of Pottes and
counts of Pottelle.
More details are provided in the chapter about the family of Louis de
Potter de Droogewalle, who happens to carry the arms of... Catherine
de Pottere, hairess of the castle of Potelles.
In 1433, a Knight Gilles de Potelle, attached to the house of Countess
Marguerite, Dame of the Hainaut county, learned that the Duke of
Burgundy, her nephew, was collecting too much money for himself.
Gilles joked, telling people that he would hunt him down one day.
Gilles was immediately accused of a crime and got his head cut off…
His castle was confiscated by Jean de Carondelet, minister of the
Duke Charles-the-Rash. The castle was built in 1290 by Guillaume de
Mortaigne, Lord of Pottes, count of Pottelle who kept it until 1490.
Ancient arms of the city of Pottes were “blue and white stripes cut by a
red line”. Later on, both cities carried three pots, like the families.
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Meanwhile, we had found in the archives of Tournai, in the 12th
century, afore mentioned family “de Potter” (BE) and “le Pottier”
(FR), living near the city of Pottes (BE), on the Escaut river.
In the 13th century, the “Lordship of of Pottes” grew up, hanging
together with the “French” city of Potte, in the Somme region,
further up the river.
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The marriage of Catherine de Pottere, Dame of of Pottes greatgrand-daughter
of Countess Alix of Flanders, at the castle of of
Pottelle, with Duke Allart of Mortaigne, count of of Pottelle,
reinforced this family option, also because members of the Mortaigne
family acquired lordships in Middelburg, linked to the ones of the
“green branch” which also carried the same coat of arms!
Also, The High Society of The Hague, identified ancestor Herman
de Pottere in 1093, freighting boats on the Escaut river, North of
Antwerp. He was the cousin of Hermès in Renaix.
As shown by Mr B. van Blokland (High Society The Hague, 1870),
Herman de Pottere, was made esquire in Dutch Brabant (Breda) in
1093, at service of King Godfrey of Bouillon, Duke of Lorraine,
Marquis of Antwerp. Herman was gearing up crusaders in the port of
Bergen-Op-Zoom (Rotterdam).
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Under Herman came a lineage with several maritime mayors, an
advisor to King Charles The Rash (Geerart), an advisor to the Prince
Orange of The Netherlands (Maximiliaan), a prelate of the Free State
of Zeeland (Roeland in Middelbourg who had studied in Bruges), sea
captain of Dutch-Scottish fleet (Roelant), great poet (Diric), key
painter Paul (from Courtrai, made noble by prince of Orange).
Castle of Godfrey of Bouillon (Ardennes)
In the 13th centuries, Herman’s descendants splitted into four roots:
- Renaix (Pottere) and Frasnes (Pottier), also carrying ancient
stripes and one pot (like Jean de Pottère 1270 in Royal Library’s
blazons) or three pots (like Gilles 1357);
- In Saint-Omer (Pottere, Pottier), also carrying three pots as
coat of arms;
- In Liège (Pottier), carrying the ancient striped coat of arms,
crossed by the red line;
- In Mons (Pottier), old heraldic red line with a gray base field.
These roots possibly all tie up into of Pottes/Pottelle and certainly
into Tournai as shown on the family table and within the adventures
of different amazing personalities selected…!
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Starting in Frasnes and Renaix in 1357, a detailed book of 400 pages
was published at Tradition & Vie in 1964 by Dame Henri de Potter
d’Indoye, born Princess Elisabeth de Merode.
The research was done during more than 20 years by father Jacques
de Potter and validated by genealogist Douxchamps, with whom we
went to visit uncle Jacques, in the Abbey of Rochefort.
Supported by Eric Devos, Head of the Royal Archives of Renaix, this
research was done by the monk de Potter, published by my aunt,
Princess de Merode, promoted by my grandmother, viscountess
Davignon, daughter of the President of the Royal Literature
Academy. We offered a copy to prof. Paul Janssens, allied cousin,
honorary chairman of the High Council of Nobility of the Kingdom.
He acknowledged the work, starting before 1357 in Renaix (Ronse)
and Frasnes, with evidences by genealogists Delghust (1896), Butsele
(1950), Douxchamps (1964)...
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Arms of pot craftsmen region, transferred onto the cities.
With Leuder, mentioned in Liège in 1170, Gilles in 1250 in Mons,
and Jacob in 1357 in Renaix, plus their cousins (Pottere and Pottier)
in Frasnes in 1250 and Bruges in 1320, we can say that the oldest
members of both the “Roman” and “Flemish” branches were
identified accurately by these experts. The recent work by Willy
Delhaye re-confirms above family ties established with the Dutch and
German branches, as well, further explained below.
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After the solid 12th and 13th century options above, follows Jacob
(1400), referred to as “son of Gilles” (1357), clearly identified by the
head of the Royal Archives of Renaix, with appertaining official
material (reference below), with confirmed lateral link with the
Frasnes ancestors.
The evidence, mentioned on the picture below, is called “Document
Maes”, archived in the Registrar of Renaix as early as 1357. It was
produced a first time by genealogist cited below on the photograph,
Dr. Delghust, and kept in the “de Potter Repository” at the Royal
Archives in Renaix and Ghent. Based on the works of Maes, Butsele,
Delghust, Douxchamps and Devos, the Leuven expert re-confirmed
the uninterrupted family bloodline from those days until today.
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Above archives were found in 1958 by the Rochefort fathers de
Potter, published by princess de Merode and deposited with the
Belgian Genalogy Office, no remarks eversince. They all worked
accurately. Louis Maes, author of the “Document Maes” was a clerk
of the City of Renaix. He also was our cousin, via Nicolas Maeterlinck
(ancestor of Nobel Prize of Literature, Maurice Maeterlinck), also
from Renaix, both related to Head of Archives Devos.
Like Eric Devos, father de Potter showed us his archives and research
papers at the Abbey of Rochefort in 1995, in the presence of
genealogist Douxchamps. In the mean time, a book, also registered
at the Genealogy Office of Belgium, did cut off three centuries in our
tree. The fathers de Potter and my beloved late aunt Dame Henri de
Potter d’Indoye - de Merode, plus several other experts, and me, are
convinced that there is no doubt about Gilles in Renaix in 1357 to be
the direct ancestor of all blue branch descendants.
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The research hereafter is an update, further documented on our
website. Any amelioration, with the Family Association are welcome.
Archives files, “Repository de Potter” at the Royal Archives of both
Gand/Ghent and Renaix include numerous pieces which we
consulted. The example below, written by Eric Devos, Head of
archives in Renaix, testifies of the official roles of related lineages
“de/ le Pottier” or “de Pottere” in the administration of the Barony
of Renaix during 300 years as of 1332.
The vast POTTER archives (Roman, Flemish, French, Dutch…)
were analyzed by (1) archivist Maes in 1760, (2) genealogist Blokland
in 1870, (3) the Association of Nobility Kingdom of Belgium in 1896,
(4) genealogist Delghust in 1896, (5) archivist Butsele in 1964, (6)
genealogist Coppieters t’Wallant in 1950, (7) genealogist de Schietere
de Lophem in 1956, (8) fathers genealogists de Potter in 1958, (9)
genealogist Douxchamps in 1964, (10) over twenty archivists
between 2000-2020, including Eric Devos, Head of Royal Archives
of Renaix, (11) a Leuven genealogist in 2016, (12) genealogist Pieter
Donche, in 2017-2019 with (13) private Nicolas de Potter d’Indoye
and (14) kindly reviewed by prof. Dr. Ir. Derrick Gosselin in 2019
and (15) reinforced by ten DNA-tests by Yseq in 2020.
42

43

In the 15/16th Centuries, Renaix was a booming city, exporting
throughout Europe. The family of Liévin de Potter, had exercised
responsibilities there for two centuries. Year after year, modernity
developed and the Grand Inquisitor of the Church violently opposed
this… The bloody Duke of Alba rejected the peace treaty signed by
city leaders. Three Potter signees were heavily condemned.
The painting by S. van Ruysdael shows the family escape, with
coat of arms on the wagon. Below is the rejected “1566
Renaix Peace Compromise”, with family branches signatures.
The cruel Duke of Alba cut off Liévin de Potter’s head, and banished
his brother Willem and cousin Louis, with friends Van Coppenolle,
t’Sersander and other protesting families. This disturbed the
establishment up to Brussels where the family was led by cousins
Anton and Jan.
44

45

46

Near Pottes and Pottelles, Renaix is named after the nearby stream
Ronse of the Escaut river. Border city, taken by the Franks (440),
Romans (500), Vikings (800), it was often destroyed.
In the 7thC it was re-built around Amand’s church, patron of beer,
wine and pots makers. When Hermès’ relics arrived, count of
Flanders Dampierre (x Luxemburg, x Béthune) ruled. Thereafter,
textile families Cambier, Coppenolle, Potter… prospered until
religious wars. Escaping fires (1478, 1518, 1553, 1573) families
moved to Amsterdam, Bruges, Bremen…
Work of genealogist Delghust
Secret archives of the 3 fathers de Potter Rochefort Abbey
47

48

Families Structure
49

GAND/GHENT
Ghent with lineages in Belgium (Potter, Indoye, Zinzerling, ten
Broeck), Luxembourg, Denmark, Germany (Pottere), identified by
Jacques and Elisabeth de Potter. Jean-François de Potter (1737-
1801) had married Reine de Bay, daughter of the Chamberlain of
Archduchess of Austria in Ghent, who included several family
members, also of the green branch, into the nobelty.
Jean-François de Potter
50
Emperoress Maria-Theresia of Austria

Extract of Luxemburg branch (blue line in family table)
“Europa Haus de Pottere”, Aurich, Germany
51

BRUGES
(Dixmude, Keyem, Vladslo, Tourhout...)
The “de Potter” family, to which journalist and politician Louis de
Potter belonged to, as leader of the 1830 Government of Belgium,
called herself “de Droogenwalle” as of the 18th century. The greatgrandfather
of Louis, Jean-Guillaume de Potter, first counselor of
Dixmude and Nieuport, Counsellor of the High Council of Malines
as of 1726, was, by virtue of this position, enrolled in nobility, with
patent letters of 17 June of that year.
Droogenwalle was a small lordship, of about 3 hectares, acquired by
Jean-Guillaume at the beginning of the 18th century to the family of
the counts de Merode. Located near the church in Keyem, a village
north of Dixmude, it belonged to the county of Middelburg in
Flanders, itself depending of the “Free State of Bruges” (part of the
Duchy of Mortaigne before 1300).
52

It is also in Keyem that the direct ancestors of this family are found,
in the 16th century. A genealogy of this family was published in the
“Annuaire de Noblesse Belge” in Brussels, in 1896, I, pp. 144-153,
without the name of the author. See the first paragraphs of this study
here besides. Although incomplete, this work was reliable for the
period after 1650, but remained incomplete for the period before.
Pieter Donche reconstructed the genealogy of the family “de Potter
de Droogenwalle” for the period before 1800. It was done accurately,
between 2017 and 2019, on the basis of authentic archival sources
such as: “states of goods” (possessions), “orphan accounts”
(inheritances), “parish registers” (churches records), and numerous
other official archival sources out of the formerly called “Free State
of Bruges”. Ties to the present day were ascertained by DNA-tests.
The most ancient and certain ancestor of that line is Pieter de Potter,
son of Jacob (1525). He was born around 1540 and married Maria
Boone. He owned two lending estates in Keyem, south-east of the
church, attached to the lending estate of Schorre (Dixmude). Jacob
and Pieter belong to the branch of Jan Dries, esquire of Dixmude in
the 13th Century with coat of arms in the Royal Library in Brussels.
Dixmude was attached to the County of Middlebourg, like the family
lordships Droogenwalle and Haveskerque, bought to cousin Merode,
as indicated in the library of the Castle of Loppem. Based on a text
by Gaillard, their arms were carried over from Catherine de Pottere,
Dame of Mortaigne and Potelle, heiress of Alix of Flanders in Lille.
Throughout the entire 16th century, we came across several
inheritances with the name de Pottere in and around Keyem. From
the earliest one, it can be concluded that this branch had already been
present in the region at the end of the 1400s but the complete
destruction of the municipal archive during World War One prevents
us, for the time being, from finding more evidences than the ones in
this book. Online DNA-results are instrumental in this verification.
53

Prior to consulting specific sources, Pieter Donche firstly analyzed,
for example, the enrollment lists of the University of Leuven or the
list of magistrates of the High Council of Malines and found the
following references to name carriers (de) "Potter" or "Pottier" or
"Pottere":
54

Searching hundreds of Archives in Bruges, Pieter Donche then
focused on the village of Keyem, near Dixmude where the branch
“Potter de Droogenwalle” originated. In the chapter about Louis de
Potter, he did a fantastic job identifying the full lineage, up to the end
of the 15th Century!
55

With other experts, we also found numerous other possible links for
the “green branch”, e.g.:
1. In 1308: Créstien de Potter(i)e was Alderman of Bruges
(Royal Archives Brussels);
2. In 1310: Jean de Potter was an esquire of Bruges in 1310
(Seals R.A. Brussels);
3. In 1311: Pieter de Pottere was a priest in Bruges (church
Saint Walburg registrar);
4. In 1320: Jacop Potterie was a “broker” in Bruges (Andries
van den Abeele);
5. In 1328: Gillis de Pottere was a “broker” in Bruges (Royal
Archives Bruges);
6. In 1392: Jacques de Pottere was a Scout of Bruges, who
negotiated a credit for the city with the City of Hamburg,
both meeting in Amsterdam (Guild Book of Bruges);
7. In 1468: Pierquin (Pieterkin) de Pottes, or de Potter, from
Ypres, a painter with the Entremets Company of Bruges;
8. In 1488: Berthelemeeus de Pottere was a “broker” in Bruges
(A. van den Abeele);
9. In 1525: Willem de Pottier, among families helping the
Potterye charity (De Hooghe)
10. In 1567: Jacques de Pottere, textile entrepreneur, son of
Loys (buyer in Bruges), religious rebel, moved from Renaix to
Bruges (Royal Archives of Renaix);
11. In 1572: Willem de Pottere, textile guild member, son of
Gilles, was born in Bruges;
56

12. In 1630: Robert de Pottere, head of the textile guild in
Bruges, married J. de Clercq;
13. In 1652: Philips de Pottere was a “broker” in Bruges (A. van
den Abeele);
14. In 1686: Remarquus de Pottere was a “broker” in Bruges
(A. van den Abeele);
15. In 1625: Robert de Pottere, son of Robert de Pottere, was a
“broker” in Bruges (id.);
16. In 1645: Vincent de Pottere was a “broker” in Bruges (A. van
den Abeele).
The compiled results are shown on the family chart (end of chapter)
and explained further down.
While we further seek the father of Jan, esquire of Keiem (Dixmude)
around 1325, of the family of Louis “Potter de Droogenwalle” (see
appertaining chapter), these individuals are other pertinent members
of the “green branch” in Bruges, seen at interesting dates:
57

Jacques de Pottere, 1392, Alderman of Bruges
Jacques de Pottere, 1525, son of Louis in Bruges
58
Robert de Pottere, 1630, Head of crafts Bruges

Around 1425, Pierrequin de Pottes, said de Potter, painter for the Duke
of Burgundy in Bruges, moved from Tournai to Bruges. In the same
period, the Lord of Gruuthuyse had married the grand-daughter of
Catherine de Pottere (Edward Gaillard, R.A.B. 1885).
She was first married to Allart count of Mortaigne, family of the Duke
and Lords of the city of Pottes. It may be the reason why the arms of
the family “Potter de Droogenwalle” (one pot) were carried over
from her. In the meantime, another coat of arms “Pottes” (three
roses) was found in Malines.
59

A little later, Louys de Pottier - de Pottere from Renaix, buyer in Bruges
in 1608, is the father of Barbella de Pottere, carrying the coat of arms
with three pots of silver color on a red array.
Their family in Brussels and Malines is mentioned as well, Jan and
Antoine, while Barbella and her cousins (Janneken, daughter of
Adriaen and Adriaen, son of Jacob) appeared in front of the High
Commissioner of the King of Spain, Antonio de Castillo in 1608.
Also in Antwerp, uncle Thomas de Pottere happens to be the
Receiver of the King of Spain in that period (1625)...
“… huwelicke hebbende Joncvrau Janneken de Pottere, f(ili)a Adriaens, woonende binnen der Stadt van
Bremen, metgaders van den Eer(weerden) Jacob de Pottere, Jans sone, woonende binnen der Stadt Staden.
De voorschreven Adriaen ende Jan wesende der voorschreven Gheerae(rt) broeders saligher, kinderen
van wijlen Jacob de Pottere, in sijnen (leven) resideerende binnen deser Stede, om sekeren onderrecht te wisen
van de oprechte wapen(en) van haerlieder ghestachte ende famillie va(n) de Potters. Dat hij comparant voorseyt
de maendt van September XVic acht is gheweest binnen der Stadt van Bru(ssel), (1608)”
“… ten huuse van d'heer Anthonio Fernandes de Castille, Com(m)issaris G(e)n(era)al van de monsterin
vanweghen der Conincklicke Ma(jestey)t van Spaignien in Vlaendren, in huwelicke hebbende de Pottere
alias Pottiers Loys, end den selven an hem comparant dat wijlen den voors(oemden) end Loys Pottier, in
tijt coopman, woonende binnen der Stede van Brugghe, sijns voors(eide) huusvvader, heeft ghehadt ende
hemlieden naghelaten voor wapene van 't voorseide gheslachte ofte familie van (de) Pottiers: 'eenen schilt
met een root velt, met eenen rooden kepere ende drie potten van silvere daer inne
staende'; toonende an den comparant het afbeeltsel van sijne voors huusvr neffens de welcke staet de selve
wapene, versaemt met ende neffens de gone van haren voorseiden man. De welcke hij comparant heeft aldaer
doen bettrecken op 't papier, ende is de …”
“… Loys Pottier, in sijnen tijt coopman, woonende binnen der Stede van Brugghe, sijns voors(eide)
huusv(auwe) vader, heeft ghehadt ende hemlieden naghelaten voor wapene van 't voorseide gheslachte ofte
familie van (de) Pottiers: 'eenen schilt met een root velt, met eenen rooden kepere ende drie potten van silvere
daer inne staende'; toonende an den comparant het afbeeltsel van sijne voors(eide) huusvr(auwe) neffens de
welcke staet de selve wapene, versaemt met ende neffens de gone van haren voorseiden man. De welcke hij
comparant heeft aldaer doen bettrecken op 't papier, ende is de gone an dese ghetransfixeert, gheteekent 'CP'.
Ende de gone noch mede ghetransfixeert gheteekent 'P.' verclaert hij comparant te hebben ... bettrocken tot
Ghendt, uut de wapene van de voorseide Joncvrau Baerbel Pottier, als wesende de gone van den gheslachte
van (de) Pottiers ende Pottiers alleene ende bijsonder hier toe weghende dat de wijlen Jacob de Pottere, vader
van de voorn(oemde) Adriaen, Jan ende Gheeraert de Pottere, met sijne naercommers”.
Extract of: “History of Ancient Brussels Families”, Brussels City Archives.
60

Karel and Lodewyck de Potter - Logghe
By Antoine de Schietere de Lophem and Paul De Clerck
Analyzing further the 1896 genealogy of the Bruges branch, made by
the Belgian Nobility Association mentioned above, we found another
research made by Robert Coppieters t'Wallant at the end of the same
century, analyzed by A. de Schietere de Lophem.
Here is an extract of a research by Antoine de Schietere de Lophem
found in the Royal Library of The Netherlands with reference to
Pieter de Potter, of the branch “de Potter-Logghe” from Tourhout.
He is mentioned as the “younger brother” of Jean-Guillaume, oldest
of that generation in the branch “de Potter de Droogenwalle” from
Dixmude and further down in Lophem and Bruges.
61

At the same time, Paul De Clerck, found his ancestors within our
“green branch”, in Tourhout! He found his great-grand-mother,
with official records, to this very “de Potter - Logghe”.
This confirms that it is definitely the same family as the “de Potter de
Droogenwalle” branch (see family chart, dark green line in
Tourhout). Some members of this bloodline, based in Antwerp,
Damme and Saint-Omer are called “Potters” after the revolution
name changes.
Sub-branch “de Potter - Logghe” was well known for the innovative
work by Charles (Karel) de Potter in the area of agricultural and
botanical research in Rumbeke. On top of his church duties, as a
gentleman farmer, Charles worked in cooperation with numerous
farms, including the ones of the family de Potter de Droogenwalle,
in Dixmude (Vladslo, Keyem, Leke).
Louis de Potter de Droogenwalle happened to be an active member
of the board of the Royal Horticultural and Botanical Society of
Ghent, in that half century, encouraging research in this field of
expertise, not only in Ghent but also with French counterparts.
Because of intensive contacts between the sub-branches “de Potter -
Logghe” and cousins ”de Droogenwalle”, in Roulers and Courtrai,
there was quite a mystery about the son of Karel, Lodewijk, teacher
and poet in the city of Rumbeke.
62

The Biekorf News of 1973 said that Karel Eugeen de Potter (Ardoye
1757 - Rumbeke 1834), was church carer (1782), wool worker (1799-
1802), teacher (1803-1817), and prizewinner of the Royal Ghent
Society for Horticulture (1819). His son Lodewijk (Rumbeke 1792 -
Gent 1869), was also teaching in Ghent.
He acquired some fame as a freelance writer, member of the literary
society and, for a short period of time, President of the Flemish
League. As a coincidence, we mention that, in the early twentieth
Century, the famous historian Frans de Potter also played a key role
in the Flemish self-determination movement (e.g. as co-founder of
the David Fund).
In 1787, Lodewijk of this literary society published a work signed:
“De Ter-Pot”! In 1803, the pseudonym pops up (“De-Ter-Pot”: Dirty
but useful) under a rhymed introduction to the collection of prizewinning
entries “Praise of Bonaparte” (J. Delbaere).
As a coincidence, we mention that his cousin Louis de Potter was
quite a celebrity across Europe. Also, in the early nineteenth century,
the son of Louis de Potter worked in the staff of Napoleon III. Both
had a considerable influence in the new “Belgian” politics. And
Lodewijk in Flemish translates Louis in French…!
63

With this literary work, we indeed recognized Lodewijk de Potter in
“De Ter-Pot” alias. Not only the apparent literary inversion pleads in
this sense, but also the “Napoleonic” career of the man who, since
February 1803, had encouraged delicate Bonaparte's themes in
Flanders.
Between the period immediately after the last years of Napoleon's
reign, there was a huge debate among the population about
Napoleon's heritage. Perhaps the aforementioned political
convictions of Karel E. de Potter may have worked on his son
Lodewijk, when in 1813, in the case of the Ghent priests against
Napoleonic bishop Dela Brue, as a defendant, Lodewijk finally
stopped writing and recognized the bischop. Most of the refusers
were then banned...!
On 15 Harvest 1782, because of superior agricultural merits, by
appointment of Courtrai-based Count Joseph of Murray, stepfather
of Count de Thiennes, Karel de Potter was appointed esquire of
Rumbeke, under privileges attached to his land property there and
church ruler. Shortly thereafter, Karel married Maria-Theresia Mulle,
prominent business family of the city of Winkel St Elooi; She was the
daughter of the Bailiff of Ter Vichten. The family de Thiennes owned
of the historic Castle of Rumbeke and were ancient friends of the
family de Potter.
64

During the annexation of our country to France, Karel de Potter, in
the year 6 of the Republic, was appointed City Officer of Rumbeke.
He was listed in the city register as 'wool dying craftsman and
negotiator' (profession of his cousin, castle of Ravenhof, Tourhout).
65

In 1819, because of his intensive personal horticultural research,
Karel was awarded an Honorary Prize by the city mayor Angillis,
member of the Dutch States General, founder of the literary society
'De Verenigde Vrienden' of Rumbeke and assistant to the “Annales
of Emulation of Bruges” where he often met Louis de Potter and his
father Guillaume before.
In 1819, following the “French republic tree of liberty pattern”, a
medal of agricultural merits was awarded to esquire Charles de Potter
- Logghe, by the Royal Society of Agriculture and Botanics of the city
of Ghent. At 2 o'clock in the afternoon the party was announced by
the sound of all the city bells and some artillery dumps.
Karel was placed in a big procession, preceded by all members the
Horticultural Society and the Hand Bow in full dress, with a beating
drum and deployed flags, walking up to the Municipal
Administration.
During the ceremony, the Burgomeister gave a speech demonstrating
the necessity and justice to render public honors to Mr de Potter by
the agriculture society.
In a poor countryside, the hard work honors a horticulture craftsman
who could provide a new form of inexhaustible source of public
prosperity and national wealth. In Flanders, where agriculture alone
can ensure the livelihood of the many people who live there, this was
a key element to be celebrated with everybody.
He then explained how, and with what happiness, Mr. de Potter first
sowed a special sort of foreign rice in homeland, obtaining great
results granted with this medal of honor and encouragement which
was awarded by the Society of Ghent.
66

After this speech which, despite its full extent, was heard in the
utmost silence, Mr de Potter was decorated with the medal, under the
unanimous and repeated applause of the many inhabitants.
Afterwards, Mr. de Potter was brought back to his residence by the
constituted authorities, preceded by the said brotherhood and
followed by an immense crowd of the people, by the principal streets
of the village.
Sufficient quantities of food for all inhabitants was paramount, after
those terrible Napoleonic wars and, from time to time and until 10
o'clock in the evening, the sound of the city bells and dumps
reminded the inhabitants of the solemnity of the day.
A ball at the common house, which lasted until 2 o'clock in the
morning, ended the celebrations. The minutes of this event had been
drawn up officially at Rumbeke on the same day.
67

Charles de Potter died, aged 54, in Rumbeke in 1834. He was buried
with a great service. His widow lived in Emelgem in 1847.
His brother François-Ambrosius de Potter accepted in 1783 the role
of “Doors Guardian of Roulers”, which made him member of the
Free State of Bruges, civility he possessed from his parents.
Of the fifteen children of Karel de Potter, there is certainly one who
has acquired a name in the Flemish world, namely Lodewyck, born
in Rumbeke in 1792
68

Lodewyck was the very first Rumbeek student at the small Seminar
of Roeselare. In 1812 he became teacher of poetry in the College of
Ypres. In 1818, he was professor at the Royal Atheneum of Ghent.
From 1836 to 1850, he was the Principal of that school.
In Ypres he was part of the “rhetoric chamber” of the city, and, under
the French regime, there had already been a struggle against official
propaganda carried out by the Government to disseminate the
French language in Flanders. He was a member of 'De Fonteyne' in
Ghent and Chairman of the Flemish Union for a while.
69

FRASNES
(Renaix, Pottes, Tournai, Ath, Dour, Mons, Liège, Namur…)
The top of this line was identified by Elisabeth de Potter d’Indoye -
de Merode, as early as the 14th century. Since we know that Louis
and Jacques moved to Bruges, as indicated by Father de Potter and
cousin Maes, we analyzed this line in greater details with the team.
Here is the tree of this so-called “Roman Branch” described as such
by Princess Elisabeth de Merode and Father Jacques de Potter. They
wrote that it should be studied further by other researchers to see if
it would be related to what we call the “green branch of Bruges”.
70

While Jehan “le Pottier”, his son Jan, his grand-son Lodewyck (lord of
Frasnes in 1350) and his great-grand-son Gilles (lord of Dour in 1463,
carrying lion arms) are described as inhabitants of Frasnes in the 14th
century, we know for a fact that their descendants moved to Renaix
as of the beginning of the 15th century. Cousin and cleck Louis Maes
ascertained that information.
Further below are two transcripts of a piece of the official “Archive
Maes” (cousin of Egidius de Potter and archivist of the city of
Renaix), explaining that Lodewyck de Pottier and his family were
confronted with religious banning, forced to move out of Renaix and
deciding to move to the promising Bruges, with the Flemish name
“Potter(e)”. That is precisely where the “green branch” was about to
blossom...
« Willem de Pottier, exploitait à Renaix le Pachtgoet et le moulin Terbeke. Il
remplit les fonctions de bourgmestre de 1434 à 1439 et de 1440 à 1447. En
1445, il avait loué son exploitation agricole à Mahieu Vogaert. Le 4 Avril
1408, il se présente devant le Magistrat en compagnie de son épouse, afin de
donner en arrentement, à Willem van der Meersch. Les recherches généalogiques
sont sujettes à surprises.
Celles-ci sont parfois agréables, mais souvent malencontreuses. Ici par exemple
nous *'avions tout lieu de croire que les le Pottier devenus citoyens de Renaix,
depuis un siècle, alliés à de vieilles familles locales, et occupant les postes des plus
en vue dans la direction des affaires, étaient définitivement acclimatés chez nous et
c'est précisément à ce moment qu'un chainon généalogique se brise. Les descendants
de Jan et de Willem de Pottier ont ils été pris de nostalgie et ont ils regagné la
région romane?
C’est à ce moment que les van Winghene descendent vers Renaix, pour continuer
peu après vers Tournai. Ou bien les de Pottier, tout désignés par leur situation en
vue, ont-ils suivi le Baron de Renaix, Jacques de la Hamaide, dans les multiples
expéditions auxquelles il prit part.
71

Quoiqu’il en soit les de Pottier se font rares à Renaix vers le milieu du XVème
siècle. Pourtant c’est vers cette date qu'il nous faudrait découvrir l'aïeul de Louis
de Pottere, père de Jacques qui est un descendant d'un de Pottier au dire de Louis
Maes. *** mettre en doute l’attestation de dernier.
Mais puisque Lodewyck de Potter porte un nom flamandisé, il faut admettre
que son aïeul, pour le moins, s'appelait encore de Pottier et que c’est à la suite du
séjour à Renaix d’une ou de deux générations que ses descendants prirent le nom
de De Pottere. Il résulte également de l'attestation de Louis Maes que les de
Pottier étaient originaires de Frasnes, village situé à *** bonnes lieux de Renaix
et entouré de collines argileuses qui fournissaient la matière première aux maitres
pottier de la région.
Ceux d’entre eux qui se fixèrent de façon définitive à Renaix finirent par s’appeler
de Pottere tout en gardant des relations de famille avec leurs parents de Frasnes.
Louis de Pottier, fixé à Bruges était, nous dit Louis Maes, originaire de
Frasnes et il descendait de la même branche souche que la branche Romane des de
Pottere de Renaux. Nous ne rencontrons qu'une seul de Pottier vers l’époque
indiquée, c’est un Willem qui se présente devant le Magistrat en 1455 et 1456.
Des raisons particulières le retenaient sans doute à Renaix. Nous le considérons
comme fils de Williem de Pottier de terbeke. Il est sur le point de se flamandiser,
son fils s’appellera *eindrick de Pottere (1469).
Celui-ci épouse une fille du terroir, Gilline de Calewier. Ils s‘installent dans le
pachtgoet tarlambeken. C’est là que nait Louis de Pottere, jeune encore il fait la
connaissance de sa voisine Anne Maelbranch, dont les parents occupent
Bruderode.
Cela finit naturellement par un mariage qui eut lieu vers 1510. Cette union
consomma l'alliance s'un le Pottier devenu de Pottere avec une Malebranche
devenue Maelbranck. Louis de Pottere et Anne Maelbranck coulèrent une
existence calme et tranquille dans la banlieue immédiate de Renaix.
72

Nous leurs connaissons trois enfants : Jacques, Hermès, et une fille, Marie, qui
épousa Jan de Clerc*. Jacques de Pottere naquit en 1522. Il se fit de bonne heure
preuve d’aptitudes commerciales et s’établit en ville afin de pouvoir mieux s’occuper
d’affaires. Il aurait épousé Elisabeth van den Bogaerdt, qui appartenait à une
honorable famille locale.
Nous devons avoue que nous n’avons pas trouvé trace de cette union. De 1563 à
1592, il remplit assez régulièrement les fonctions d'échevin et de bourgmestre.
Quelle que fut sa compagne, il laissa trois fils et une fille : Jean Catherine, Adrien,
et Gérard.
Son testament, dicté en 1592 par devant le Magistrat et dont une copie existe
dans nos archives, nous apprend certains détails des plus intéressants concernant
ses enfants, il contient des dispositions testamentaires que seuls les temps troubles
de cette époque que peuvent expliquer.
Jean de Potter, fils de Jacques, naquit vers 1553, il se maria vers 1577 à Anne
Myclot, fille de Jean et de Barbe van Wynghene, celle-ci était la sœur de Marie
van Wynghene, épouse d’Adrien van den Berghe dont la fille Catherine, avait
épousé Liévin de Pottere, *** dernier * avait encore * ***** devenu cousin par
allie*** de Jean de Pottere fils de Jacques. »
Apologies for this text long in French but it was instrumental in
our finding shared ancestors’ roots.
73

COURTRAI
(Alveringem, St Omer, Cassel, Poperinge, Furnes, Roulers)
Identified by Henri Brussin and others mentioned on the table, for
the period 1250-1550. Here are a few extracts of the archives which
did help us draw this branch. The top left one shows the list of
“Pointers” (aldermen, elected members) whereas Jacques de Pottere,
our Ghent ancestor, was one of the esquires of the city of Courtrai in
the 17th century, along with a cousin de Lannoy (his cousin too).
The top right document was found during our visit of the Archives
of Courtrai in 2015 and revealed the inheritance of the family of
cousin Paulus de Pottere, holder of a law licence, with ties to several
sub-branches indicated on the family table. The other archives show
records of Charles, Jacques and Pierre, with charges in Courtrai.
74

AUDENAERDE BRANCH
(Alost, Elseghem, Avelghem, Kerckhove...)
Identified by Denis and Fernand de Potter for the period 1650-2018.
Denis de Potter’s great-great-grandfather was Amand, born under the
name “Platteau” (means “tray”... From the house maid?) in 1807, will
only take the name "Potter" in 1832, upon specific approval by the
Revolutionary Government, under leadership of … Louis de Potter.
Denis still hopes that, with the help of Yvonne de Potter in the
U.S.A., someone will finally find why and how Amand's name
changed, from “Platteau” to “Potter”, and to tie him finally and
firmly to a branch of the Potter family tree. Meanwhile, Denis
continues to seek family members and recently found a “Plateau”.
Yet another branch? See DNA results below!
75

With the help of Patrick and Guillaume de Potter, the Leuven
genealogist and the ADN experts, we finally re-united us with the
Alost-Audenaerde line. We now included their most ancient ancestor,
Bernard-Antoine de Potter.
With the help of Sven de Potter, we then connected in the family
table the “natural child branch”, including their relatives Yvonne de
Potter (USA, aged 95), Denis (Lille), Patrick (Ghent) and Sven
(Antwerp)! Many thanks to Vincent and Peter-Frank de Potter too!
PFDP
VDP
SDP
SDP
DDP
HDP
FDP
JDP
NDP
Above DNA colors match the Families Forest table (see last page of the book)
76

DUTCH BRANCH
(Zeeland, Bergen-Op-Zoom, Breda, Delft, Utrecht, Amsterdam)
Fully identified by B. van Blokland of the High Society of
The Hague, for the period 1200-1850, even mentioning a very first
ancestor in 1093. He identified Maximiliaan de Pottere, as a lawyer at
the Court of Holland, son of Roeland de Pottere, Prelate and delegate
of the “Noble men of Zeeland” in Middelbourg, between 1543 and
1563, son of Jacob de Pottere who was member of the “Prelate and
Noble men of the County of Middelbourg” in 1529.
Maximiliaan was the father of Roeland de Pottere, jesuit, and of
Dominicus de Pottere, advisor and treasurer of the Prince Willem of
Orange. We also found their cousin Hendrik who was in 1578 a
captain in the Scottish naval force and resided in the House de
Pottere in Noordgouwe. Also, in 1897 W. Juten wrote in Taxandria
that there are several members of this family all carrying the three
roses as coat of arms, across border regions. He referred to the
families de Pottere in Bergen Op Zoom, Gastel, Zeeland and Den
Bosch, with ties in Courtrai and Ghent.
The family name “de Pottere”, with ancient Frasnes spelling, is only
carried by cousins Franz -Bruno, Alexander and Charly de Pottere
whose ancestors migrated to Prussia-Germany and then to the U.S.A.
André de Potter d’Indoye told us that those German cousins offered
a heritage to his father who refused as he had to carry the old spelling!
Franz married a member of the family Holstein Ledreborg - de
Luxemburg, thereby cousins of the Danish royal family, the Grand-
Duchy of Luxemburg’s family, the French Bourbon’s and the...
Dutch Nassau’s. Today, we seek further if this family pursued under
the name “Potterus” with similar arms, the three pots in triangle.
77

From this branch, Anna Regina Potters married Godefridus van
Lanschot. She was born in 1738 as eighth kid of Francis Potters,
buyer in Den Bosch, son of Johan de Pottere, son of Claudius de
Pottere, bailiff of Grombergen. A brother of Anna Regina was
Christian, carrying the same coat of arms, considered as member of
the same family.
In Bergen-Op-Zoom, the family de Pottere was in the port
authority in the 15 th , 16 th and 17 th centuries. Jan Baptist de Pottere,
born in 1626 in the castle of Grimhuysen (Oud-Gastel) and prior in
the abbey of Sevenborn in Halle, wrote in 1687 in a family book that
an esquire Jan de Pottere, living in 1293, was a noble man, of pleasant
and spiritual company (sic).
He also said that “his nobility came from his ancestors, a.o. Herman de Pottere,
made noble in 1093 by Godfrey of Bouillon”. Unfortunately, in 1397 and
again in 1444, Bergen-Op-Zoom was destroyed, leaving no records
of such amazing informations from the Abbey of Grimhuysen. In the
purple branch of the Netherlands, we include Thomas de Pottere
who was a tax-receiver of the King of Spain in the Low Countries
with his own secure medal receipt shown here below.
78

SAINT-NICOLAS BRANCH
(thanks to Christian, Serge, Vincent and Peter-Frank)
As early as the 13th century, this prolific line (Yseq DNA “ I1”) of
the families de Potter was mostly active in Saint-Nicolas.
They surely met the other Potter’s, occupying public responsibilities
close by like Antoine, Bailiff of Leuven in the 16 th century, Jan, Scout
of Brussels in the 17 th century or Pierre de Pottere, member of the
High Council of nearby city of Malines in the 18 th century.
The descendants of the famous historian Frans de Potter, member of
this line, Christian and his nephew Serge, helped us a lot to study this
branch.
Also, with the help of DNA expert Wim Penninx and Peter-Frank de
Potter in The Netherlands, plus biology doctor Vincent de Potter in
Tourhout, we pursued the “full Y-chromosome DNA-testing” for the ten
“de Potter” ‘s from various origins!
79

The discovery by Dr. Astrid Kahn of Yseq in Germany was excellent.
There is 100% assurance that Peter-Frank, Vincent and Serge belong
to this Saint-Nicolas line, therefore going as high as Berthelmeus de
Potter in 1400, including the famous historian Frans de Potter!
More discoveries by Yseq are shown on the global families timeline
table, whereas a “Full Y-chromosome” DNA testing did ascertain -
and re-connect - data found in official archives. The blue and green
branches were fully identified.
Now with the DNA’s, the beige one connects to the green one in a
segment of 3.000 to 5.000 years, which connects to the blue branch
in a segment of 7.000 to 10.000 years and finally the pink ones above
10.000 years.
80

This new 1.000 years genealogy research about “the Belgian families
de Potter” will never end but numerous additional records are now
available in our database, across lineages. This new form of diagram
offers a consistent view, in line with modern genealogy standards.
Across 20 years of research, no family complaint was received while
these results circulated a lot among its members and always published
on the internet. When a branch is interrupted by a missing link, we
placed “dotted red points” to show where we were blocked.
81

82

Potter Families
Millennium Forest
83

84

85

86

French Pottier ‘s
87

As informal French chapter, showing an interesting parallel across
the French border, we mention in Tournai the family “(le) Pottier de
Graincourt”, name derived in 1148 from “de Graincourt-Crevecoeur”,
owners of the castle of nearby Cambray, Senechal of Cambrai,
Lieutenant-general of Flanders.
Their name and blazon came from the tale of count Thierri of
Graincourt who brought back, with Count of Flanders, a famous
“pot” from Orient wars. The red branch “de Pottier” might derive
from them, in the very nearby powerful (12thC) city of Tournai.
88

As additional informal “French chapter documentation”, we mention
here that we came across the Bretagne family called “Potier” (le),
with sub-branches “de Courcy”. This family included esquires,
barons, counts and belonged to the restricted circle of “Pairs de
France” families, founding fathers of France in the 16th century.
A comprehensive genealogy was made by Samuel Potier de Courcy,
whereas members originated in “our” Somme region and others in
Bretagne. Below are representations of three members of the family
in the Museum of Arts of Chartres.
There is no evidence that they are related to the Belgian “le/ de
Pottier” but there is an alliance between the family de Courcy and...
the Lords of Mortaigne and Knights Pottes.
89

90

In this short French chapter related to the patronyms “Pottier,
Potier and Pothier”, here are the most figurative name bearers :
• Bernard Pottier (Paris, 1824), French president of the French
Academy of Fine Letters
• Emmanuel Pottier (Paris, 1864), French photographer
• Edmond Pottier (1855), French hellenist
• Édouard Pottier (1839), French military Admiral
• Eugène Pottier (Lille, 1816), French revolutionary and inventor of
international liberty song
• Gaston Pottier (1885), French painter
• Henri Pottier (1819), French theorician
• Paul Nicaise Pottier (1778), French engineer in Egypt
• Roland Victor Pottier (1775), French geographer in Egypt
• Aram J. Pothier (1854), French-American politician
• Alfred Potier (1840), French engineer and academician
• Charles-Gabriel Potier (1774), French theater actor
• Dominique Edgard Potier (Seraing, 1903), Belgian resistance
military tortured hero
• Julien Potier (1796), French artist
• Léon Auguste Potier (1876), French General
• Pierre-Jacques de Potier (Lille, 1780-1840), French General
• René Potier (Paris, 1750), French literary writer
• Nicolas IV (le) Potier, (La Rochelle, 1628), French nobleman,
secretary of state King Louis XIII
91

• Louis Potier, baron of Gesvres (1550), statesman and one of
the “Founding Fathers of France” x Baroness Baillet-Latour
• Antoine le Potier, son of Louis, Lord of the Seals (1585-1621),
statesman and one of the “Founding Fathers of France”
• René le Potier, (1579-1670), duke of Tresmes French and one
of the “Founding Fathers of France”
• Nicolas Potier de Novion (1618-1693), French statesman and
one of the “Founding Fathers of France” , Commander of
the Orders of the King, opponent to Cardinal Mazarin
92

• Henri le Potier de La Germondaye (1729), one of the “Founding
Fathers of France”
• Léon Potier de Gesvres (1656-1744) et Étienne-René Potier de
Gesvres (1697-1774)
• Charles-Ferdinand de Potier (1820-1898), French general
• Dom Joseph Pothier (Conques, 1835), French gregorian singer
• Divers Pottier dans la région Hauts-de-France et Marne
• Joseph POT(t)IER de la Houssaye (Saint-Malo, 1768-1830),
Corsair of the Revolution and the Empire, son in law of
Robert Surcouf, lord of Maisonneuve, was stationed with the
marine staff of Brest. He received from Surcouf, in 1804, the
command of "The Confidence" on which he made several
campaigns. Later, his company freighted several private
vessels defending France against the English. A century
earlier, the family Bart, also from the corsairs region, had ties
with the Pottiers, as we saw before, in Renaix.
Et enfin les nombreux Potter issus de la région de Potte,
établis dans la région de St Omer/ Dunkerque.
93

94

British Pottier ‘s
95

As United-Kingdom reference, we mention Adam de Potter, army
archer, married to Sibyl Heygham in 1278 in the Kent County.
Many “de Potter ‘s” are listed on British genealogy websites, active in
farming, crafts, industry and London politics. Some were “natives”,
some got on Roman invaders’ boats, others escaped continental wars
or revolutions, going onto the island for freedom. Some went there
to develop their business, as the Bruges branch did. Their name
however was often simplified by the customs office into “Potter”
instead of “de Potter”. They were often referred to as “from
Normandy”, after crossing the channel there.
96

Christopher Potter, member of the House of Commons in London,
even re-emigrated to Paris after losing an election in London... He
would have lost a “duel” against Lord Pitt but, in reality, he would
have been a... secret agent for the British government in Paris.
Lord North in 1778 described Potter as ‘a gentleman of business
manufacturing bread’. When he entered Parliament he defended the
Admiralty, promoting the true interests of the country. On 12
December 1782 he voted against the American war.
The Duke of Rutland, who had ‘old obligations’ towards Chris Potter,
supported him when the petition came to be tried; and John
Mortlock, Potter’s nominee on the committee which tried his
election, ‘engaged ... that Potter should always vote for Pitt’.
On 15 March 1785, after a so called “fight” he lost against his
godfather Lord Pitt, Chris Potter re-emigrated to France in 1791
where he presented a petition to the National Assembly begging a
patent for a new process of manufacturing pottery !
97

Chris Potter promised a quarter of his profits in public gifts and set
up his factory at Chantilly where he produced baked potteries,
painted with taste and elegance. It was said that he was worth more
than two millions of ancient money….
But in the meantime, he was also twice arrested by the revolutionary
committee... He was the supplier of many powerful families and,
today, there is no doubt anymore that he was a secret agent of the
British government, via Lord Pitt, with whom he had secretly
continued to be closely connected since the Revolution.
As stated in “Les Cahiers de Chantilly” (2016-2018), Potter was
arrested for conspiracy in 1793. Because of the support of the
minister of war, and other senior hidden supporters, the charges
against him were waved. He was nevertheless jailed until the fall of
Robespierre.
98

Pursuing the rebellion, in 1796 and 1797, as a close friend of viscount
Paul Barras, head of the Directoire regime, Potter was used as a gobetween
with the British Government to exchange British general
O’Hara against count of Rochambeau.
Also upon the proposal of Barras, Potter would also have played a
role in the liberation of the daughter of king Louis XVI and the
proposed the re-establishment of the monarchy in France.
In 1800 Potter was a first class medalist at the Paris industrial
exhibition and was meeting the whole Paris establishment. Between
1800 and 1801, Potter (almost aged 50) was asked by Bonaparte (aged
32) to help negotiate peace between France and England.
A Cambridge newspaper wrote that Potter was the “owner of the
Palace of the prince of Condé” in Chantilly, but he only had a royal
factory with 400 workers… Like Louis de Potter, in the same time
frame, he was paying the most renowned artists of the time up to
8.000 pounds per year…!
Gold imprinted ceramic pot marked “L.P.”...!
99

In 1797 it was assumed that he was protecting blue-collar royalists
inside his factory, printing secrets codes on dishes with flowers
meaning royal support etc. In those days, printing royalist emblems
on pots was risky business. One could get his head cut off…
He remained in France until 1814. His sons, Georges and Thomas,
rook over the ink printing ceramics. Betch & Lallemant bought the
neighboring house of Beaumarchais and pursued the gold printing
crafts. Potter died in England, 18 Nov. 1817.
His opportunities and abilities should have fixed him at the summit
of wealth, but he was too eccentric and speculative a rebel to hoard a
fortune.
100

Millennial Esquire values a Century Marquis
101

102

Dutch Potter ‘s
103

In Bergen-Op-Zoom, between Rotterdam and Antwerp, in the year
1100, Cornelis de Pottere was an esquire with Knight Godfrey of
Bouillon, lord of Lorraine, future King.
His son Geraert was an esquire with King Charles The Rash, marquis
of Antwerp. Not much later, their nephew Roelant, Jacob’s son,
studied in Bruges and was Prelate of Zeeland.
Zeeland and Breda: In 1600, Henricus, son of above Roelandt, was
admiral of a Dutch-Scottish fleet protecting trade in Zeeland and had
a big house in Noord Gouwe.
Amsterdam: Cousin Abraham, important textile trader, is a
descendant of the relatives from Renaix who escaped the bloody
duke of Alba, catholic inquisitor. He is portrayed here by the famous
Carl Fabritius with Helena and children.
104

105

106

Roeland de Potter
107

Born in Bruges in 1602, cousin
Roeland was a missionary in
Holland who came to Delft to serve
the congregation in 1621.
He was always willing to assist the
sick in their disease, baptize
children, and bless marriages.
He could stop people from
committing sins, help them to get
back on the right path and help
virtue take root.
That was his personal appeal and mission on earth in Holland.
He was so active that he did as much on his own as was normally
done by six priests. His missionary congregation proposed him as
Saint to the Pope!
He took care of families in Gravezande, Wateringen, Rijswijk,
Voorburg, Delft, Leidschendam, Zoetermeer, Akkersdijk, Papsou,
DenHoorn and many surroundings of The Hague.
At a point in time, Roeland and his Society were even threatened with
a huge fine of six hundred guilders for their work… He often had to
keep himself hidden, so that some people could not speak to him for
several weeks. It was then so risky for the fathers that he did not dare
to go out during the day. When he had to visit the sick, he put on a
dark skipper's jersey; so he went unseen in the dark of the night to
help people and remain unknown.
Roeland was going into the cities to help people at their home and at
night, always from one house to another. Once with Agata Sandelin,
108

then with Jan De Passer, or with Trijntje Willems, Sasbout van der
Dussen or Willem Aeriens.
He was once chased by the Bailiff while he was disguised with a cloth
merchant. It remained unknown how he could get away. I was told
that he laid a piece of cloth over his shoulders with a red apron from
a dry-shovel servant, and passed the guard of the Beguinage with the
help of Neeltje Jacobs, the sister of Father Duyst. He also managed
to escape disguised like a woman!
During official celebrations, it was always risky to help people.
Roeland was also hiding with Mr. Dassegny. Aafje van der Velde's
parents also helped him in trouble. He often preached at night and
early in the morning. In a difficult period, on an Ash Wednesday, he
gave the holy ashes for a hundred people who came and quickly went
away.
I don’t know how many sick people, suffering from the terrible
“black disease”, he helped but is was enormous. Roeland suffered as
well but always treated them kindly. He was not allowed to baptize,
not to marry or to administer the Holy Oliesel, but he did it.
It all happened well because of his modesty and the fact that he
showed himself the least possible. He even replaced other priests
while their hoirs had the plague! In Voorburg, for example, a whole
family died of 'the disease': 7 people. In another house an old woman
died of 'the black disease': she had been abandoned by all her friends.
A mass by Roeland was held at Wateringen for example. Many people
gathered, both at the butter farmer, and at the honey farmer. Those
were tragic times, but Roeland was never caught by a Bailiff nor the
sickness. In the Rietveld, during the great illness period, a man and a
woman received Roeland’s confession at night, just in time. The next
morning they were both dead.
109

In the Doelenstraat he helped three people during the great illness.
There were already two deaths in the house. The three others were
also dead the next morning. The father stayed in a house for more
than an hour, where the illness was raging. In the guest house 'In the
Armed Swan', two officials confiscated possessions and fulfilled their
duties.
Other persons were sick of the “Spanish smallpox”. Roeland stayed
with them. There was no cure for those people who had contracted
that disease through no fault of their own. In the Kloksteeg a family
was assisted at night; also in the Giststeeg and also in the Poppesteeg.
A woman of eighty years in the Begijnesteeg, who had not confessed
for 60 years, was helped at night by Roeland. Another old man was
helped to fulfill his ecclesiastical obligations. They had asked for a
priest at the Begijnhof, but they refused to come. It was too risky.
Roeland was in Zoetermeer with Joost Scheepmaker, and kept a
church there during the risky time. An attorney had come to live in
the region and had not noticed that the disease was there. The priest
stood by him unconcernedly when he became ill. The man died a day
or two after that. A daughter of that prosecutor became ill three days
later. The priest helped the whole family; they all had the plague; he
was there for two or three hours, with danger for his own life.
110

It was hard, when back to Delft in the winter, staying one and a half
hours outside the city, straight against the wind with heavy snow.
Roeland said: "You are not in need. Those snowflakes are not stones;
the snow melts, "the priest said. "The stones stuck harder!" Roeland
was as cheerful as a perfect man. Always positive and fighting.
The following year, in Voorburg, It was again cold and risky. He held
a mass there with the blind widow of Jasper Jacobs. That night he
had eighty communions. He then held another mass at the same time
with three hundred people; over a hundred communions, and all that
with bread baskets for the poor people! The next morning, he had to leave
again and bring the corporal with the consecrated hosts to Mr.
Stalpaert. He held the next mass south of The Hague.
When Roeland was there, they did not want him to perform pastoral
duties. That is why he had to bring the corporal with the holy, blessed
sacrament to pastor Stalpaert. And the priest said: "Shall we continue
to listen to the sermon?" Roeland proposed to do “as people wanted"
but himself was never in doubt whether he would leave or stay.
The tax people from The Hague were often there and the meeting
was then caught, and all the names were written down. Mr. Stalpaert
was put in farmer's clothes between the farmers so that he would not
be recognized. Roeland had foreseen all these things and could have
all people escape and be protected from all sorts of disasters.
In the middle of the winter a big meeting was held at night, with about
five hundred people, and certainly more than a hundred confessions.
It lasted until four o'clock at night, but around three o'clock Roeland
left. It was so dark that he did not know where he was, he had no
light at the Leidse Dam. He was in danger of drowning. He had no
fear to run such dangers for his folks.
111

Again, in the middle of the winter, Roeland went to Rhoon to talk
about a few works of art. It was about some ornaments that would
be made for the church. It was bad weather at night: During the day
it had snowed and frozen, and in the afternoon it had thawed. When
Roeland left, it was so bad that he did not know how to get over the
Maas in Schiedam. It became so dark that he was in danger of having
an accident before we had reached the bridge.
Once in Schiedam, he did not know how to get to Overschie in
darkness. It had frozen again that night. Roeland hired a barge to
Overschie. Between Schiedam and Overschie the barge creaked
through the ice, it seemed as if it would run to the ground. When he
arrived in Overschie, he was wet and stiff with cold; this is how he
waited for the last barge of Rotterdam. That's how he arrived in Delft
at nine o'clock in the evening.
These conditions and dangers were his everyday life…! In the middle
of the winter, Roeland was taken to a sick person in the country of
Den Briel, endangering his own life. The Brielse Gat was frozen and
he did not know if the ice would hold. But the venerable man went
there alone across it to his folks.
112

During the great mortal plague, Roeland stayed with Miss Anna
Sandelin. The lady noticed how much Roeland’s support helped the
ill persons. She was so angry about her situation but "Father Roeland
was coming” and they were not so scared of the illness anymore.
Roeland was with so many sick people. I have no idea how many,
there were so many! And when he came home from helping the sick
at night, my wife took a bucket of water. We put it in the middle of
the room. In the morning there was a thick ice membrane on the
bucket of water.
In the houses where he came, there was always a fire. Then he held
his cloak before it. That is very good against the disease. And the lord
saved him. Roeland was equally cordial and willing for all the sick
across the years. He had a catalog of all the streets of the whole city.
He was equally concerned for maids and servants or rich persons. He
was so worried to help the people that I cannot describe it with a pen!
He never asked: "Who is it?" He went straight to the child, when he
knew in which house he was, for him to be baptized. If someone
asked for Roeland ‘s proposed spiritual things that affected the souls,
Roeland said all the things that suffering person needed to know
without delay.
Father Makeblijde organized the school for Maria Bartolomeus. She
was a good sister, along with another sister named Anna Jans.
Because Anna was less appreciated than Maria, Father Makeblijde put
the school in the name of Anna Jans, in case the Sheriff or the
Magistrates would do something against the school, at unfavorable
moments.
Roeland then became a guardian of the school. He and Marie worked
conscientiously. They did everything for the school with accuracy.
113

When the times were evil and dangerous, Roeland would still hold a
mass on the Begijnhof in the evening, with Neeltje Jacobs Duyst. It
was already dark. I would be on the lookout to see if there was no
danger.
He would start the sermon when the Bailiff's officer came to ask if
missionaries had a meeting somewhere in the Begijnhof. I said,
"Young man, you are wrong. Where is that meeting supposed to be?"
The officers of the Bailiff then came back with four large dogs, and
believed they could then catch Roeland. But the birds were our
friends and the priests themselves were on good terms with the
sheriff.
That is how he passed through difficult times. Although his mother
lived at the Begijnhof, he did not dare to stay with her. He went to
help Grietgen Huijbrechts. He assisted her in illness and made her
comply with ecclesiastical obligations. There was a wanderer in the
yard who heard Father Roeland address her warmly and with
comforting words, as you do to a sick person.
In those evil times, Roeland once held mass at Arien Flooren in
Voorburg at night behind the village. There was a great meeting. But
the dogs barked so loudly that Father feared that the barking would
be heard in the village. Father called me to him and asked: "Let the
householder put those dogs somewhere they would not attract the
Bailiff’s police”.
During Easter, he held a mass in Voorburg with Job Jacobs. And the
agents of the chief came to look for Easter eggs. And they feared that
they actually came to do an invasion. Roeland did not know where to
hide, there was so much commotion around the house. But the agents
disappeared when they had the Easter eggs. They were hungry too!
Roeland held a meeting at night in Voorburg, at Jan Leeuwen’s
church. There was such a big storm with heavy rain and wind that
114

evening that it seemed like winter. No weather to go there. De Pottere
had to do the work in those evil times, bring all things along: chalice,
ampoules, mass bread, wax candles, candlesticks, even the wine for
the sacred service we had to bring with us.
That was how concerned he was. On and on, he visited the Gasthuis
hospital and the old people's homes. Disguised, he visited sick
persons at home and organized secret public masses.
When Roeland left Delft, he said to me: "Here you have two bags of
money. All in all, twelve hundred guilders; six hundred in each bag.
"One bag I brought to Mr. D. in the Begijnhof, and the other bag of
six hundred guilders I brought to Mr. W. at the Begijnhof. There you
can see if the father has exercised charity. Such a person was Roeland
de Pottere.
All of that was so risky and Roeland had to find ways to achieve his
mission. He would take a pump on his shoulders and discretely enter
the Gasthuis; then he spoke to the sick person as if he were a
pumpmaker, and as if the sick person was his friend. And so he had
the sick person meet his ecclesiastical obligations in the Hospital !
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At other times, he would carry a sheet of skin, as a paint shearer who
makes a sheet! In this way he has allowed sick people to fulfill their
ecclesiastical obligations, and assisted them in their distress.
Roeland has been so concerned and responsible that, to his
knowledge, no human being should ever die without spiritual help.
For example, he has repeatedly put himself at risk and assisted the
entire poor and ill inhabitants of the whole city of Delft. They
sometimes thought he had the plague too… But the ill missionary did
not die; he recovered from his cold again.
He even had a sick person meet his church obligations inside a
Mayor's home, not the best friend of the missionaries. The Mayor
warmly opened his house to him. The sick person was a servant of
the Mayor and lay in the back of the garden.
I was also visiting the sick person, upon the orders of Roeland. Father
has done all such things in Delft. He never allowed himself to be
misled, but, on the contrary, always tried his best not to let anyone
die without help.
When the French had committed their crimes of murder in Tienen,
and plundered the people of the prince, fugitives were cut off from
their retreat. They could not return to France as they intended. Many
French who lost themselves came to Holland on foot or on
horseback to beg.
There were sick soldiers everywhere; among them were many
Catholic French. In the inn at the Haagpoort, Father asked if they
wanted to confess. The Frenchmen who were sick, said yes. Roeland
went straight there. Reportedly they had an army disease.
Paternally, Roeland helped them completely, had them fulfill their
ecclesiastical obligations, gave them the Holy Oilsel and assisted them
very kindly. Father confessed the Frenchmen because of what they
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had done to the Holy Church. I heard that they said to Father in
French, "But, sir, we did not know at all the things that we were going
to do to the Church."
Left alone by their “monkey war” generals, French soldiers invading
the Spanish Netherlands, visited Roeland de Potter. They were sick
on their horses…! Some of them were even attached onto the poor
animals. Others had died on the way, carrying sicknesses to Holland
and Brabant. They would never have reached Rotterdam, if Roeland
had not been charitable to them…!
Roeland always wanted to administer the sacraments in time. He did
not make a distinction between soldier or peasant, rich or poor. Only
kids came first served.
He was always concerned about whether someone was ill, or whether
a child should be baptized or if he could have someone fulfill his
church duties. Even though those people were uninterested, he
walked there, without first having to be called.
Towards the end, Roeland had a serious illness, when the big plague
was over. He was sick with Agata Sandelingh near him. I took care of
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him fourteen days and nights. Thank God he recovered from that
illness.
Once he was healed, Roeland went to work again day and night,
sometimes by giving catechesis and then teaching the youth again. In
Voorburg, he almost went from door to door to teach the children,
and the adults there. Such a pure soul has been this father.
But for all those virtues he was very well seen among the people. He
was equally friendly to all, whether they came to confess to him or go
to another priest, he was always friendly. He was also wise and
cautious, in all his behavior, and practical in respecting the household
companions.
He loved each one equally. That was right in heart. He tried not to
interfere or quarrel with anyone. He went against rich people as hard
as against poor, when they had done something wrong. He never left
anyone without help.
Roeland then became seriously ill again. After all this enormous work,
he had caught a major illness at the home of Mr. Van der Velde. The
doctors had already given him up.
Roelandt de Pottere, pure heart, medicine man, silently passed away
in Delft on April 13, 1675.
Until today, no-one described his virtues like life companion did here,
in a diary held by priest Paul Begheyn and priest A. van den Akker.
He was forgotten for always, except by you today!
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Agreement dated 1563 between the Spanish King’s representative, prince
Willem of Orange Nassau and the Zeeland authority represented by Roelandt
de Pottere(father).
In 1620, cousin Dominique de Pottre was buried in the cathedral of
Breda, he had been an advisor-treasurer of... the prince Philippe of
Orange.
The middle coat of arms, with the 10 stones from an allied family
(van der Steene) is also found in the same period in the steering
committee of the Hospital de Potterye in Bruges, built with ancient
support of the bishop of Tournai-Liège who had dispatched Créstien
de Potterie there when the ancient hospital started.
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Amsterdam: Poetry writer Dirc left Courtrai to The Hague. Writer
Pierre and his son Paulus (de) Potter (Museum for Fine Arts). His
father was made noble man for his work for the family of Orange.
Paul died at 26 but produced over 100 paintings of landscapes!
“Huis de Pottere”, Noord-Gouwe, Zeeland. The family archives of
this branch mention Renaix as origin. Part of this branch, which was
managing a division of the big Oost India Company, moved to the
Northern harbours in Germany where they we active in the import
of table dishes.
120
“Castle de Pottere”, Middelbourg, Zeeland.

Potter’s castle and coat of arms, 1748, Zeeland.
Potter van der Loo (unlisted linked to Brussels branch of Jan)
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122

Jan de Potter
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As indicated in the origins of the family in Renaix, the brave Liévin
de Pottere was assassinated by the blood-thirsty Duke of Alba around
1520, because of his personal beliefs.
He was a protestant. Only a few lines were written in the “Chronicle
of Flanders” (Royal Archives of Bruges, 1878), in the context of the
killing, by the Church’s Inquisitor, of MM. van Coppenolle,
t’Sersanders, Egmont, Hoorn and other protesting personalities.
Here are details, with the help of the well-known “Daily Diary Logbook”
of cousin Jan de Potter, Brussels city representative.
The analysis will be pursued in the chapter about Louis de Potter,
author of “The History of the Church” offered to Stendhal, that
“Louis’ family was the victim of the terrible persecutions of the horrible Vatican
Church inquisitor, the Duke of Alba”.
Jan’s father, Antoine de Potter was found by: the Leuven expert,
Jacques de Potter, Eric Devos, Antoine Maes and Oscar Delghust.
He is “the cousin of Liévin de Potter who left Renaix at the times of
persecutions”.
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Antoine de Potter, head of Brussels guild with his medals,
caldron pots casts chiseling of the Nations (Ommegang
crafts), with his coat of arms engraved on the pot (right).
Artwork of Antoine de Potter, father of Jan, exhibited in
the Castle of Laarne (Ghent), son of Jan, Gerard, had a
daughter who married Gerard d’Udekem
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Fernand de Potter, and his French partner Françoise de Casaubon,
committed a research made by the Leuven expert.
With our guidance, while seeking after the famous chronicle writer
Jan de Potter, he found evidence of the complete match with the
“blue lineage” up to Jan de Potter, and even before (“Who is Who in
the Late Middle-Ages”, Royal Archives).
Also, in his Diary of 1550-1575, Jan de Potter designates Anthonis as
his father, who was, like cousin Liévin in Renaix, victim of the
persecutions by the awful Duke of Alba, inquisitor of the church.
Although we have no register’s reference, based on this accurate
testimony, with now three entries, we consider Jan’s father as the
great silverware manufacturer in Brussels, who originated in Renaix.
His branch occupied elected positions in Brabant and carried the
three pots (caldrons) before switching to the crescent and stars.
We found that his brother Philippe had inherited a brewery in
Antwerp before 1567 and his cousin Mathew had acquired a soap
factory, also in Antwerp, in 1598, while another cousin Peter Antoine
was member of the Council of Malines in 1620.
As stated in the “Who was Who in Brussels in the 14th Century”, Jan’s
family was at the head of the “Arts and Crafts guild” of
Brussels. Their metal work profession entitled them, and the whole
family today, to be included in the “Ommegang Silversmiths Guild”
and in the “Brussels City Nations”.
The detailed genealogy of this new family line is available at the Royal
Archives in Brussels, as well as in the online list of marriages de Potter
(1400-1600) of the Royal Genealogy Heraldic Office.
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Ancient Families of Brussels, Brussels City Archives
Façade of the Brussels City Hall
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128
Yet another alliance UDEKEM X POTTER

DIARY OF JAN DE POTTER 1550-1620
Chronicle writer, Jan de Potter (pen name “Pottre”) seems to
represent a real patriot of the ancient times in our cities. People had
respect for any citizen keeping such day-to-day records.
Jan was a good Catholic but admired the novelties proposed by the
Reformation, contradicting both Kings Philips II and William the
Silent. He was born in Brussels in 1525 as son of Anthonius de Potter
and Margaretha van Assche. He became a wealthy citizen who
worked in the urban administration of the city. He was a man with
limited acquaintances, simple but of a righteous and virtuous nature.
His parents were merchants and shortly after the death of his father
in 1549 Jan took the same role as him in the City Council. He did this
until 1557 and then moved into a house on the Cheese Market.
On 30.11.1549 he married Magdalena Trijsens, of whom he had 5
children. The eldest son, Henneke, later became a priest, called Jan as
well. Another son Pauwel (1552) studied law in Leuven. Jan (father)
had 2 sisters: 1. Lijsken (she married 4 days before Jan married
Magdalena) on 26.11.1549 and 2. Margaretha, who was nun in the
monastery of Jericho in Brussels and who died there in 1553.
In 1558 Jan became “charitable man of the poor” in the St. Nicholas
Church near the Grand ‘Place of Brussels, and stayed in the ministry
for 2 years. In 1564 he was a merchant again and we now find him in
the Mercers craftsmen guild.
In 1570, he sold his house to escape persecutions and excessive
demands of the soldiers who were staying with him and robbed and
tormented him in every way. He then moved to the guild of charcoal
masters, who, as a Canon of St. Goedele, was probably free of such
lodgings. He stayed with them for over a year. On 26.06.1576 Jan
then became counselor of the City of Brussels.
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When the Calvinists became leaders of the State around 1580, all
Roman religious exercises were forbidden. The mass was secretly
read at the home of the Potter on the Cheese Market, which exposed
Jan's family to the greatest dangers… Jan de Potter was one of those
who saw the fatherland on the edge of the abyss, when they signed
the request of reconciliation with King Philip against Calvinists. As a
result, he was badly hit by the new taxes, as the new government in
Brussels alleviated them to punish us for the loyalty.
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In 1555, king Philip took the oath of Brabant and the emperor, his
father, gave him the power. It had been a wet summer, so people did
not get wood from the forests and the prices were high. Everything
was very expensive, butter costed 2 schillings per pound and eggs 40
sch. and the wheat 22 sch. because there was another war going on
with the French.
In 1556 everything was even more expensive. On 10.09, Jan’s son,
Peter, was born. May 1557, wheat and corn increased and made the
bread very expensive.
Jan de Potter on the façade of the Brussels City Hall
In 1557 the city of Saint Quintens was forcefully conquered and the
Admiral of Sea, was captured. On 18.09.1557 Jan’s brother, Philips,
died, he was about 12 years old. In 1558 Jan bought the house at the
cheese market and his son Anthonius was born on 05.12.1558.
In that year, many great princes and princesses died, such as the
Emperor and his 2 sisters, the Queen of France, the King of England,
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the wife of our King Philip, the King of Portugal and the wife Marie,
governess and sister of the emperor.
In 1559 peace was proclaimed and we got back all the cities that we
had lost and the French had their own cities again. And our king
married the daughter of the French king who died as a result of a
jousting! On 11.08.1559 my father-in-law, master Jan Trijsens died.
The king traveled to Spain and made his bastard sister, Duchess of
Parma, Govern the country. In 1559, Jan was named Caretaker in St.
Claes church with Bouwens. I then joined the Kramers Crafts Guild.
In 1560 Jan renewed his laundry house and his son Henneken, laid
the 1st stone. They made a living room, kitchen and room upstairs
and Pauwels, my other son then also laid the 1st stone. The wash
house and the stool, kitchen and the iron loam at the dining room
cost all together 6c 11 gld. In that year, they worked at the foundation
of the new city hall of Antwerp.
In 1561 the first ships arrived, those of Antwerp and Zierikzee and
Alkmaar and Vilvoorde. In 1562 the Emperor of Rome was crowned.
His parent Don Fernandus was established in Frankfurt and his son
Maximilian, was crowned King of Rome. In the year 1564 there was
a very large cold and frost for 18 days.
It started eight days before Christmas and it was said that in 50 years
it had never been so cold. There was a lot of snow. Occasionally a
slight thaw, but it continued for 9 weeks. There were no more ships
to sail.
After 1581, the citizen did not hear much from Jan. He died
09.10.1601, aged 76 years… The manuscript of the Potter's diary rests
in the Royal Library in Brussels, in the collections of the Manuscripts,
numbered 15885. Anthonius his 3rd son, continued the diary until
03.08.1602.
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133

134

135

136

137

138

139

140

141

142

143

Sorry for so much text in ancient Dutch but we translated it
and discovered that it’s the instrument to unite our families!
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145

This Diary of Jan de Potter was quite an act of bravery because the
States General and the Archduke were powerless while citizens were
starving again... Flanders and Brabant did not take side between the
Catholic alliance of the South and the Calvinist alliance of the
North.
Also, uncle Liévin de Potter plus the counts of Egmont and Horne
got their head cut off in 1568 and fear was still present everywhere
in the region.
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Almost all narrative sources, both Protestant and Catholic, show the
animosity of the artisans (metal engravers such as Jan’s father) and
the common people against the alderman oligarchies.
The aversion to the ordinary man against the magisterial group is a
tradition deeply rooted since King Charles The Fifth.
Reporter Jan de Potter could not forgive the aldermen such rude a
conduct towards citizens in Brussels. Here are more extracts of his
diary:
“Political indecision culminated at the beginning of 1570 when the
States-General exhorted Utrecht about the great difficulties that arose
for the "common homeland", from the fact that these local
authorities no longer sent any delegates to the meeting in Antwerp.”
Almost all remonstrance of states and cities demand measures against
the crimes of the Spanish soldiers. Jan de Potter said that the thefts
and the bullying by the Spanish soldiers stationed with him in
Brussels were legion.
There is no doubt that, under Alva, the immense aversion to the
presence of the Spanish troops (the army of the “legal prince”!)
caused a “widespread awareness”.
Citizens felt more and more became like a form of foreign
domination in their free countries. Jan de Potter depicts the aldermen
and their daughters, who celebrated with Spaniards in February 1572
in Brussels, as a kind of "collaborators of the enemy"...
Protestantism had taken away the power of the States everywhere,
handing it over to the people's government of the cities. Brussels and
Antwerp adapted to Ghent's example.
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In Brussels, where the patriots have been so powerful since 1575, the
majority of the population remains Catholic.
To avoid being exposed to such a danger, five squadrons of Scots
were recruited by the bourgeoisie and a Military Council was set up,
which, with the help of the soldiers, seized the government of the
congregation and began to prosecute the Catholics...
Citizen had to comply and be “pleased” with the military and
demagogic system that, contrary to the old privileges, now reserves
all ministries to the Calvinists.
The number of Protestants and Catholics was almost balanced in
Brussels, but city leaders, as convinced Orangists, did not want the
city to reconcile with the king, despite the wish of the Calvinists...
As early as June 1579, the priests on the street no longer dared to
circulate, no longer accompany the funerals, etc. The “religious
peace” was replaced by the exclusive practice of the radical
Reformation...
At that time, everywhere in the houses, in town and on the farms in
the countryside, people began to celebrate masses, sometimes
preaching sermons at home. The whole day long, the bells were
sounding loud, as a custom.
People were astonished that the Duke of Alba did forbid to celebrate
masses, at home… Forbidden to practice the last sacraments at home
for a dying person!? For the Spanish Catholics, under the Duke of
Alba, imagine all the changes that people had to face...
For example, instead of celebrating Christmas Day on the 25th of
December according to ancient custom, the Duke forced Christmas
to be celebrated on the 15th of December. In case of refusal it was
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very seriously sanctioned by the Court of Justice of Brabant. These
changes were applied suddenly everywhere by the Duke of Alba.
Any unhappy person was told that these changes were imposed by
Rome. All these were published, just one day before, while it took at
least seven days for people to prepare Christmas celebration (e.g.
brewing Christmas beer, cleaning the premises, etc.).
On June 23, the city of Harlem fell into the hands of the troops of
Don Frederico, son of the Duke of Alva, after an 8-month siege. His
men killed all foreign soldiers, as they did with many prominent
“bourgeois”, plus French and English soldiers who came to fight in
Brussels and Malines.
Some bourgeois, faithful to the Prince of Orange got their head cut
off, or, were thrown alive into the water with tied hands and feet,
despite having surrendered for lack of food.
The city of Haarlem having fallen, the Spanish troops of the Duke of
Alba forced inhabitants to pay ransoms and reveal the names faithful
of the Prince of Orange, who gave shelter to rebels.
The duke therefore decided to celebrate his victory noisily.
Incidentally, even by triumph, he removed his Italian and Spanish
officers from the procession that accompanied him through the city,
to be followed only by the conciliatory nobility, the Chimay's, the
Egmond's, the Aremberg's, the Mansfeld's, etc.!
The maritime city of Flessinghes-Vlissingen, which became
Calvinistic, close to the Scheldt, was soon decorated with triumphal
arches, colored columns, banners and emblems!
How can we understand and accept such cruel a behavior of the Duke
of Alva, and his son, imposing his revenge on everyone with such a
heavy reign of lies and terror, aimed at completely annihilating the
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rebellion! Especially in towns where the Emperor Charles V was
always received and celebrated with the highest honors. They should
have stayed in Spain!
Nevertheless, the day of the Ommegang festival was all beautifully
prepared, Don Juan, unlike the Duke of Alva, came to the Brussels
City Hall to take part in the commemorations and stayed for the
banquet while feasting with the Great Sirs (Magistrates of the city,
Notables etc.) and their Ladies.
Don Juan liked to maintain the old customs of Brussels as well as for
his love of tradition he was named "King of the Spruce"
(Tournament and jousting) in Leuven. He also sent the best wines in
thanks to the officials of the city.
The prince of Orange could conquer the city of Bergen-op-Zoom
with great subtility, on a Friday whereas the doors were open,
entering the city with hundreds of horses and pedestrian soldiers
without anyone being aware of it…
Letting also chariots come in at night, until the next morning,
capturing the whole city with great subtility, without any injured nor
dead person!
At the same time, he captured other cities with mercenaries, having
expelled the French in less than eight days as people said that his army
strong was, with hundreds of soldiers, while citizen were joining the
new leader otherwise they were being killed with the French soldiers
as well…
Thereafter, any citizen staying in town, who did not need to stay,
would suffer great destruction to his possessions if the Spaniards
were not recognized as their new masters.
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In the meantime, the Duke had gathered in Bergen-op-Zoom more
than a ton of gold, obtaining thereby forced cooperation of all the
other lords such as lord of Berleymont, lord Nockerme, Vigilius…
A big advantage for the Duke since the city was so powerful, with
boat access deep inside the land, such as count Louis quite a treasure
had there with this situation.
With all other treasures and tapestries, the Duke had made this
bastion even stronger, obtaining allegiance of the inhabitants, not
leaving them a moment of free time.
Numerous boats came from Portugal in Flessingue, putting again
pressure up to Antwerp, in spite of forbidden maritime presence by
the crual Duke, at the time of the visit of the Duke of Medina Sidona.
In August, a French Admiral shot with a gun in his arm, while reading
a letter at his window… It was at the time that the King of France
was passing by with the Duke of Guise in the house of the Admiral.
This made the King believe in a temptative murder and caused a
whole investigation and punishment story for the said Admiral as well
as the Hugenots troops...
Both Dukes, of Alba and of Medina, went to Mons in Hainaut with
their armies to demonstrate their power to the Hugenots.
On September 21st the city of Mons gave up under the army of the
Duke of Alba without any fights since the city authorities preferred
peaceful talks and the French, who believed they were home, and
their Admiral was dead, let the other troops enter in Mons.
All was done as if the French count Louis would retire from this place
without the inhabitants rejecting the new invaders, thereby giving
access up to Roermond in Gelderland because the brother of the
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Prince (of Orange) had recaptured that city, freeing the previously
invaded soldiers!
The duke then came to Malines, bringing again terror to local
peaceful inhabitants, raping and steeling their animals and doing all
kinds of other bad things.
That year, the procession of the Ommegang was the saddest ever.
The Duke of Alba was invited in the City Hall but did not want to
accept the meal offered to him. He only wanted to see the procession
but had in fact little or no feeling for it.
That year, the Duke of Alba, the great tyran, finally left Brussels and
returned to Spain with his son Dom Frederic, as good as his father,
during six years and three and half month such bad a governor was
in our region.
Also, all our aldermen left to go to Bergen-Op-Zoom to celebrate the
departure of the Spaniards from Middelbourg too. The next year, the
Ommegang procession was very nice to see again. Dom Jan, His
Highness, came to the City Hall and stayed for the table food
celebrations with many high-ranked personalities.
Count of Egmont, son of the one who was killed by the Duke, and
count of Arenberg, participated in the golden collar celebrations.
Dom Jan was made King of the Golden Collar of Louvain.
The next month, came the King of Navarre from France to meet
Dom Jan who offered a large banquets to him and all Brussels
personalities. It was a great success and the visit in Leuven was also
quite a great moment.
In August, we all went to Antwerp to destroy with great pleasure the
castle built by the Duke of Alba. It was demolished with the
agreement of the Grand Council and the City Hall.
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Longest look in the past, furthest foreseeing the future. Churchill
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154

Louis de Potter
155

WHO WAS LOUIS DE POTTER? (1786-1859)
After almost twenty years of study, we know who was the unknown
co-creator of “Belgium”, the brave Belgian-Italian-French journalist.
He is not Harry! He is not a rabbit of Beatrix! This magic and
romantic Potter is just an ancestor of Tintin, the Brussels reporter…
A rebellious no land’s man who triggered a revolution, with an army
of artists and secret publishers in several countries and continents.
He wrote “Belgian adventures” with a bird’s feather, onto a shaky
paper, riding on horseback, like the lonely Lucky Luke, saving poor
families as Robin Hood against the King.
With editors as soldiers, he obtained freedom of the press, voting and
genders’ rights, food and school for the kids, plus a new country.
Orchestrated by the greatest actors of 1830, here is the true story of
the “tough beer pots” vs. “fragile champaign glasses”.
Quite an aperitive, raised for a beautiful dumb lady, singing a
forbidden opera (the “Muette of Portici”) under the star of liberty
and the spirit of democratic renaissance!
Helped by his vast network of famous authors, artists, brewers, trendsetters,
Louis the liberator sacrificed his freedom and money.
He re-united the forces of “Belgian” citizens and their impressionism
land. Magritte would say: this is not a King but it IS a Royal country chief.
Louis made it sharply, based on his noble countryside behearted
values rather than ancient meritocratic aristocratic principles.
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Mysterious green Potter branch
This branch, to which the famous Louis de Potter belongs, is now -
and for the first time ever - fully identified up to 1325 -, with Esquire
Jan de Pottere, in Keyem-Dixmude, as oldest certified ancestor.
The team, across 20 years of research, found many “families
coincidences” (natural childs too!) which contributed to unexpected
and positive cooperations between the de Potter trees :
• In 1558, coincidentally, came an official delegation, with the
Renaix Mayor, Jacob de Potter, of the “blue branch”, all the
way from the origin city Renaix, into the city of the “green
branch” in Dixmude, in front of the city officials (Chamber
of Accounts), which included... Johan de Potter of the
Dixmude branch!
The delegates chose Dixmude because their small cousins
were there. They brought “present wines” and explained the
terrible “religious troubles” which they were facing in Renaix…
Now that was quite a finding of Pieter Donche and us in
Dixmude, in 2018!
• In 1620-1650, coincidentally, both the blue and green
branches were active, not only in Bruges, but also during the
same period, and also at a high level in the same crafts
corporations. This was stated in the Association of Guilds of
The Free State of Bruges.
• In 1658, coincidentally, a member of the brown branch was
mayor of Avelghem while green branch was living in the
castle of Kerckhove-Avelghem as of 1700, as mentioned in
the Association of Belgian Nobility in 1896 and in the Royal
Archives of Audenaerde.
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• In 1710-1730, coincidentally, in the small village of Heule,
both branches took official and similar steps… A member of
the green branch was “Council Pensionary” in the barony of
Heule, while a member of the blue branch bought the
Lordship of Heule. This was stated in the book by princess
de Merode and, in parallel, the other indication was found in
the genealogy of the 1896 Association of the Belgian Nobility!
• In 1743, coincidentally, Jacques de Pottere of the blue
branch bought a piece of land in Tielt, next door to the green
branch. This was mentioned in an official act of that year
found in the Royal Archives of Bruges.
• In 1750-1775, coincidentally, both branches were direct
neighbors, the green branch in the castle of Ravenhof
(Tourhout) and the blue branch in the touching estate of
Aertrycke (future castle). This is indicated in the Flemish
Directory of Patrimonial Estates and Archives of Bruges.
• In 1775, coincidentally, both branches were incorporated
into the nobility by Empress Marie-Therese of Austria. This
is indicated in the blue book by princess de Merode as well as
in the genealogy of the of the Belgian Nobility in 1896.
• In the same year, coincidentally, the high representative in
Ghent of Empress Marie-Therese of Austria was the Father-
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in-law of Reine de Potter of the blue branch who raised both
branches in the nobility. Same source as above.
• In 1807, coincidentally, a natural child of Louis de Potter
the green branch was born in the small town of Elseghem,
next to the castle of Elseghem, where Reine de Potter (blue
branch) was living, castle to which belonged the famous
library where Louis (green branch) was studying.
• In 1830, coincidentally, the blue branch in Ghent signed
and promoted a petition for the liberation of their beloved
green Louis de Potter jailed by the king of The Netherlands!
• In 1835, coincidentally, the blue branch inherited a lordship
and property in the village of Avelghem where the green
branch lived. It was in the castle of Kerchove, near the old
blue ancestors in Renaix. Coincidence: the coat of arms of the
blue branch are the arms of... the city of Kerckhove!
• In 1840, coincidentally, Louis de Potter, reputable leader of
the new Belgian State, member of the green branch, declared
that “his ancestors” were beheaded by the bloody Duke of
Alba, while the ancestor Liévin of the blue branch was
decapitated. Strange too that the blue branch signed, on
official petition, for the liberation of Louis in prison…!
• In 1870, coincidentally, the said natural son was buried in
the small village of Melle where the blue branch is being
buried for generations already.
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• More ancient coincidences in the Duchy of Mortaigne, year
1050... Jean Guillaume de Potter de Droogenwalle of the
Castle of Lophem was made noble in 1750 and acquired the
lordship of “Droogenwalle” to the Merode family, counts of
Midelbourg. This brought along other coincidences…
- Tournai (1468): First hint… An artist, named
“Pierquin de Pottes, or de Potter” (mentioned in the
catalog of Royal Library of Brussels), from the Duchy
of Mortaigne, was appointed by the Dukes of
Burgundy in Bruges to move up and paint for them;
- Bruges (1625): family Mortaigne, lords of Pottes and
Potelles, viscounts of Furnes, counts of Midelbourg
(county de Merode), lords of Haveskerque were
included in the sponsors of the Potterie hospital in
Bruges with these blazons;
- Lords of Droogenwalle (1725): the lordship
Droogenwalle was purchased by J-G. de Potter to the
family Merode. But the lordship came from their
cousins, Dukes of Mortaigne, lords of Haveskerque,
Pottes and Potelles (Royal archives, castle Lophem);
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- County of Potelles (1270): the Duke of Mortaigne
and his wife Catherine de Pottere lived in their
castle of Potelles, with lordship of Haveskerque, county
of Middelbourg;
- County of Middelbourg (1650): in Ardoye, near
Dixmude, we saw that Haveskerque belonged to count
of Merode and, before, to the Duke of Mortaigne,
married to Catherine de Pottere, Dame of Potelles
and Pottes. In Lille her great-great-grand- mother was
Alix, Countess of Flanders;
- Pottes and Potter blazon: as international journalist
and Prime minister elect, Louis de Potter and his
parents dared without fear to carry (or take over) the
coat of arms of the ancient family “de Pottes” from
Potelles, also named de Potter, as mentioned in 1896
by the Royal Association of the Kingdom of Belgium
as the arms of the family Potter from Bruges.
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• Last but not least, thanks to genealogist Leo Lindemans, we
found in 2006 five ancient family ties between members of
the family de Potter (blue and green) and the ancient Belgian
noble family d’Udekem d’Acoz, of H.R.H. the Queen of
Belgium, over a period of three centuries, in West-Flanders:
162
Cousins Potters X Udekem 5 times

Recently, families were reunited, with the marriage of my uncle Alain
de Potter de ten Broeck and lady Myriam d’Udekem d’Acoz, in West-
Flanders. Part of this book was made possible thanks to their
daughter, my aunt Nicole, dame d’Udekem d’Acoz who kindly
supported research, study visits and exchanges regarding the families
Udekem and Potter. The help Jean and Eric de Potter de ten Broeck,
from Bruges, was also very helpful.
And now this: Who was Louis de Potter, the revolutionary reporter?
You can see him here at full action, in the library of the Bishop Scipio
de Ricci, advisor of Grand-duke of Tuscany, Prince of Habsbourg, in
Florence. He was painted by his first love, Florentine personality,
Mathilde Meoni-Malencini, artist of the School of Camucini
(Museum of Ancient Arts, Bruges).
163

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Helped by editors, artists and brewers, he sacrificed life and money
to unite forces of citizens and kings into noble countryside value
rather than ancient merit aristocracy.
Louis’ family cutlery and signature. Notice a reversed “d”
and Greek round signs pi, alpha and omega
The Belgian Revolution of 1830 has never been celebrated with the
uproarious firework festivities that the national upheavals of the
French, Americans, Mexicans or Russians inspire every year. One
reason is that the Belgians never had any such colorful characters as
Danton, Washington, Zapata or Lenin.
They have their statues of Rogier, Gendebien and Merode, of course,
and then there was that riot at the opera house in August – young
men stirred by a romantic aria threw their top hats in the air shouting
‘Liberty!’ – followed by the four days in September of valiant battle
around the Royal Park, all splendid events well worth
commemorating. And yet the date chosen as Belgium’s national day
is July 21, 1831, when an immigrant German prince agreed to be
called Leopold I and to accept the role of the people’s king.
Still, it was a peaceful compromise that ended a year of turmoil. A
constitutional monarchy was demanded by powerful neighbors to
Louis’ lawyer, Sylvain Vande Weyer who attended the London
Conference, and Louis’ son-in-law, general Brialmont. Louis de
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Potter, strangely enough, has no public statue or acknowledgements
for his merits. Nothing more than a blue plate in a short dusty side
street in Brussels’ pink district.
And yet, without Louis de Potter it is hardly likely that there would
have been any revolution at all. It was his eloquence, his pamphlets
and proclamations, that led the people of Belgium, then under the
thumb of William I of the Netherlands, to believe they could rise up
against Dutch tyranny and go it alone. It was the “rabble-rouser” who
persuaded the majority Catholics and the liberals to join in the ‘union
of opposites’, a precarious alliance that lasted just long enough to turn
discontent into dissent and finally, independence.
The 1830 revolution was just the right size for the Belgians. It was
manageable: not too violent, not too long-drawn-out, not too costly
or complicated. For Louis’ rebellious mind, there was just one
essential thing wrong with it: the citizens did not vote for a “Belgian”
leader, he was a “German” parachuted from … London!
Louis was not a man to compromise on matters of principle. It was
his fierce denunciation of king William and all his works that had led
to his imprisonment in 1829 (a great boost to his popularity). Later,
when he opposed King Leopold as fiercely as he had done with King
William, Louis was banished and lived in exile in Paris. In the end, he
fell out with most of his former allies who, much to his disgust,
deserted the cause of liberty, equality and democracy.
There are three distinct personalities in Louis de Potter: the young
wealthy romantic guitar-strumming, Italy-loving, with his full head of
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hair; the fierce journalist, pamphleteer, speech maker, prisoner of
conscience, memorialized with a marble bust in the Parliament; the
disillusioned philosopher who has lost the cause he passionately
believed in, lost the blind devotion of his followers, lost his hair,
become a husband, father of four, and turned into a history teacher.
He spent most of his tragic-romantic life in Bonn, Bruges, Brussels,
Paris, Lille, Rome and Florence, with brilliant friends and trustful
disciples, hosting and attending advanced forward thinking events,
writing numerous books, playing his guitar and giving generously to
artists and poor people.
We have few objective, or non-Belgian, descriptions of Louis de
Potter. One of the best is by the British diplomat John Ward, who
mentioned him in his memoirs: “I first made Louis de Potter’s
acquaintance in the prison of the “Small Nuns” in Brussels behind
the King’s palace, where he was undergoing a sentence of
imprisonment for articles in the liberal press organ, “The Courier of
The Low Countries”, against the Dutch government. He had dark
hair, and rather an Italian style, and his speech was quick and
impetuous.”
Meeting him again years later, Ward summed him up with a single
shrewd observation: “Louis had one of those ardent minds, which,
while sincerely seeking truth, constantly push their own convictions
to extremities, and are therefore, in political action, usually
impracticable by the men of their own party.”
To hear Louis tell it, in his two-volume “Personal Memories”, it was
not he who failed, but the revolution, recuperated by unelected
leaders, stolen from the brave Belgians. In a brief preface, he wrote
its bitter obituary: “The Belgian Revolution, conceived in 1828, born
in 1830, deceased in 1839, now belongs to history.”
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Castle of Lophem, 1796
Journalist and Freelance Publicist
By Joseph Odevaere Castle of Lophem, Bruges
Rue de la Loi, Brussels, 1830
Dean 1 st Belgian Government and Constitutional Assembly
By H. Johns, painter of US President Benjamin Franklin.
168
Paris Academy, 1859
Newspapers Editor and Publisher of Balzac
By Eleuthère de Potter College of Europe, Bruges

Louis de Potter de Droogenwalle was born in Bruges in 1786, died in
Bruges in 1859 and was buried in the protestant cemetery of Brussels.
He was a European scholar whose ancient roots were in England
(13th Century), France (14th) and The Low Countries (15th).
In his book “History of the Councils”, Louis mentioned his ancestors
being tortured by the awful Duke of Alba. The fact is that a Liévin
de Potter got his head cut off by the bloody Duke, for writing against
religion, exactly like Louis did.
In 1580, Liévin’s nephew, Jan, also complained about the blood
thirsty Duke and got a statute on the Brussels City Hall. Protestant
uncle Abraham escaped to Holland in 1640. Cousin Dominique
escaped to France in 1710 as treasurer of the Duke of Orange.
Clément took refuge in Germany in 1810 from Napoleon. Wars,
escapes, revolutions… Belgium’s destiny!
As of 1815 onwards, Louis also became a brave “Belgian” rebel... The
revolution leader due to the success of his publications in Bruges,
Brussels, Paris, Florence, Rome, The Hague, London.
He fought the Dutch King, William of Orange, promoting
democracy and universal voting rights. With his numerous books
(>120) and publishers, he obtained unity between liberals and
catholics, leading to a new free and independent nation, with the
motto that Louis had invented genuinely: "Unity makes Strength".
Helped by a group of young revolutionaries, he proclaimed the
independence of Belgium out of the Brussels City Hall and
inaugurated the first parliamentary assembly.
This was after his trial for "press delict", exile and prison. When
liberated, he came back from Lille in the carriage of his friend, brewer
Rodenbach, acclaimed by 20.000 persons, upon arrival in Brussels.
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How did he lose everything along the way? The family estate
“Droogenwalle” was bought from Prince de Merode. Louis' family
had three castles in Kerchove, Tourhout and Loppem.
They also had three estates in Bruges (now College of Europe),
Brussels (Place of The Martyrs of 1830) and Dixmude. They hosted
the visits of personalities like Gezelle (famous Flemish writer), Van
Oye (“Sea Poet”) or cousin Odevaere (well known Flemish painter).
Why was he left aside? Louis' father in law was Magistrate with
Flanders' Great Council. His uncle was Head of District of the
Austrian Empire. His daughter married General Brialmont, wing
officer of King Leopold 1st.
His natural son married Sylvie, daughter of Van den Hende, a general
of Napoleon III. He was friend with influential opinion leaders in
Europe and in the United States...
Why was he only a “foreigner”? Due to intensive study of cultures
and networks in neighboring countries, he made key contacts, and
even friendships, with personalities such as general Lafayette,
Stendhal, David, Lamennais, Babeuf, Sand in France; Buonarroti,
Vieusseux, Arconati, Battistini, Ricci in Italy; Reinhold and
Rodenbach in Germany and “Prusland”, O'Connell in Ireland,
Collins de Ham and Constant de Rebecque in Switzerland...
Except for a sculpture in the Senate, how did this historic personality
finish in a small apartment in the Needle Street, now a parking lot,
behind the Column of Congress?
Why was he forgotten by the Belgians, not even honored by a statute?
Only a small street in the pink area of Brussels…! Here is the true
story of the Brussels rebel...
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WHO IS WHO?
Esquire Jan de Potter(e) – circ. 1350
Ancestor of Louis, protagonist of the city of Keyem, Bruges
(Seals of the Royal Archives of Brussels)
Jean de Potter
Author of this blazon of Louis in a testament
When he died aged 24 as rebel to 1917 invader
(Ardennes Memorial, branch of Fernand de Potter)
Yvonne de Potter said d’Elseghem
Grand daughter (New-York, U.S.A., aged 95 in 2020)
of Armand declared natural son of Louis
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Fernand de Potter said de Droogenwalle
Book patron, descendant of afore mentioned Jean
who died 24 after drawing the Bruges coat of arms
Denis de Potter said d’Elseghem or Platteau
cousin of afore mentioned Yvonne de Potter
Louis’ Grandfather, Dixmude Magistrate van Hille
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Louis’ Grandmother de Cupere (castle of Tourhout)
drawn by Louis’ son, aged 17
Louis’ Mother, drawn by Louis’ son, Mrs. Maroucx d’Opbrackel
Painted twice by cousin Odevaere, Louis’ sister,
baroness Marie-Christine van Caloen
173

Louis de Potter de Droogenwalle and his coat of arms,
castle of Loppem, West Flanders, Belgium
Louis’ companion, Matilde Meoni-Malencini
Louis’ alleged natural son, Armand de Potter d’Elseghem
174

Louis de Potter’s wife, Sophie Van Weydeveldt
(painting in the house of Yvonne de Potter in N-Y.,
near the one of Armand de Potter !)
Louis’ son, Agathon de Potter, head of Medecine Academy
Louis’ son, Eleuthère de Potter, self-portrait (right),
Scholar of family’s friend Navez (left), he died age 24.
175

Louis’ daughter, Justa de Potter de Droogenwalle, married to
general Henri Brialmont, member of the staff of King Leopold 1 st
(Royal Library of Brussels and bronze draft by David in Paris)
Louis’ son -in -law
General Henry Brialmont
Chief of 1830-1831 “Belgian army”
Wing Officer of King Leopold 1 st
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European Supports of Louis de Potter
• Austria and Prince of Habsburg : Louis resided 10 years in
Florence with the family of a minister of Prince Leopold,
Duke of Tuscany. He then published all over Europe about
the Italian intellectual Renaissance.
• Italy and Michel-Angelo : Louis’ lover, painter Matilde
Malenchini, connected him to Buonarroti, great-grandnephew
of Michel-Angelo. He brought back home the opera
‘The Dumb of Portici’, symbol of Italian insurrection, based
on his friend Rodenbach’s unconditional support to people
who could not hear.
• France ‘s heroes : Louis lived several periods of 5-7 years in
France and became friend with David, Lafayette, Lamennais,
Sand, Stendhal, Babeuf, Robespierre, Balzac... With
Lamennais he launched L’Avenir journal in Belgium, with
Lafayette he attended the Freedom celebrations of 1830, he
helped journalist Stendhal discover Italy. One of Louis’
editors was famous journalist Babeuf, who published
Robespierre. Louis also published Balzac and intensively
exchanged with artist David and public writer Marat.
• Prussia and Metternich : Louis stayed at the castle of
Elseghem, property of Reine de Potter. Her Father-in-law
was chancellor in Ghent of the Austrian Emperor and friend
of diplomats Metternich and ambassador Rheinhold, longtime
friend or Louis.
• America and England, Napoleon, Lafayette, O’Connell:
Louis’ natural son married the daughter of general van den
Hende, member of Napoleon III ‘s staff. He introduced him
to general Lafayette who will help Louis and British
revolutionary O’Connell in their revolts.
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• French-speaking Belgium and Leopold : Louis’ daughter
married general Brialmont, Wing officer of 1st Belgian King
and chief of 1st Belgian army.
• Flanders, Odevaere, Gezelle, Van Oye, Rodenbach :
Louis’ father, Grand-bailiff of Dixmude, and Head of
craftsmen in Bruges, welcomed famous rebels like poet
Gezelle, Van Oye, Rodenbach or cousin painter Odevaere in
his castle of Lophem or his big mansion in Bruges, now the
College of Europe. His uncle Maroucx d’Opbraekel was
grandmaster of the Council of Flanders.
• Germany and Prince de Merode : Louis’ grandfather
bought the estate ‘Droogenwalle’ from cousins de Merode as
counts of Middelburg near Bruges. Both families are thereby
connected to the German Nassau, by two alliances, between
Merode and Potter, in Bruges (18th century) and Ghent (20th
century).
• The Netherlands and Belgium : Louis was editor of “News
from Holland” 7 years. He created the newspapers “The
Future”, “Land Father”, “The Patriot”. The 1st one with
esquire de Lamennais, the 2nd with viscount Vilain XIII, the
3rd with baron de Bethune. All strong influencers of
Flanders’ readers.
• Europe : Louis wrote 3000+ texts in 50 years, in 5 languages,
with 50+ publishers and support from 100+ Belgian and
international personalities, providing considerable support
for his “Belgian” project and European publishing career.
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What was the background of Louis as historian? His
roots were broken on Picardy & Flanders borders
We studied most of Louis’ biographies: by himself (1850), Grün
(1857), his friend Jottrand (1860), Zennik (1861), his friend Juste
(1874), French National Library (Paris, 1880), Belgian Royal
Academy (1890), colleague prof. de Laveleye (1880), Pirenne (1920),
Deschamps (1925), Bologne (1930), de Lichtervelde (1930), Battistini
(1930), Charlier (1931), Terlinden (1938), Van Turenhoudt (1946),
Harsin (1967), Groth (1981), Rens (1991), Witte (2012), Schillings
(2008), Dalemans/ Balace (2013) and N. de Potter (2018).
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Some extracts of the 700+ pictures, 200+ letters, 500+ books
180
“Louis deserves the top of modern history. He thought
with great intensity about key issues of our times. He was
right too early, but never pursued self-esteem, power or
glory, he offered a beloved homeland for citizen.”

In the 1830 fight, there were remarkable talented patriots
with true love for citizens. Louis holds the first place
among them (cousin prof. Emile de Laveleye)
In his prison, de Potter became most popular idol, feared
by all Ministers.his name was respectfully used by all
(Gustave Charlier)
May his valuable heritage one day be gathered in a
museum to help youth discover how he sacrificed his
lifetime to our brave Belgian people (id.).
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The young European vanguard trained himself as multi-cultural
freelance writer when in Bruges, Leibniz, Firenze, Rome and Paris.
Even when he got old, the maverick composed a critical autoportrait,
along with a story of the Revolution. He did it with selfderision
instead of glorification, more romantic than tragedy, vision
rather than regrets, mankind-empathy replacing old-fashion advice.
His philosophic and literary works were marathonic but unexpectedly
grew into solid “artefacts”, shaping up a Belgian democracy
laboratory. Using socio- cultural heritage experiments from Italy and
France, he initiated new lifestyle aspirations.
Based on this methodic observation of historical difficulties, he
proposed a “better life” to our youth, with modern universal (voting)
rights to young and old, powerful and poor, women and men.
He was a social “arty” character, using connections and libraries
intelligence, which distinguished himself from self-proclaimed
superior intellects of that time. He gave bluntly the appealing results
discovered in his disturbing social research.
Mastering “public petitions” (published complaints gathering over
350.000 signatures), with many publishers, plus interactive published
reactions from readers, he influenced established leaders and new
political opponents. “Get involved” was the subliminal message to
his fellow citizens!
Sincere rationale and genuinely selected words, were used to present
his findings, like superior quality intellectual conduct. Innovative
publishers polished the products and launched them widely. Louis’
masterpieces were widespread “chain-reactions”.
The characteristic of an “artefact” being that the findings were not
naturally present in the initial sampling. But they were amazing
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enough to publicly entertain many readers of his century, as if they
were on an opera stage !
Between 1789 and 1848, populations were suffering of economic
recession and were witnessing considerable richness in the
Courtesans around the Royals… With the new art and the start of the
press, revolutions exploded all over Europe.
After the opera “The Dumb Lady of Portici”, echoing an Italian
revolution, Louis became the voice of the dumb Belgians towards the
deaf kings. His friend Buonarroti, small-nephew of Michel-Angelo,
helped him support the venue in Brussels of that opera about a
beautiful oppressed lady who could not speak but convinced the
Belgians, with her great revolt in Naples !
Louis was then recognized as a catalyst of public forces, triggering
the revolt in elite circles and on the streets. But he failed to keep his
young team together. Aged 44, he declared the independence of
Belgium while his colleagues were fifteen years younger. On the
portrait of the "revolutionary government of 1830", the youngest
ones were made look older by the artist, to reassure the citizens.
When Louis inaugurated the National Congress, a month later, some
older "unelected personalities" recuperated the revolution, and he
resigned. He had disagreed with the forced dismissal of his young
interim team authority, although it had been chosen by the Belgians.
The Nations saw the young new leaders as “a problem”...
LeGuillou studied the friendship between Louis and publisher de la
Mennais, the man who had created L'Avenir newspaper in Paris.
Charlier analyzed the friendship between Louis and colleague
journalist Stendhal (Henri Beyle). Like for Robespierre, Beyle's family
originates in the same Nordic region as Louis).
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VanTurenhoudt examined Louis' thought from his youth up to his
combat for "universal voting right" (versus "Censitary" based on rank
and capital).
Louis advocated for press freedom and based his strategy on the
promotion of fine arts, as communication tool. The famous artist
Jacques-Louis David, long-time friend of Louis, had a spectacular
influence on the powerful personalities whom he had portrayed,
along his rebellious career, in Paris and Brussels.
Louis, and several of his young colleagues, would have agreed
immediately if a Belgian leader had been selected. That is what the
citizen also wanted : "a Belgian among the Belgians". No more
external powerful nations, ruling over the center of Europe... The
small team of seven was put aside because of pressure from London,
Paris, Berlin, The Hague and their local lobbyists.
Jottrand, who was a long-time friend, confirmed that Louis did not
vote against a monarch, but hoped an "aristocratic republic" like the
one he had discovered in Tuscany, whereas generous nobles were
elected. They were genuinely sponsoring the best artists, craftsmen
and meriting small business leaders, without influence from
(international) political tycoons.
Juste made a study on “The Founders of the Belgian Monarchy”, in
which he said that Louis “made a step aside” long before he could be
too republican. He was a young minded person, bringing about key
changes to a population exhausted by invasions. He expressed
unconditional support to “a popular leader” selected from within,
albeit a king or a president.
The “aristocratic republics” he discovered in Italy gave him a strong
sense history auto-critic and, at the same time, great respect for
artisans driving the (Italian) economy.
184

Rebel against the formal French-Dutch family Orange-Nassau (from
the city of Orange), he sold all real estate he had in order to publish
his views widely, criticizing the conduct of another invader.
But, towards the end, he expressed regrets for losing the Dutch King
who seemed to have improved! What was the secret behind success?
What was the mystery behind failure?
To replace “his” revolutionary government, several aristocratic
families were approached: prince de Merode (today cousin via
Elisabeth de Potter - de Merode), duke of Bourbon (allied today via
Franz de Pottere - Holstein Duchy of Luxemburg), count de Lannoy
(allied today via Bernadette, aunt of Aymar and Youri de Potter) or
others like princes Ligne, Croÿ or Arenberg.
Today, outside Denis de Potter in Lille and Yvonne de Potter in
New-York, falling under Louis’ alleged natural family, Louis has no
more direct descendants.
Only cousins remain, like Fernand de Potter in Verviers who falls
under Louis’ uncle and a number of other de Potters indicated in the
“green branch”, some of whom accepted to take the DNA-test
organized by Yseq.org.
Nevertheless, the branch of Nicolas de Potter and many cousin
families, like “D’Haene Steenhuyse – de Potter” did promote and
sign in Ghent the popular “Free Louis de Potter” – petition.
This petition was really a « Citizens must free Belgium » appeal,
under the title « Free Education and Equal Opportunities for All » !
185

Here are the ones who signed the “Free Louis and Belgium” appeal:
Other families took risks in publishing books (like several publishers
of Louis) or gathering money (like the t’Kint) or taking part in the
fights and institutional changes (like two cousins de Merode).
186

Timeline of Louis’ Life
The life of Louis was divided into five parts. The years as a young
history reporter (1786-1823) in Italy where he studied in the library
of the family de Ricci and other resources around Prince Leopold of
Habsburg, Duke of Tuscany, as well as of librarian Vieusseux,
Buonarroti, small-nephew of Michel-Angelo.
His reports, published in Paris and Brussels, launched a big debate
about Christianity; his biography of Scipio de Ricci, the Jansenist
Bishop of Tuscany; and his part in the circle around Vieusseux and
reformists in the early nineteenth century Renaissance Florence.
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The second part of his life includes his opposition to innovations by
merchant King William, and the Belgians’ resistance. Louis' role in
emerging press freedom, which criticized the Dutch domination,
called for reform and respect for artists and small craftsmen.
The third part of his life starts when he was sentenced to exile and
prison, busily writing pamphlets which catapulted him into the
leadership of the brave press opposition. It ends with Louis' exile and
victorious return, after the Belgian revolution of September of 1830.
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The fourth part explores the Statesman's relationships with
personalities, including key artists, craftsmen, writers, journalists,
publishers, brewers, small business leaders, politicians and kings.
Louis had an extensive address book and made friends everywhere,
in his continuous drive to improve life with transparent democracy.
It describes his tenacity and uncompromised desire for a federative,
equitable, patriotic, different (voting) system.
The last part of his life starts with his exile in France where he will
pursue his outspoken responsible journalism, in contact with e.g.
Babeuf (his publisher), Balzac (his client), Hugo, Lafayette (his
colleague), de la Mennais (his friend), Sand, Stendhal (his friend and
colleague journalist), inspector Vidocq and many other personalities
in Paris.
189

Louis had a busy international life, with his mother in Lille and
Brussels, his parents in Achen and Bruges, his first partner in
Florence and Rome, his natural son and friends in Paris…
How did he manage to develop such a European career, on
horseback or with a mail-coach ?
190

Residences of Louis de Potter
Louis’ grand-parents, on one side, lived in the castle of Kerckhove in
Avelgem between Renaix and Audenaerde.
On the other side, Louis’ grandparents lived in the castle of Tourhout
in the “Domain of Ravenhof” where they had a linen bleaching plant.
Like Nicolas’ grandfather, they used milk cows (to whiten fabrics),
also in… Tourhout!
Louis’ and Nicolas’ families were immediate neighbours of the estate
“Domain d’Aertrycke” which belonged to the family de Potter
d’Indoye, and the immediate neighbouring estate of “Verloren Kost”
where Nicolas’ father was born and lived until the nineteen-sixties.
The castle of Ravenhof in Tourhout played an important role in the
implanting of the family of Louis de Potter around Bruges in the 16th
century, arriving from Courtrai (probably 1400-1450) via Dixmude
(1450-1600). In 1370, the domain was called “Het Goet ten Walle”
(the land of the little valley-hill).
Louis’ grand-father arrived there in the late 1700’ies. Nicolas greatgrand-father
arrived in the early 1800’ies from Renaix via Ghent.
The Domain and castle of Ravenhof was the residence of several
families of dignitaries who made the history of the famous Tourhout
quality agriculture “woods and plains” with fertile grounds.
Allied to the family de Cuypere, Louis’ ancestors stayed there for a
century, running this large linen bleaching company operated.
To this end, they used the low meadows of the domain, located
behind the city walls between the current Wool market, the South
191

Street and the Short Market Street. Today, these grounds are
completely inside the much developed city.
In the early 18th century the family de Pottere became the new full
owner until the end of that century. Thereafter, the domain was sold
several times until 1840, when Renatus Van Oye, son of the famous
“poet of the sea” Eugeen Van Oye, old friend of the family of Louis
de Potter, often on visit in the castle, became the new owner.
Eugeen Van Oye, became a social pioneer in the Woods Lands, in
line with Nicolas and Louis’ families who always conducted a
“modern social spirit lifestyle”, as many noble families, in the region.
Between 1850 and 1874, Van Oye sponsored the "Van Oyes Shelter",
the first social housing in Tourhout.
So did Aymar de Potter d’Indoye in the late 90’ties with other
building, church, sports complex and hospital.
After the departure of the family of Louis de Potter to their Lophem
and Bruges estates, the Domain of Ravenhof was almost abandoned
and poorly overhauled. Recently, the building was refurbished and
converted into a Museum for Tourhout... Pottery!
Family castle of Kerchove (Avelghem) and of Ravenhof (Tourhout)
192

Louis’ father lived in week-ends in the castle of Loppem, running
farms nearby in Dixmude, and in a 96-windows palace in Bruges
(now College of Europe).
Louis’ mother also lived with him in Lille, and, after 1840, in her
house on Place Saint-Michel in Brussels, re-baptized Place Martyrs of
the 1830 revolution.
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In Italy, Louis lived in the Palace Ricci during week days and in the
Palace Mancini during week-ends. He worked in the Library of the
Archbishops of Pistoia (Firenze) and French Society house in Rome.
In Paris, he lived Rue Richelieu 45, in the Hotel of Brussels, where
Stendhal lived as well (1821-1830). He also stayed Rue St Honoré 332
and, towards the end of his life, he lived Rue St Jacques, in the Latin
quarter, where he had a library and published Balzac!
After his trial, Louis lived in the Petits-Carmes prison, behind the
king’s Palace, before moving into the... Belgian Parliament!
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All properties sold for the revolution, he finished in a small flat,
Needle Street, near the Hospital and Crypte of the Miserables, which
was demolished and replaced by the… Belgian Congress Column!
His funerary stone was rudely moved from the Protestant cemetery
of Saint-Josse to the Brussels one (Evere). Despite the “perpetual
overhaul” commitment by Brussels City, as engraved onto his grave
stone, the asked works were refused in 2010.
With my young boy aged six and a gardener’s wheelbarrow, we rearranged
and fixed the very heavy grave of the forgotten hero Louis
de Potter as shown here below.
(Left) Ancient view of the Belgian Congress column.
(Right) Grave of Louis de Potter and daughter Justa Brialmont.
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Louis de Potter’s Youth
Louis de Potter de Droogenwalle (1786-1859) painted by our cousin
and famous Belgian painter Joseph Denis Odevaere, of the school of
his step-uncle, the great French painter Jacques Louis David, Castle
of Lophem, Bruges, Belgium.
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Joseph II of Austria had ruled for only nine years over Brussels when
the Brabant population revolted against his reforms. The family de
Potter, being Royalists, fled to Lille for one year. Louis was three. The
family was able to return a year later, and in 1792, hired a French
emigrated priest, Abbe Lucas, to teach the six-year old Louis to read.
The French armies, invading the center region in 1792, forced the
family to leave again, to Saxony, where they resided four years. This
turmoil had an effect on the young Louis. He wrote: "the long stay in
Germany helped me forge an opponent’s temper. In those anxiety days, with
troubles, agitations, no fixed residence, no certitude for the future, my parents could
barely take care of me and improve my conduct. I was abandoned to myself."
“Small Seminar of Roulers”-
The friends of this school were at the heart of Belgian Revolution’s actors, including
father de Haerne, general van der Mersch, Rodenbach, father Gezelle, count de
Muelenaere and many more… Louis de Potter’s supporters behind the scenes…
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Not only did his childhood experiences give him an independent
nature, they made him fearless of authority.
It is interesting that one biographer of his close friend, Lamennais,
publisher of L'Avenir, insinuated that had he not been raised in the
tumultuous years of the French revolution, he might have been a
more "brave Belgian boy", in the cool sense of it. By 1796, it was safe
to come back in Bruges.
Rather than going to the “Small Seminar of Roulers” (image) where
his friends - like Rodenbach - studied, the ten -year old Louis was
sent to the Simoneau school where he saw Jacobin scenes in an old
Jesuit church. He said: “I forged a critical view for always, when
looking at religious protocol.”
At Age fifteen, he attended a Latin school in Brussels run by M.
Baudewyns. Jottrand wrote that the school was well rated, while
stronger in the study of antiquity and ancient languages. To avoid the
army, he stayed at school where he read philosopher Pierre Bayle,
Montaigne, Montesquieu, Voltaire, Rousseau.
He learned Greek, English and German but, curiously, never learned
Flemish, although he spoke it naturally well in his West-Flanders.
Thereafter, he moved to Leibniz, Fichte and Schelling, and was taken
with the spiritualism of Kant. He composed his first letters to combat
materialism with the spiritualism. These letters were censured by
Napoleonic partisans. He then met the librarian of the Count
d'Arconati, and his twenty-five thousand books.
There were theological works in this library, and he became interested
in it. He remembered a book by Picart entitled "Ceremonials and
religious Customs of the World". But in 1809, the French decided to
form a new national guard in Belgium, and he fled to France to avoid
induction.
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“Dear Louis, I kiss you with all my heart. Your
cherished mother, Dame de Potter”.
Louis wrote that he had to move on to Rome in 1811 (3 years after
the birth of his alleged natural son) where he discovered a vast
amount of fascinating things for a young philosopher. He wrote: "I
continued to gather what had been written about the Church during
eight Centuries, neglecting no detail by historians, christian heretic
facts, nor Arragonist and Paganist theories."
While he was anticipating with the study of religious troubles, in
Rome, the government of Napoleon fell and Belgium acquired yet
another ruler. Although The Netherlands did restore a monarchy,
King William was not someone the Belgians themselves would have
chosen. His father was William V of the House of Orange, Calvinist,
his mother and wife were Prussian princesses.
Older Belgians hoped for a reunion with Austria. But Prussia and
England did not want this "Brussels keystone of Europe" to fall in
the clutches of the French and thought William was the solution.
William remarked that he did not understand the Belgians and would
have been quite happy to rule just Holland.
As economist, he thought that when the Belgians and the Dutch
shared the same standards of living and education, they would also
think alike. William saw the problem as two-fold, to raise the lower
economic level of Belgium, and eradicate what he considered the
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inferior system of Catholic education. Unfortunately, he was a better
businessman than diplomat.
Meanwhile, Louis became the protected scholar of Chevalier
Reinhold, Minister of The Netherlands to Rome after 1814.
Reinhold, who was then forty-three, was his entree to Vatican
archives and Roman salons. Louis found a kindred spirit in the
veteran diplomat who became friend of the young Belgian.
He began to write a church history, which treated the biased Christian
timeline like story, told by a "satiric analyst". He returned to Belgium
in 1816 to publish. The Protestant-dominated government took an
interest in him. Reinhold had praised Louis to the Secretary of State,
Falck, who enjoyed Louis' company.
Louis returned to Rome in 1817 and continued studying with
Vieusseux while helping with visits of personalities like journalist
Stendhal, the famous painter Odevaere, our cousin, and other keyplayers
of the “Free Arts Renaissance”.
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His Italian partner, Matilde Meoni-Malencini, was a member of the
Academy of St. Lucas of Rome and painter of the school of
Camucini, well introduced at the court of Tuscany. Below a selfportrait
while painting her companion, “Louis, beloved arts lover”.
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They were together
for twelve years. She
was home in the
social circles of
Rome and was a link
between Louis and
the liberal
intelligentsia.
The same year, revolutionary editor Babeuf published Louis' two
achievements in two edition entitled "Spirit of the Church". Stendhal
thought the contents superb, although tedious for they were quite
detailed. While in Brussels, Louis traveled often to Paris, to discuss
with his publishers.
He was incidentally introduced, by his friend Lamennais to publisher
Babeuf. His family (Armand) and friends also connected him to the
old Lafayette.
In 1821, he became friend with Gregoire in 1821, Bishop of Blois,
who was then seventy-one years old. Gregoire who interested the
young author in editing the manuscripts of his friend, Scipio de Ricci,
in Florence.
Ricci became bishop in 1780 and was an advisor of Leopold of
Habsburg, Grand Duke of Tuscany. Louis published out of Ricci’s
office in Florence from 1820 to 1822. The innovative bishop was a
liberal, who leaned toward French Jansenists and disliked the Jesuits,
he supported many sweeping reforms of the Grand-Duke and Louis
could learn a lot from the powerful men. His most ardent supporters
were Félicité de la Mennais of St Malo, Gregoire of Orléans and
Bellegarde of Utrecht.
The project would have been a natural one for Louis whose family
had been in the service of Austria. Leopold, upon ascending the
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throne as Leopold II, in 1790, had ruled Belgium two years, during
Louis' childhood. Grégoire knew that Ricci had written memoirs,
which were in the library of his nephews in Florence.
Louis returned to Italy in 1822, and went to Florence, accompanied
by Signora Malenchini. When the study of Ricci was completed, after
several months in the palace, it was illustrated with a portrait of heroïc
state reformer and funny church leader Scipio de Ricci by Matilde, as
shown here, next to the family library.
Louis' work on Bishop minister-counsellor of the Court of
Habsburg-Tuscany, count Scipio de Ricci, was completed in 1823. It
first appeared in 1825 in Brussels, printed by Weissenbrück, the
King's printer, edited by Tarlier in Paris.
Louis said in the foreword: ‘’The life of Ricci attracts our interest onto
the wisest nations of Europe, imposing light against ignorance, justice
vs. force, freedom vs. tyranny.
His life shows aristocracy and religion creeping at the feet of citizens,
seeking to seduce them, in order to arm them against well intended
despots, instead of attacking fanaticism, healing human rationale,
suffering under the burden of its chains, weighting on its noble
faculties."
203

The unhappiness of Louis was referring to was the fact that upon the
death of Leopold, Ricci was persecuted, imprisoned, and died as weak
man who had recanted his errors. Louis' book gained great notoriety,
and is still today found in e-libraries, as it pointed out corruption and
immorality in Tuscan monastic life, that had offended Ricci. The
work included the theory that the Pope was poisoned by... the Jesuits!
On top of his encouragements to Louis, Stendhal asked Louis
recommendations in Florence and Rome. Louis hosted the visit of
his colleague journalist in the House of the French and introduced
him to personalities. When in Paris, Louis was in the “Hotel of
Brussels”, writing residence of Stendhal.
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In his Letters From Paris by Mr. Grimm", Stendhal wrote in the
London Magazine in 1825: “Great God! when shall we be delivered
from Monks! Another book has just appeared which unmasks them.
“The grand business of the Jesuit police this month has been to prevent import of
the book published by Louis de Potter!”
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Stendhal thought that Louis researched his materials like a methodic
"German scholar". The "Life of Ricci" not only was put on the
Vatican Index of forbidden books, but it earned direct condemnation
of Pope Leo XII.
The political climate in Paris prevented Louis’ work from being
published there. As it would gain a wider audience in France, Louis'
friends, bishop Gregoire and count de Lanjuinais succeeded in
publishing an expurgated version appearing in Paris in 1826 by the
Baudouin brothers!
206

Proud of a full version, Louis quickly published a supplement,
composed of all parts removed by French police. Finally, the full
book came out in English and German in 1826 and 1828 in all cities.
Four years later, inspector Vidocq helped Louis in Paris, when he met
Lafayette, warning him on possible threats by badly intentioned
gangs, and gave him his private address, for any assistance needed or
personal meeting.
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Louis' residency in Italy during the post-Napoleonic era placed him
in that country at a time that many historians feel was the true
beginning of its “Risorgimento”, the renaissance of arts and crafts,
plus society revival, a sort of “country being born again” thanks to its
artists and craftsmen. The impact of the Savoy royal family, along
with Habsbourg princes, influenced most European capitals.
Newspapers in Milan and Florence, with which Louis was working,
accumulated symptoms of intellectual awakening. There was a “body
of temperate patriots” who should prepare their country to obtain
“freedom from invaders”. Being in Florence in 1822 and 1823, Louis
was at the center of Tuscan activism, and met key intellectual leaders.
At the heart of it was librarian Vieusseux, who became a close friend.
Vieusseux' s bookshop at Florence was the only place where people
could freely discuss political questions, or read European journals.
Florence was the city, where Alfiea's and Niccolini's plays were
presented on stage. They met again in 1854, when Louis' artist son
Eleuthere died aged 24 in Italy. Louis made a sad final journey...
With his friend diplomat Reinhold, Louis kept in mind that this
“revolution of spirits” might as well take place pretty soon in a “free
State of Belgium” if only he could bring back the “seeds of the
freedom tree. Reinhold became advisor of King William in
Switzerland and induced Louis to modern spirits there like baron
Constant de Rebecque and baron Colins de Ham.
208

Louis de Potter’s Belgian Career
Portrait of Louis aged 42 by Henry John - Jones, British
painter in Brussels who had also made a portrait of USA
Presidents Lafayette and John Adams in Paris.
209

After he returned to Belgium in 1823, because of the illness of his
father, he corresponded with his Italian friends, and welcomed many
prominent Italian visitors and emigrees to his country. Battistini
stated that Louis perfected his Italian, speaking "con la fluidita,
l'armonia e purezza Toscana," and writing "con eleganza e facilita."
His most renowned Tuscan radical friend was Filippo Buonarroti
(1761-1837), small nephew of the famous Michelangelo. Upon
Buonarroti's arrival in Brussels in May 1824, the sixty-three year old
Italian was taken under the wing of Belgian Liberals, namely the
Anspach brothers, the Doctor Mooremans, the Colignon brothers
and of course his "Italian friend" Louis. While he did not share all of
Buonarroti's ideas, he admired his intensity and the austere life that
he led in order to dedicate his career to his ideals.
There was an ideological distance to this admiration, as Louis was not
a radical Babeuvist. Louis' high esteem for Buonarroti was shown in
his letter to Niccolini and Vieusseux on June 16, 1827. Some other
mysteries persist ... The "false attack" on the library of Italian Libri-
Bagnano (with police support? Louis was a friend of police chief
Plaisant, even if he was arrested himself) and the introduction of the
forbidden opera, the "Dumb of Portici", in Brussels (by these
conspirators?) where it caused a start of the belgian revolution ...!
Louis’ genuine action for more democracy for the mid-class, more
food for the poor, better education, equitable justice and total press
freedom, brought about an "unexpected" Belgian revolution. A
translation of the Buonarroti "reformed aristocracy and business"
dream into concrete independence and renewal, without the bloody
and destructive French approach.
The triumphant arrival of Louis at the Brussels Town Hall in 1830
represented the first time in the history of the nineteenth Century
that a noble “Belgian”, a journalist linked to revolutionary publishers,
spontaneously chosen by the population, found himself parachuted
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at the head of a Brussels government, emerging from art galleries and
farms, free from the Nation States!
Louis, later acclaimed as "Belgian Lafayette", also sponsor of fanciest
French literature authors and artists, was now also an Italian
Renaissance man, a "Belgian Buonarroti”, refreshing guide for the
most gracious arts and crafts across borders.
He was increasingly in favor of a Belgian government, voted by all,
independent from all foreign rulers. With the help of his young lawyer
Vande Weyer in London, he promoted a “new deal” for a separated
Belgium. It should develop its own political, historical and cultural
pillars, but based upon non “censitary” nor “aristocratic” elections.
As key reporter for the newspapers “Courrier des Pays-Bas”, “Le
Politique”, “L'Avenir” etc., Louis was an influential journalist but
completely against all forms of violence or tyranny. Nevertheless,
some fights took place in Brussels, but not many.
A known contact of Louis, General Guglielmo Pepe, involved in the
uprising in Naples in 1820 (remember: “Dumb of Portici” opera in
Belgium), settled in Brussels in 1825. Establishment soldier, Juan Van
Halen, secretly met Pepe through Louis' French friend, Charles
Rogier, future Belgian Prime Minister. In those days, plots were
everywhere… The fire in the library of Libry-Bagnano in Brussels set
fire to the revolution powders, like the fire which took place in the
“Pot-de-Fer” book-shops street in Paris, the same year.
Louis' friend, Buonarroti, also met Pepe at the home of Renier,
known for his Fables, where French and Italian exiles gathered, one
of the literary networks of Louis.
Louis had such a big address book, via his "fine arts network". He
also knew Vincenzo Gioberti, the Turinese priest who left Piedmont
after being implicated in the Genova revolution of 1833. Gioberti
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taught philosophy at the small Collegio Gaggia in Brussels, the same
city where he published his famous Del primato morale e civile degli
Italiani in 1842. The “dumb of Portici” speaks secrets out…!
Louis’ study of Italian renaissance masters, castle of Loppem.
Louis had intensely taken part in the cosmopolitan Florence rebels
network and the international renaissance arts life of Rome. The lively
circle of Vieusseux and his secret library was at the heart of it. Secrecy,
mystery and adventures were key words of modern youth rebellion !
They were surrounded by Italians who were to become the political
and intellectual leaders of their region. Far from home, Louis
embraced their southern enthusiasm and progressive spirit which led
to a real impact onto the revolution in Brussels.
He was interested in religious refusal and social change, although this
noble and wealthy young Belgian was also a serious but rebellious
student of church history, researching secret Vatican archives, like the
letters of the Duke of Alba (who had cut off the head of Louis's
ancestor) which we found in the Royal Library of Brussels.
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Resisting to a conservative "Belgian aristocratic establishment", the
young-minded protesting Louis de Potter was influenced by radical
European thinkers, in order to defend the interests of a neglected
“Belgian” population.
He did not take advantage of his highly born connections nor castles
and possessions to be heard. He published his opinions and petitions
the best he could, at the right moment, advocating for the poor, the
fragile, the opressed, the youngster, the child.
Other aristocratic rebels like Félicité de la Mennais, viscount Motier
de la Fayette, baron Constant de Rebecque, baron Colins de Ham,
viscount Vilain XIII, baron de Nève, baron de Bethune, Honoré de
Balzac, de la Rochefoulcauld, prince Napoleon III, count de Merode,
count de Ricci... were also guidance for Louis' quest for justice and
freedom, supporter by an increasing number of young belgians,
rebelling against their too traditional families, across the new
renaissance deal…
Louis was in correspondence with the treasurer of the Heraldic
Chamber of the Kingdom of the Low Countries and he told him what
he thought about "modern nobility" : "I know no other nobelty as
the one of the sentiments and, like most men, whose memory I
respect, I am determined to cherish noble values all my life, having
no other ambition in life than being a noble hart myself one day.
I glorify myself by honoring the probity and the merit in each class
of the society I encounter. I admire a form of nobelty in the Prince
of Orange as much as I hate the cruelty of his relative, the Duke of
Alba, who tortured my ancestors”.
After his death, because of the noble values he always promoted,
Louis’ family received the highest merit medal of the country for
personal sacrifices: the “Freedom Patriot Golden Star with Double
Oak Leaves”.
213

214
Medal of Honnor of the Belgian Revolution with palms
Created by Louis de Potter and his team around 1832
Highest decoration of merit in Belgium
In his vocational "right of the youth for progress", Louis seems to
have been friendly, charming and sophisticated to the anti snobbish
youth of that time. Had he stayed in Italy and in France, he might
have remained one of the many bright young expatriates who
travelled in the best circles of both countries. But he came back for a
noble and patriotic mission in Brussels...
Upon his return, he soon found a worthy cause to write for... Belgian
freedom! His homeland had acquired an influential journalist and an
eloquent spokesman: Luigi de Potter, the Bruges Italian-French man.
The country that Louis returned to in 1823 was becoming the second
most highly industrialized nation in Europe, following the lead of
England. King William had instigated some of his benevolent,
autocratic, projects; the region was feeling the first effects of what
was to be its industrial revolution.
The population was starving and in search of the romantic “Italian
Renaissance Style” (Buonarotti, Battistini), the rebellious “French
Liberty Wench” (Lafayette, Stendhal, Balzac, Hugo), the reassuring
“Swiss Social System” (barons Colins and Rebecque), all shaped with
the influence of Louis and his friends...

Belgium is composed of the flat northern Flanders, attached to
French Flanders where Louis' family produced textiles, and the
rolling hills of southern Wallonia, a metal-working region where
Louis’ family had produced iron pots long before. During the
"Belgian" revolution, more Walloons were sympathetic to a reunion
with France, while Flemings were in favor of independence. Modern
Belgium was created in the eighteenth century by her various invaders
breaking borders.
Political domination of the Netherlands was imposed upon the
Belgians at the time of the reunion. Holland had, adopted a
Constitution. It was based on old Dutch Protestant laws. A
Commission was appointed for eleven Dutch, eleven Belgians, and
two Luxembourgers, to broaden it into a new “Constitution”.
The Upper Chamber of the Belgian parliament was composed of
peers appointed for life by the King. The Second Chamber was
composed of hundred members by the States-Generals, fifty-five
from Holland, fifty-five from Belgium. This was in spite of the fact
that Belgium had three-fifths of the population !
William was crowned in Brussels on September 21, 1815. The Dutch
held most of the public offices and ran the United Kingdom of the
Netherlands for their own benefit. In 1830 only one out of the nine
Ministers of State was Belgian, and of 219 men at the Ministries of
Interior and War, only 14 were Belgian.
Friend of Louis in Switzerland, Benjamin Constant, said a few years
after the Union, that of those holding the foremost offices in the
kingdom, 139 were Dutch and only 30 Belgians. King William also
made the mistake of deciding in 1819 to banish French as the official
language in Flemish provinces and Brussels, which he followed up
with a ruling in 1823 that henceforth Dutch would be used for all
administrative purposes in these provinces.
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Another matter of conflict with the Catholics was the state system of
education. In the United Provinces, before the French Revolution,
many schools were controlled by Church. Empress Theresa (who
enlisted us in 1740 into nobility) created catholic schools and under
Napoleon regular colleges, sprung up again.
King William considered the Catholic dominated education of
Belgium inferior to that of his homeland, but he contended that by
an attempt to educate the Belgian youth. But he failed to create a
climate due to his mainly Protestant government.
The clergy did set up private schools, organized by parish priests and
brotherhoods. The government's reaction was to ban teaching
congregations, and to re-enact all measures of persecution introduced
by Austria and France. Yet another polarization occurred in the
leading political parties. The Catholics, led by de Gerlache (Liège),
supported the clergy rulers. The Liberals, led by de Brouckère
(Bruges), were in favor of complete toleration.
The future leader of the "united Liberal-Catholic cause", Louis de
Potter (who had incidentally invented the national slogan "United
strong"), did not return from Italy until the "reforms" of William had
been in effect for nine years. Shortly after his homecoming, his father
Pierre, died on January 23, 1824, and Louis, who had only one
married sister, baroness Marie-Christine van Caloen, started his
famous belgian career as rebellious “journalist-publisher”.
Louis lived with his mother on New Street, with access on Saint-
Michel Place (later Revolution Martyrs Place). He sold almost all of
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his possessions in Flanders to promote Belgian renewal. By April
1826, Louis married Sophie Van Weydeveldt who was the daughter
of a Bruges textile craftsman.
Louis' independent attitude no doubt enhanced his popularity with
the Protestant administration. Not only did he dine with Secretary of
State Falck, he had been a schoolmate of Van Gobbelschroy, now
the Minister of the Interior, and knew well baron Goubau, king
William's Director of Catholic worship.
In Brussels, Louis socialized with other young liberals who were
sympathetic towards the government. Three of these men were
Philippe Lesbroussart, Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetelet, and
Sylvain Van De Weyer. King William had instituted a Museum of
Sciences and Letters in Brussels where these men were teaching.
Lesbroussart, friend of Louis, was a professor of French literature;
Van De Weyer, legal advisor from Leuven, became the Head librarian
of Brussels as well as the lawyer of Louis, next to Gendebien.
Van De Weyer's career was linked closely to Louis' curriculum, as the
latter says: "Mr. Van de Weyer, first my devoted friend, then my
heartful lawyer when in prison, then agile colleague when running the
country, then political opponent forever when separating and finally,
opportunistic ambassador” (who eventually emigrated in a British
colony island where he became vice-king).
In April 1826, Louis, Van De Weyer, Lesbroussart, Quetelet, Smits,
Tielemans, Van Meenen and four others founded "The Belgian
Society for Instruction of Morale and Literature", which was
interested in literature and philosophy. Minister Van Meenen, friend
of Louis although fourteen years older than him, was an attorney and
journalist of “The Observer”, with which Louis corresponded.
The Society then formed a Hellenic philosophy committee at the
urging of Van De Weyer, and organized some demonstrations to raise
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money for the Greek insurgents, who had been struggling against the
Turks since 1821. The death of Byron in Greece in 1824 had
rekindled interest for liberty by the citizens. Committees were formed
in every town to raise money and assistance. Louis, because he knew
so many expats, kept unity between Frenchmen, Italians and
“Belgians” in the “central” committee. This Hellenic function was
Louis' first active political role. He always had interest for Greece,
displaying a god on Matilde’s art and signing with “Pi Alpha Omega”.
What Louis called his "second public protest" occurred at the end of
1825, when the famous French historical painter, his close friend (and
teacher of his son) Jacques-Louis David, died in Brussels. Louis and
many of his fellow Belgians organized a funeral parade, denounced
by many as a procession for a regicide.
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Marat painted by David, Louis’ best friend
Louis, advocating for his old friend who imprinted medals for him,
said the following: “David had extraordinary capabilities, like several
members of the French renaissance. Because of the social necessities
of those days, imposing themselves as a new rule of thumb, David’s
rationale imposed itself to many opinion leaders like the sole
acceptable human liberty behavior.” He is not to be confounded with
Pierre-Jean David (“David d’Angers”) who was also a renowned
artist, with similar art, and also friend of Louis and Balzac !
This is an interesting passage, being written by a man who was
himself quite instrumental in the overthrow of a king. Although Louis
and his friends favored Voltairean concepts behind William's revamping
of the education, the Catholics felt that he was trying to
undermine the legacy of the Jesuits, which was indeed true.
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As discussed, the Philosophic College of Louvain created in 1825 was
objectionable to the Catholics, who felt this measure in particular was
an effort to "Protestantize" Belgium. Louis’ sympathy towards the
king's policy can be seen in this letter he wrote to M. de Grovestins
on October 29, 1825.
Between 1824 and 1826, Louis wrote satirical pieces which he called
silly stories: "Claim of Saint Napoleon to access Paradise”, “Saint
Napoleon in Hell Exile”, published in Paris in 1825 and Brussels in
1827. Also, "Epistle to the Devil" published in 1824; and also "Letter
to Saint Peter" published in Paris in 1825 and Brussels in 1826. These
compositions were all published under “Father (the Potter)” and
were mockeries towards ongoing sanctification of the Emperor.
220

Louis also translated letters of Pius V concerning the religious
troubles caused by the Calvinist reform. He showed the pope's
fanatical restrictions to religious freedom. He maintained that Pius
instigated the massacre of Saint-Barthelemy martyrs in 1572, and that
the Church always used brutal force behind falsely peaceful prayers
across Europe.
Louis clearly mentioned in his book that “his ancestors” were
assassinated by the bloody Duke of Alba, Religious Inquisitor, and
that had impacted him personally as the cousin Liévin de Potter was
beheaded in Renaix in 1470, and that all was hidden afterwards...
The work was published in Paris in 1826 and in 1841, followed by a
school book on christian heretics! This polemical writing was well
received by the King, who was trying to diminish the power of the
church over his subjects. In 1825-26, Louis had found his niche, as
the Paris Literary Chronicle said: "Publisher already well in vogue,
famous journalist at “News of The Low Countries’, influential liberal
newspaper.”
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222
Role of the journalists in the Belgian Revolution
The Belgian revolution was triggered by a dozen journalists admiring
the friends of Louis de Potter, famous authors or publishers in Paris
like Babeuf who had published Robespierre, de Lamennais who was
publishing L’Avenir newspaper, Stendhal and many others like
Vieusseux in Italy or Roscoe in England.
Other famous editors were part of the movement and sometimes
included in the famous "Society of the Twelve". They include Rogier
in Liège, brother of the Prime Minister, Ducpétiaux in Liège, Paul
Devaux in Bruges, count Vilain XIIII in Gent, baron de Bethune in
Courtrai and others, plus the numerous publishers of Louis like
Tarlier, de Nève or Parmentier and Coché-Mommens.
Jottrand said that when he became a contributor to the Courrier des
Pays-Bas in April 1826, Louis was well entrenched there. The
Courrier had around nine hundred subscribers, a significant number
of people for that period.
Colleague journalist Edouard Ducpétiaux (1804-1868) and future
politician Lucien Jottrand (1803-1877) were young attorneys,
considerably younger than Louis. Like all members of the future
"provisional government" of Belgium. Louis was attracting bright
young minds to the power train. In 1826, Ducpetiaux was twenty-two
and Jottrand, twenty-three, Louis was already forty years old. Also
ardent liberal, Jottrand was his biographer and his friend.
Jottrand, Ducpétiaux, and Louis were members of a new group, the
"Emerging Belgian Free Journalists". Before the rise of strong
Belgian papers: Most of the newspapers were managed by
Frenchmen, who filled their columns with attacks on the Bourbons
and the Jesuits, French epigrams, and Parisian witticism. This
fostered the indifference of the people to public questions.

But suddenly some new papers, with Belgian editors, appeared, and
proposals were made that disputes about religion should be laid aside
in favor of an agitation for Ministerial responsibility, a free press, and
other reforms.
This transition did not occur overnight. By 1827 the journalists
around Louis had become strong, vocal, and interested, but disputes
over religion had still not been erased by common objections to the
government. The leading Catholic paper at this time was the Courrier
de la Meuse, founded at Liège in 1820.
Also prominent was the Catholique des Pays-Bas of Ghent, whose
editor Bartels was exiled with Louis in 1830, condemned for causing
public troubles. Bartels was also a writer for l'Eclaireur of Namur. In
addition to the Courrier des Pays-Bas of Brussels, the Mathieu
Laensberg of Liège, founded in 1824, was also a training school for
young statesmen, including for the famous French brothers Rogier.
Journalists linked young newspaper men of similar attitudes in
Brussels, Liège, Louvain, Antwerp, Ghent, and Bruges, thus creating
a virtual network of Liberal opinion. Linked by the same profession,
these men soon became furthered united by their criticism of King
William. Louis was a leading 1830 journalist, federating a
growing profession around him. He was so talented in writing like
professors are talented in speaking.
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The Liberal journalists were predominantly of the middle class,
promoting opinion freedom, less tax, more food for the poors, better
education ... The members of the Mathieu Laensberg group for
example were mainly in their late twenties, and five of the seven had
studied law.
This composite picture involved liberals as being educated members
of rebelling nobility and unconventional bourgeoisie. This remained
true all across the Belgian revolution. The Catholic group, what Royer
called “Aristocratic Catholic Party”, was more inclined to have blue
blood. Louis was obviously not the typical Liberal. Not only did he
have an old noble trajectory, he also seems to have had enough
money to travel extensively and pursue the hipster life of a gentleman
scholar.
On June 18, 1827, William signed a concordat with Pope Leo, to calm
spirits. Although the Concordat gave the king only veto power over
the selection of new bishops, the clergy was supposed to pledge
allegiance to the king during mass. At the same time, William was
expected to close his hated College philosophique de Louvain. The
Belgian clergy violently disliked the Concordat and was warned from
Rome, "not to be more Catholic than the Pope’’.
Louis considered the new treaty as an insult to the government, and
thought that the College philosophique de Louvain was a necessary
intervention in the education of clerics. He wrote many articles in the
Courrier des Pays-Bas in the latter half of 1827, criticizing the
Concordat and its negotiator, the Comte de Celles, who now
represented the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Rome.
The government apparently still considered Louis as a friend and ally.
Or was it afraid ? At this time, Louis secured a governmental mission
for his friend Tielemans. It was Van Gobbelschroy himself,
according to van Kalken, who "leaked" a confidential circular to
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Louis, which the king himself had sent to his governors, telling them
that they might interpret the concordat freely.
Louis was so disgusted with this maneuver, that he published a
circular in the Newsletter on October 14. In doing so, Louis and the
journal itself both showed that they questioned not only the particular
circular, but the king's own credibility!
Some of the Catholic journals, which had originally been in favor of
the Concordat, were also dismayed at the king's confidential circular.
Nevertheless, the government had made amends with the leading
Belgian Catholics.
The publishing of the circular marked a major break between
publicist Louis then became an active and independent leader of
Liberal opinion. Whether the "hard core" of Liberal writers, artists
and scholars who met in Brussels had already started calling
themselves the "Society of the Twelve" is unclear, but they had
coined that name by 1828, and Louis was the key founder of the
group.
The choice of Louis to promote the union between Catholics and
liberals, shows his repositioning. Resistant and martyred, he appears
as the first of these "vigilant sentinels," journalists, who work for the
cause of freedom of opinion.
His imprisonment with his colleagues helps to strengthen the links
between the Belgian editors and increase their popularity. Finally, an
ideal image of the opinion press is born. "You are a victim and not a
225

guilty man, public opinion has absolved you." The repression is still
hardening. Heavy penalties are laid on anyone who "shows contempt
for the King's judgments or orders", or disturbs "public tranquility by
insulting the government, its actions or even its intentions".
Through press and brochures, the devil further advocates for
pedagogical advertising to explain the working of the Republica
(public affairs), a prerequisite for any "social and intellectual
ascension". Public announcement justifies freedom of press: "the
press is free: censorship can never be restored" said Louis. But a
Decree of 20-07-1831 will make the publisher responsible in the
event of a press trial which must take place before an equitable jury.
Domestic visits are illegal, even after injunctions by the prosecutor.
These provisions placed Belgium at the forefront of press rights. On
the other hand, the stamp duty was maintained until 1848. Thanks to
the tenors of the revolution united against the Dutch, bridges are
never cut between the 'Orange Realists' (e.g. The Messenger of Ghent
of Louis and Vilain XIIII) and complaining new journalists. They
form this category of “bourgeois” and intellectuals who demand a
free press in a free nation.
The emerging liberal public opinion, led by Louis, contrasting and
shifting, has an urban base. It follows the developments of the
industrial revolution and the "renaissance of arts and crafts",
economic manifestations of new political ideas.
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It was again Lamennais and Louis, together with journalist Bartels,
who drafted the Act of Union of November 15, 1831, which called
for a vast federation of liberal Catholics in Europe. The liberal
Catholic opinion is still maintained and plays a leading role in the
creation of a 'right' press.
In order to unite these various opinions, some “reasonable rulers”
created an "unofficial public newspaper" that would "have a great
influence on the public mind". Various projects were set up in
December 1831 with the generous support of King Leopold I. On
January 1, 1835, “The Independent” was born. Its managing director
is Marcellin Faure, at his side, the editor Edouard Perrot.
It is another Frenchman, Philippe Bourson, who writes in the
“Moniteur Belge”, the official “Open Transparency of Public Life”
journal of the young Nation, created at the initiative of Louis and the
Central Committee of the 1830-government, opposing resistance to
The Independent.
As early as 1850, Minister Charles Rogier, accompanied by two
emissaries of the Prince-President Napoleon III, invited himself to
the table of Edouard Perrot, who became director-owner of the
“Belgian Independence” newspaper in 1844. They tried in vain to
bring more amenity to the powerful neighbor, the head of a press
organ with an international audience.
The Belgian rulers strengthened repressive mechanism against
newspapers. The Faider law suppressed offenses against foreign
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sovereigns but kept the demands for prosecution initiated by the
offended neighbor. The British government also wanted repressive
Belgian laws on freedom of the press.
At the Congress of Paris, French Minister Waleski, who remembered
the “Committee of the Polish supporters” of Louis during the
Belgian revolution, sought to restrict the freedom of the press.
He obtained only a unanimous blame for the "unbridled license"
which the brave young State tolerated in his journals !
In Belgium itself, there were alarming plans for the purchase of
newspapers by French people. Exiled journalists helped to exacerbate
the conflict with the Napoleonic regime in their host country. To
counter this, press tycoons were required to hold Belgian nationality
as a criterion for hiring the editor-in-chief.
Since 1856, the new director of the “Belgian Independence” was the
French Léon Berardi. Opposed to Bonaparte clans, he enjoyed
financial support of Henri of Orléans. He resided in Great Britain
and acted via proxy persons.
D'Aumale also invested in the “Belgian Star”, created in 1850, the
largest circulation of the Belgian daily press of the time.
The Bonapartists did not stand still. In 1858, Carton de Wiart, a
Belgian lawyer, served as “straw man” and member of the Monitoring
Committee of the “Forerunner News” of Antwerp.
228

The same year, in Brussels, he bought the Telegraph for 35,000
francs. The sum adds to the 20,000 francs paid by Ernest Esprit-
Privat, a former deputy of the Loiret who became editor in the
imperial press. In the same month, the lawyer bought the “Belgian
Observer” and lined the “Journal de Belgique” for 150,000 francs.
The money came from the same “French Bonapartist society" which
bought The Telegraph. Only Louis could be ahead of those
strategies...
The maneuver was to master "the majority of the liberal press”
initiated by Louis and his colleagues, sole opposition to governmental
one. But both in Antwerp and in the capital, the plans for redemption
failed: journalists and publishers immediately found money to
counter imperialistic operations.
With this press war (1830-1860) in and around Belgium, the
promoters of new freedom and democracy ideas could develop
interest for the press and strengthen ties between partners, around
the concept of national sovereignty within a respectful Europe.
The Parliament finally passed a law in March 1858, in agreement with
an anxious citizen opinion. The (rare) judicial convictions for
offenses against a foreign sovereign will again target only the small
press.
229

Potter’s Publications as Publisher-Prisonner
Louis de Potter, by painter Marie-Joseph Wuillaume,
scholar of Navez (friend of Louis), in his prison of the
“Small Nuns Carmelites” near Royal Palace of Brussels.
230

The entire assortment of Belgium's Liberals was in reality only a small
group of educated young rebels who triggered the political events.
The right to vote was still the privilege of a very small group of people
who possessed fortune or nobility.
Most Belgians neither voted nor took any interest in governmental
affairs.
Bologne said that Louis privileged the citizen instead of his own
wealth, career and nobility, becoming an influential actor of the "open
elections" landscape.
Louis was uninvolved in the first outcry against the penal code of July
1827, for he had temporarily ceased to write for the Courrier des
Pays-Bas, and was occupied on the European front, helping
Buonarroti and Babeuf publish a powerful book,” Conspiration for
Equality”.
Louis, as a service to his friends, helped put the material for the book
in order, aided with revisions, and assisted with correcting the proofs.
The work appeared in Brussels in 1828, published by Feuillet-Dumus,
friend of Lafayette, from whom he will subcontract, later on, the
publication of several books for Balzac.
Buonarroti, one of Babeuf' s fellow revolutionaries, had saved
documents related to the conspiracy of Babeuf. Louis thought that it
was important that these papers be preserved for posterity, and was
happy to give the old Italian the benefit of his editorial experience.
The new penal code, principally the work of the Minister of Justice,
Van Maanen, was attacked by all the Liberal journalists. Tielemans
was disturbed by its infringement upon the freedom of the press.
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The press power: We will see that Louis federated the “Belgian” press. On
January 31, 1830, not less than 17 journals sold a public subscription at the
same time, to help him co-finance the opponents of the terrible government.
These courageous men had lost positions because of their so-called
subversive activities. Although the detested penal code may have
brought the Catholics and Liberals closer together, in December
1827, tempers flared again, when the budget for the new year was
discussed in the Second Chamber of the States-General.
The Dutch-controlled administration was not displeased to see the
Belgian factions quarreling again. It still did not see the dangers
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inherent in see-sawing· between concessions to one side and then
concessions to the other.
By the end of 1827, however, Louis was sufficiently aware of the
currents around him to suspect that he was being used as a tool of
King William: “Your Majesty, we ask permission to glorify ourselves
in the name of the liberty for all citizens.”
This was an alarm signal from the bottom of the prison by a journalist
and his publisher to all Belgian authors, journalists and editors.
Van Maanen did not change his position because the Belgian
journalists demanded another penal code. Instead he unleashed the
police on his critics. Both Catholics and Liberals were prosecuted.
Louis’ friend Ducpétiaux, of the “News of the Low Countries”, was
the first one arrested, for writing a pamphlet criticizing the penal
code. Journalist Ducpétiaux’s wife will later help design the Belgian
flag sewed by Mrs Abt (illustrations).
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Arrested with him in February 1828, were his printer and his
publisher; considered as his partners in crime…!
This governmental harassment of the press lasted up until the
revolution. Freedom of speech also became precarious and Catholic
priests were prosecuted for remarks made in their sermons.
Both parties grew indignant about the oppressive atmosphere the
government was creating. Until the administration clamped down on
the freedom of the press, a large part of the prosperous liberally
inclined bourgeoisie approved its anticlerical measures, but its
restriction of freedom of speech now angered them and made them
more sympathetic to their Catholic brothers.
Illustration Louis (glasses):
Potter Press People Perceive Pressure…!
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Van Maanen, Minister of Justice, was the advisor of the Crown in
these prosecutions; and, though the constitution did not provide for
Ministerial responsibility, he, rather than the King, was blamed. He
gave great offense by telling the States General that the Ministers
were agents of the Crown, and not servants of the people. `The
constitution recognizes no other Ministerial responsibility.' This
made him detested throughout Belgium.
Freedom of religion and education, both challenges to Catholic
citizens, had been threatened. Freedom of association was limited, so
it seems, to those who had accepted royal patronage; now freedom
of speech, at first affecting the Liberals, then the Catholics, was
violated as the trials of "seditious" writers filled the courts of William.
The general mood of repression in the Belgium of 1828, may have
been the result of King William's nervousness concerning the general
state of unrest Europe. Many future leaders of Belgium emerged
during this period. Agitating for reform and representation, they
moved the Belgians closer to separation from Holland. Some were
Liberals like Louis, others were Catholics and monarchists.
Cousin Félix de Merode (1791-1857), was one of them. He was one
of the younger more liberal generation of Catholics in Belgium. In
1828, he published in Le Catholique, an essay: “Political conduct of
Belgian and French Catholics”, which Eugène Duchesne calls, "an
eloquent defense of the doctrines supported by the friend of Louis,
famous French publisher Félicité (de) Lamennais.”
Towards the end of June 1828, The News of the Low Countries was
becoming a vigorous opposition machine to the Dutch government,
without the cautious approach of competitors such as the Mathieu
Laensberg newspaper. Nor did it take any particular precautionary
measures to avoid disputes while, at the same time, it was supporting
The Catholic of Flanders journal, with the help of viscount Vilain
XIII of The Ghent Messenger.
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Publisher Potter Printing Prison’s Press
The News of the Meuse was also going at war against liberals... The
News of The Low Countries was therefore reinforced by the Society
of Political Writers to publish together with Coché-Mommens,
previous owner and friend of Louis.
Jottrand was arrested in October with Claes at the News of the Low
Countries for writing articles violating the penal code. November 8,
Louis’ famous anti ministerial letter appeared. By publishing the
circular in 1827 he showed scorn for the methods of the Dutch, here
he openly ridiculed the ministers.
While in 1827, he had become sympathetic towards the Catholics,
who were being manipulated by the government, here he pointed out
to the Liberals that they were being manipulated also through their
irrational fear of the Jesuits.
Louis said: “Let’s criticize, repel and sue the ‘ministerials’ ! Moreover,
anyone who will not demonstrate by his deeds that he is not sold to
any minister, will be banned by the nation.”. It was not clear that he
was the author of this letter, because he had signed it with ‘Alpha
Omega’.
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On November 14, Louis revealed his authorship, to spare the editors.
He was arrested next day and taken to the prison of Petits-Carmes.
King Orange Nassau vs. Potter, Poor Publisher
Promoting People Progress, Punished Prison Petits-carmes
( previously military barrack created by Louis’ son-in-law,
general Brialmont. Today is the Military Club Prince
Albert, behind the Royal Palace in Brussels).
237

Trial of Louis for “press crime”…
In his book "Revolution to be made", Louis explained that his attack
on the lack of ministerial responsibility was not the most severe that
had been made. He also stated that after his arrest on November 15,
he learned from his friends that the government was rather sorry it
had made a fuss about the article, and thereby called attention to it,
and it seemed that it might let him get out of prison with an easy
sentence, so that the entire matter might be forgotten quickly.
Louis resolved not to let this happen and prepared his speech for the
courtroom as an attack instead of a defense. He also continued to
criticize the government in the Courrier. November 20, the News
printed a letter of Louis in which he seemed to speak as a leader of
the government opposition. In this he called for "execution of the
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Fundamental Law" from The Hague which was supposed to
guarantee "complete freedom of press"; the "sincere acceptance of
the principle of ministerial responsibility"; and the "the prompt and
final organization of the judicial system. Anyone protected by a
Minister should be banned from the nation!”. On November 22,
1828, Louis followed this missive with another article in the Courier
called "Ministerialism", in which he said: “Seen by any member of a
real opposition, anything from the government should be suspect.
Suspicion cannot make room for security as long as a serie of actions
enabled the nation to rely upon the faith of the ones who were
sleeping. The Ministry is therefore always at war with the nation, and
the Ministerials, especially in crisis times, are being criticized by the
friends of public liberty, who ban them from the nation, in order to
protect the nation from their traps and attacks.”
Louis' protest was part of an enormous public outcry. Belgian leaders
had circulated a petition which, with the support of the Catholic
clergy and the Flemish masses, had collected 40,000 signatures during
November.
Louis' trial, a sort of public fight between King Willem, the “Free
Publishers” and “The Citizen of Belgium”, started December 19,
1828. Louis was defended by Louvain lawyer, Van De Weyer and by
Van Meenen, which almost seems superfluous, because Louis made
such eloquent speeches himself. He was keen in making freedom
statements in Court rather than in defending himself.
Louis made three requests at the beginning of the trial; that the
debates take place in French, that the session be made public, and
that the sentence be given by a jury. The court did not adhere to any
of the three, all being against the policy of King William's
government.
239

Louis outlined, at his trial, all the griefs he had been accusing the
government: censure, printers deleting sections before publishing;
non-ministerial responsibility (monarchy being a government based
on “good favors to first-circle members”); poor legal system; lack of
trial by Jury; severity of legal codes, ban against French in public
affairs and the monopoly of education...
Louis also claimed that political, civil and natural rights were chipped
away by William, who was disregarding the law. He said that the
opposition only wanted this fundamental law applied as it should be:
“Okay, but then the Fundamental Law, only the Fundamental Law
and ALL of it... Real press freedom included! No interpretations
which weaken it or protect the Ministerials.”
240

At this same proceedings, Louis gave an eloquent defense of free
journalism as a safeguard of the institutions of any representative
government: “The reporter is the representative of the
civilization of his/ her time. Citizens owe respect to institutions
in function of the evaluation of past events by this observer who
achieved a correct job, as reported by future analysis of
succeeding journalists. Elected members of an assembly
benefit from the trust of the population thanks to the work of
the reporters. If press freedom is eternal, as proclaimed by law,
I should not be sued for having said that badly intentioned
people want to place chains on it !”
Louis was fined one thousand florins and sentenced to eighteen
months in prison. This was a stiff sentence, which historian Bologne
thought represented "more a revenge than a justice condemnation."
The audience at court greeted the sentence with enormous boos and
catcalls; just as throughout the trial the Belgians had cheered Louis'
speeches warmly. As Louis was led out, the crowd outside cheered
their hero further and booed an escaping Van Maanen, Minister of
Justice, as explained by a British diplomat, Mr. Mackintosh:
Outside the demonstrators were mostly workers in the printing field,
who, outraged at Louis' sentence, threw stones at the house of the
Minister of Justice, breaking his windows.
Two things are significant: the distaste of the liberal bourgeoisie for
actual physical violence; the sympathy that the lower urban class was
developing for Louis. Both attitudes were prophetic of the actual
revolt twenty months later.
At the beginning of 1829, the Petits-Carmes prison had become a
virtual "Liberty encampment". Imprisoned there were Louis and his
friends Jottrand, Ducpetiaux, Pierre Claes and the printer Coche-
Mommens.
241

After his arrest on November 15, 1828, Louis had commented on his
political activity in prison: “I was in direct contact only with the News
of the Low Countries and indirect contact only with The Belgian; The
other Newspapers were receiving from me a morale impulse which
was triggering unity with all other publishers from which we were
pulling our strengths. Moreover my prison was becoming a center
where all legal means of combat against the despotic management
were discussed. Each of us was proposing the best way to resist
against any possible surprise from the people in power.”
The Courrier des Pays-Bas in Brussels, Le Politique, formerly
Mathieu Laensberg, in Liège, Le Belge in Brussels, and soon the
Catholique des Pays-Bas of Ghent, continued the discussion of the
ideas Louis had raised at his trial in December.
The Catholics had been impressed with a Liberal calling for freedom
of education for them, and some had responded by calling for
freedom of the press for the Liberals. Louis felt that: “During my
speech of December 20, I had made a big step ahead towards the
creation of a unity pact between catholics and liberals.” What would
later be called “sacred union” and the national motto: “Unity makes
Force”.
1829 was a year of intense political writing for Louis who had a
greater influence on the revolutionary climate of Belgium in 1830
than any other journalist. Schueremans, the Procurator to the King,
claimed in his memoirs that Louis had given the government his word
that he would refrain from political writing while in the Petits-
Carmes. If there had been such a promise, it would have been made
under pressure, for Louis had no intention of abandoning criticisms.
His crusade to reform the Dutch government was remarked. While
in prison Louis received many support letters. One that he greatly
appreciated was from the French philosopher, Victor Cousin,
connected to Louis’ son in Cannes.
242

“Noble and Powerful Lords” did Louis say for a (humoristic)
start… For the brave rebels, it was too much ! Personal letters of
Louis to his wife and children were seized and published by the
Court!
In his ongoing heavy journalism works, from the bottom of his
prison, Louis began by recognizing that the ministry of William had
been disturbed by the lack of confidence the Belgian people had in
the Dutch government. At the same time, he leveraged action on an
increasingly unified opposition of the Catholics and Liberals of
Belgium… He thought that this discontent was not surprising, that
the Belgians had been remarkably patient for the fifteen years that the
Dutch had abused them. He said that the union of the Catholics and
Liberals had been caused by the government, and the government
could make the opposition cease, if it wished to.
By April 4, 1829, Louis had finished his first pamphlet written inside
the prison Petits-Carmes. It was entitled: “Report by the Ministerial,
Friend of his Homeland and less attached to his Remuneration by the
King of the Netherlands than to the Situation of the Intellect of
Things in Belgium.” Now that was quite a title !
243

At this point many Liberals were still cautious of embracing their
Catholic colleagues as partners in opposition. Fear of "jesuitism" and
memories of the abuses of the ancien regime still had not been
replaced by an optimism for a more tolerant future. The Catholics,
were, on the other hand, pleased to find one of their former
adversaries advocating cooperation.
However, the alliance of the two factions, which formerly fought
violently, had been a maturing experience for the nation. ·Both sides
had learned tolerance, and were calling for equality for all: “The
Ministers had made their duty, without knowing nor willing it, of
educating the whole nation about their rights. They had unified the
strengths of the citizens of all wings, ashamed for having been so
much disunified from each other.”
The new message of the revolutionary reporter was : “No more
privileges for no-one! Equality, freedom and justice for all !” There
were no more parties, only one Belgian folks.
244

Louis told king William that he could solve Belgium's griefs through
total execution of the fundamental law, which the nation finally
understood, and would no longer permit to be used against itself. As
for the Catholics and Liberals, there must no longer be a distinction
made between the two parties, legally the government must only
recognize “free citizens”.
Louis spoke of the articles in the journals and also the petitions which
the Belgians had addressed to the deputies of the States General,
including the ones self-financed by the printing of "freedom medals"
by Louis and colleagues, with complicity of artists like Veyrat in
Brussels.
He went on to say that to prove his government is strong, king
William should solve it immediately and with pleasure: “A weak
government would always be obsessed by protecting oneself. The
government of the King wants to prove that it is strong. It will be
strong once it will have proven that the pertinent requests made to
him are justified and will be accepted. One does not found power on
pressure to govern. One should found a solid tribune by respecting
ethics, equality and morale values.”
Louis asked king William to dismiss Van Maanen, who was
considered a despot, and to get Van Gobbelschroy to resign. Van
Gobbelschroy, who had been a schoolmate of Louis, was not
pictured as offensive, but merely weak.
The king was then asked by the press rebels to declare a new law
proclaiming a ministerial responsibility, outlining when ministers
could be impeached, and defining the penalties for their offenses.
This would give the public the right to protest abuses without being
held for slander.
Louis and his colleague editor then said that the exceptional
legislation, restricting freedom of the press, must be
245

abolished: “Press is only a tool to express opinions openly. Opinions
are free. There is no more risk in expressing them because truth will
always crush lies.”
Education must be reorganized so that the law alone defines it, and
it was not at the mercy of government agents. The judiciary must be
totally independent. Louis also asked for responsible judges
appointed fairly, who would protect the nation, even against bad laws.
Furthermore, the citizens of the Netherlands must have the right to
trial by jury: “Offer your citizens a real jury which contributes to the
best interests of the truth, the dignity and the values of the morality
of a nation, fighting abuses, ignorance and mean conduct of men.”
Louis said that sentences against the press and of political nature, in
absence of a jury, would always seem to be of sort of revenge.
He stated that the milling and slaughtering duties must be abolished,
because the nation was financially exhausted. A new system of taxes
should be imagined. One that relieved the burden of the poor without
bankrupting the wealthy, with the greatest possible division of the
wealth of the state.
William's public expenditures were too high, the military out of
proportion to the size of the country, and the bureaucracy
overloaded. Pensions and salaries were granted indiscriminately, also
depleting the treasury.
Louis pointed at yet another major grief made by “his” brave
Belgians... The ban against the use of French in public affairs. This,
he claimed, was not only ridiculous, it had caused the domination of
Belgium by the Dutch, a Belgium which also was unequally
represented in the States-General, and had paid more than its share
of the expenses of state.
246

Louis concluded by returning to the question of the caliber of men
in William's ministry, men he thought were moved only by personal
interest, or feared of losing their positions, and thus feared everyone
else. Louis believed that if William would surround himself with new
and more capable men, this would then be a model kingdom.
Although Louis enumerated all of the major controversies of the era,
in almost a state of the opposition address, the lower classes of
Belgium seized upon his suggestion that brewing, milling and other
taxes be abolished as the sign that Louis had indeed the interests of
the country at heart. The controversy over these taxes went as far
back as the beginning of the decade, when wages were frozen in 1820,
and new taxes on flour milling and beer brewing in 1822 meant a
rapid rise in the cost of living.
The proceeds from these taxes were poured back into the expansion
of industry, profiting the industrial bourgeoisie while the working
class suffered à lot. The lower classes, concluding that this particular
issue was the one that had placed Louis in jail, rallied to his cause as
never before, and his popularity spread throughout the country.
At least one concrete victory resulted from Louis’ actions and other
attacks by colleagues journalists on the Dutch government. On May
16, 1829, a new law concerning freedom of press was proclaimed
which led to reinforce the sacred “Unionism” conceived by Louis.
Meanwhile, Mr. de Potter, continuing his master piece, released from
his prison several writings being all impatiently awaited and read with
enthusiasm. He became the most popular person in Belgium. His
name was pronounced with respect by all parties and classes. He
became the idol of the Belgians and the fear of the Dutch ministers.
247

The press was still excessively prosecuted. Claes and Jottrand were
sentenced to imprisonment; Coché-Mommens, was threatened to be
confined at the prison of Saint-Bernard if he would continue to attack
Van Maanen. However, this system of prosecutions seemed to give
new ardor, new courage, and new force to the press.
The February arrests must have either shocked or terrified the nation,
for both the citizens and the delegates had remained mute.
Nevertheless, the opposition had actually made great progress
for: “The royal power only had a materialistic expression. It would
not awaken intellectual or moral interest or respect. It had lost all
credibility and people’s faith.” Now was the moment for Louis to
resurrect from prison to power...
In June 1829, Louis’ powerful pamphlet called "Union of Catholics
and Liberals" was published. It was, without doubt, the most
important work of his career.
The manifesto of the whole political opposition, becoming, later on,
the one of the whole revolution and, eventually, a sort of constitution
for the democratic project that would emerge from the public standup.
248

This “Union” pamphlet was written in his prison cell with his
colleagues who, together, had invented the national “Belgian” motto
"United strong!". On the front page, a sentence by a key Irish
revolutionary of the United-Kingdom, O’Connell “Awaiting action,
the State should not interfere in opinions. It usurps intellectual
conduct of society”.
Louis sent the pamphlet directly to the king with his regards, as well
as his replies to the ministry's defense. In his letter of accompaniment
he said: “The alliance of the Low Countries which was just sacred by
philosophical patriotism is one of the most remarkable events of your
reign which will make the envy of the populations of the Two
Worlds.”
249

It is important to note that Louis described a “union” which he
thought ought to please the king. There has been an evolution from
the Rapport of April, in which he spoke of the unity of oppositions
to the government. Again, Louis' strategy is to unify, not divide. He
described the union as a joint venture of citizens uniting to obtain
and secure democratic republican (''public good’’) citizenship, rather
than merely being subjects of wealthy kings or self-proclaimed
presidents…
This union has evolved from social necessity to the need to preserve
freedom of all opinions. This new union was not just the closing of
the ranks against a common enemy; this new union had become a
philosophical ideal. Where opposing political entities could compete
and cooperate in an atmosphere of mutual trust and fair play.
Heated controversies arose over the unionist idea of Louis because
both sides had to sacrifice interests and self-esteem, and this was
difficult for men to actually accomplish, no matter how much they
liked his ideas.
The union as an ideal, somewhat utopian ideal, was greatly facilitated
by the practical fact that both groups were becoming less fond of the
Dutch-controlled government every day. Louis' Union was an
immense success, and pragmatism must have contributed to that
success. Nevertheless the eloquence of Louis' arguments still shines
today as in 1829, and it has remained a great political statement, used
by several neighboring democracies.
In the "Forward to Union", Louis emphasized that he thought that
the manner in which the Catholic question, under a Protestant king,
was resolved, would determine the liberty of the Belgian provinces.
He affirmed that religion was an individual affair between man and
God. He repeated what he alluded to in his pamphlet in April, that
the union of the Catholics and Liberals was natural, necessary,
inevitable, and that it would endure politically as long as the political
250

climate that had created it. The slogan “Unity makes Force” was
born!
At this point, that of having obtained their political rights, Louis
thought that: .”The freedom of one part of society starts with its
rights and duties. It also ends where rights and duties of the other
part of society exists.”
Aware of the privileges and obligations of true liberty, the two parties
would learn peaceful co-existence. Louis continued: “Moral order,
order of opinions, is exclusively ruled by mankind, the individual in
his society, with his own conscience. No power nor institution should
interfere if we want to avoid tyranny. Positive and real order of
human actions is ruled by a common law. Evaluation is made by
observing reporters. Law is enforced by the authority. The morale
values belong to the citizen and all the components of society.”
Louis maintained that Liberals preferred the rule of institutions, to
the arbitrary rule of men; but Liberals used unfair tactics when they
needed them, especially against Catholics. The Catholics had tried to
dominate, and had been intolerant. He claimed that the Catholics had
finally seen that to deserve toleration and freedom they must grant to
others what they expected for themselves.
When a King or anyone attacks a journalist and his publisher… The whole
trial of Louis was printed and widespread with all the errors arranged
by the powerful judges, distributed for free or for sale, paid with
bronze medals engraved by Louis’ artists.
In a memorable paragraph, Louis argued with a sentence which still
holds today: “Liberals of all countries try to reform ideas with laws.
They don’t realize that cracking men’s ideas is a very bad way to
convince. Do citizen believe in something because they would fear or
hope that particular thing? No. One believes because one believes.
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Let us cultivate common beliefs as they occur. Let us remove
obstacles of free thinking. Let us defend the rights of citizens. We
will thereby defend society as a whole, with a trustworthy
conscience.”
The Catholics would no longer seek domination, and Liberals would
hold out their hands to Jesuits and Ultramontanes who no longer seek
preferential treatment. What was a fierce combat would become only
intellectual discussion, and whoever prevailed.
Speaking about the global support from the population, Louis and
his colleagues added: , "The triumph of the opinion by means of its
own forces is never a tyranny.” Nor was this spontaneous coalition
artificial: “This alliance is not the result of a human convention,
concluded to the benefit of some privileged men.
It is the product of the strength of self-help things which arose from
civil liberty, freeing all public intelligences, freeing all opinions and
the courageous population which supported the self-determination,
warranty for a stable freedom foundations on which it rests, in one’s
own country borders”.
252

The Union pamphlet, was of such a high journalistic quality, in the
opinion of a small part of the population which had access to
newspapers, that it would become an example of "freedom of
expression" for other oppressed populations. It sounded like a
philosophical statement of what both liberal Catholicism and open
minded liberalism could become.
As surely as the writings of the great editor Félicité de la Mennais - in
his newspaper “L’Avenir” - or Stendhal must have given Louis
confidence in the ability of Catholicism to absorb new ideas, this
pamphlet must have given Lamennais hope that modern Catholicism
could still flourish in a secular state.
It would have been almost a certainty that someone, perhaps Felix de
Merode, would have sent Lamennais a copy soon after its appearance.
The first edition of Louis' Union des catholiques et des libéraux was
sold out in fifteen days. In the second edition, which appeared in the
first days of July, Louis added some notes refuting some objections
Liberals had made.
Both the Liberal and Catholic press had praised the pamphlet
however, and Louis wrote: “Never was a success so prompt and flattering;
Happened what always happens when one gathers the ideas of all others: all
readers adopted my writing and I was blessed with support, including from most
opposing newspapers”.
253

Although Louis declared optimistically that the union of the parties
was I now "real, perfect and profound", there were dissenters,
particularly in the Liberal camp. Someone named "Anonymous"
(Charles Durand) wrote against the Unionist idea as dangerous to the
Liberal party, and the same summer, Louis felt impelled to write
another pamphlet refuting some of the objections Liberals had made
to this concept. It was called “Replies to some objections on the
catholic question of the Low Countries”, and appeared on July 14,
1829.
The pamphlet was in the form of a dialogue between Louis and the
anonymous author of a Response to his union pamphlet which had
appeared at Ghent. The author of the anonymous pamphlet was
clearly Charles Durand, a Liberal and extremely competent progovernmental
writer.
254

In Louis' response, "Anonymous" questioned whether opinions were
really oppressed in Belgium because the Jesuits were not teaching
there. "Anonymous" was afraid of citizens who believed in the
intellectual, moral and religious infallibility of the Pope, and he asked
if the Catholics wouldn't choose to follow him instead of their
constitutional king.
He/she feared that a Catholic electorate, a Catholic States-Provincial,
and a Catholic majority in the Chambers might lawfully force even a
constitutional king to make unjust concessions.
Louis replied that laws legally constituted were not concessions, they
were laws. He pointed out that it was wrong to praise priests for
having philosophical ideas, for they were entirely free to have either
sympathy or antipathy for these ideas, just as philosophers might
have sympathy or antipathy for dogmatic ideas.
One should not be afraid of priests persecuting, burning or exiling
people for heretical beliefs, although they had indeed done this
elsewhere, because the penal code had provided that no one could
persecute, burn or exile another for his beliefs.
Louis emphasized that a Catholic government was not impossible
with a Protestant king. While more difficult than a government
entirely Protestant or entirely Catholic, a fair, and constitutional
government would uphold the rights of its citizens whatever the
beliefs of the king, ministers, or citizens.
He also made the important point that he was not in revolt against
the Protestants or the Dutch.
Louis’ “Reply” clarified the relationship between religion and
government, and made a powerful case of the argument that under a
carefully constituted government, religion could not deprive men of
their civil liberties.
255

Strangely enough, his argument that a Protestant sovereign was
perfectly able to govern a nation of Catholic citizens and deputies,
applied equally to both William I of Holland, and Leopold I, the
future king of Belgium, also a Protestant.
It was significant that Catholic Belgium, having divested itself of one
Protestant sovereign, did have enough faith in the strength of its
constitution to risk choosing another Protestant king.
The next month, August 1829, Louis felt impelled to write still
another pamphlet in defense of his Unionist position. This
widespread publication was called, “Last word to the Anonymous of
Ghent”... A person who might even know Louis…?
Louis' own tolerance had evolved a long way from his early days as a
graduate of the French system of education who had enthusiastically
supported King William's “Philosophic College of Louvain”.
These three pamphlets of the summer of 1829, accomplished what
their author intended.
By the end of the summer, all of the leading Catholics and Liberals
of Belgium shared Louis' Unionist idea.
While in prison, Louis also wrote articles for the Courrier des Pays-
Bas, September 23 and 26, firmly opposing the annexation of
Belgium to France, which had been suggested by General de
Richemont.
He was becoming a disturbing national hero to whom even public
songs and poems were dedicated!
256

“Our friend de Potter has a cold,
and his gang is desperate. Hear
them, hear them, hear them cry:
“Potter, give us bread!” Do not
dream any longer, de Potter! What
do you want? To honor the poors?
de Potter’s -scoundrels around the
crown? Do you want the triumph
of the night? Is it your wish to
bargain your prosperity? Be alert,
Belgians! Or your gold and honor
are gone! Your Country will
crumble to nothing, and to slavery
and blindness!”
257

These rebuttals clearly demonstrated that Louis was a real champion
of national independence advocacy. A very special journalist, using
all objectivity possible to make as many hypotheses as possible and
still be interesting to read Although all his memoirs were indeed
written after the fact, they contained a strong grain of nationalism;
and as Louis stated in his Souvenirs, "My ideas on citizens and
leaders’ open democratic values have never fluctuated much.”
Evidently, King William would have gladly released Louis from
prison if he had made the slightest move toward reconciliation. Louis
not only made no effort to show repentance, he seemed to enjoy his
role of national martyr. His writings received so much attention, it is
curious that the king continued to let him write while imprisoned.
258

One of the men King William sent to visit Louis and investigate the
possibility of his accepting a pardon was Van Bommel, the Bishop of
Liège. A native of Holland who became an ardent Belgian partisan,
Louis thought he was a straw-man playing reform-oriented actions
with local politicians such as de Gerlache or d’Oultremont who were
“at the service of the Dutch government” and, later on “at the service
of any other new outside leader”.
Louis, who will publish a booklet with his reply to Van Bommel, was
right. These men eventually “recuperated” the revolution and helped
name an outsider.
That fall, however, Louis did petition to have the Second Chamber
reconsider his case, because he had been found guilty under a decree
of April 20, 1815, which had been revoked since his arrest. The new
law of May 16, 1829, upgraded governmental toleration of the press,
and Louis contended this exonerated his actions.
Louis wished a pardon from the States-General and not the king. It
is unclear, however, why he waited five months to appeal. He
published a demand for his appeal in the presses in October, and
appealed to the States-General in November. The delegates to the
debated his case spiritedly, but he did not receive a pardon.
This evidently did not discourage Louis. He wrote to his Brugesnative
friend Charles de Brouckère that: “I never made my case a
personal matter; I simply wanted to push my advocacy to its limits in
order to make it available to others who would want to join in for
general society conduct.”
Petitions circulated in October 1829 by three good friends and
supporters of Louis: Bartels, priest de Haerne and brewer
Rodenbach. They were sent to the Lower House of the States-
General in November demanding governmental changes. These were
259

part of some 150 petitions presented to this Chamber during the year
of 1829, containing more than 360,000 signatures.
Louis wrote in his Souvenirs that: “Half a million signatures, all
demanding together the reparation of the same grievances would no
longer let doubt progress any further on our determination to
proclaim democratic power.”
The majority of the petitioners of 1829-30 were Flemish peasants,
encouraged by the countryside business leaders, craftsman or arts
promoters like Alexander Rodenbach from Roulers or Paul Devaux
from Bruges. Some Flemish noblemen and clergy had also signed,
practically none of its bourgeoisie.
The peasantry, largely illiterate, had evidently been assisted by what
Bologne calls the clergy of the second order. In the French or
Walloon towns there was also support from the liberal intellectual
sector and from the journalists like Rogier or Ducpétiaux.
Another investigator, M. G. Magnette, found proof that Dutch
subjects in northern Brabant also signed these petitions, which means
that the union had found adherents in Holland as well, Dutchmen
who also found the reign of William oppressive. It was not stated
whether these Hollanders were found to be of the Catholic minority,
and thus more sympathetic to their Belgian compatriots.
Throughout Belgium the industrial bourgeoisie was almost totally
behind the Dutch-led government, but the countryside craftsmen or
peasants and the urban proletariat had remained uninvolved.
There was widespread unemployment in 1829 and 1830; however,
which meant that the new industrial work force was becoming
increasingly agitated.
260

Assuming that these people were until fairly recently members of the
illiterate peasantry, they would not have had the educational level to
participate in petitioning. Assuming also that displacement had
lessened their intimate contact with the clergy, they would not have
had the assistance of the clerics' literacy.
This might explain why the rural peasantry, while economically
slightly more advantaged than their city brothers, was politically
involved, while the urban proletariat was not.
King William's address to the States-General on the opening of the
legislative session of 1829-30, October 19, 1829, was so bland, that
journalist-publisher Jottrand said: "It is impossible to imagine the
ardent fights that were occupying the whole country, following to
Louis’ trial and numerous publications”.
Louis’ "State of the Union", an expression which he invented and
which will become famous, appeared on November 15, 1829. It was
addressed to Minister Van Gobbelschroy, for whom Louis claimed
to have still admiration and respect, as friend and democratic ally,
although he had already called for his resignation as minister.
This pamphlet was entitled “Letter of Demophile”, which means in
Greek “the citizen’s friend”.
This letter indicated that Louis thought the Kingdom of the
Netherlands was still, with modification, a viable institution. Louis
supported this conviction as a warning for better democratic
practices with the support of a peaceful revolution.
261

262

In his “Letter to Minister Van Gobbeschroy, Louis' purpose was to
warn his friend that a new day had dawned in Belgium. The union of
the opposition was real, had now existed for a year, and the Catholics
and Liberals were both calling for liberty and equality for all.
Dissatisfaction had not been erased, nor the Belgian's griefs
redressed. But the people themselves would not be lulled to sleep
again.
They were awake and ready to make sacrifices for their rights.
Gobbelschroy must think of himself as being in a free country, so
that he could perform his duties in an entirely different manner. One
passage in this pamphlet was particularly impressive: “Any nation in
love with freedom is already free by its own rights. To be free, one
must believe in freedom while implementing one’s duties. A free
nation is composed of citizen ready for any sacrifices without being
seduced by any promises, proud and willing to suffer for their
homeland. Combatting corruption by virtue and implementing public
civic rights.
Curiously, the “Letter of the Low Countries” recommended Louis
for a vacant seat in the Second Chamber of the States-General,
although he was still a prisoner in the Petits-Carmes ! Louis guessed
that the idea was to embarrass the government. He refused the idea
and further elaborated on his offers in a letter to the Letter of the
Low Countries, which was published.
Louis wrote later in his Souvenirs that he had rather seen a reform
taking place naturally than anything pushed top-down. If such a
peaceful reform had been possible, with a government formed from
within the Belgian population, he would then have taken up such a
challenge.
However the speech King William made to the States-General on
December 11, 1829 was anything but conciliatory. Jottrand compared
his attitude to the French ordinances of July 1830. Ce préambule où
263

le roi Guillaume affecte purement et simplement le pouvoir de droit
divin, et la faculté qui en résulte de régler comme il l'entendait les
institutions du pays, doit faire juger de tout l'ensemble du document.
William declared a new and stricter law against freedom of the press,
supposedly to prevent attacks on the government. He vowed it was
necessary to combat the Catholic religion's renewed attempts at state
domination, and he spoke against ministerial responsibility, which he
did not feel was a parliamentary right.
Louis thought that the king, who had divine rights, was alone
responsible for the acts of his ministers, and that he alone should
decide when they were wrong. He replied quickly with a new
pamphlet attacking the King's position.
The “Letter of Demophile to the King” regarding the new law project
was issued on December 20, 1829. Louis took a grave and serious
tone in the public address he made.
This pamphlet was the first to mention "the threat of a separation",
even if administrative only, between Holland and Belgium. The
opposition was at this point still only agitating for reform, and the
idea of a parliamentary separation did not find support until after the
revolt nine months later, in August 1830.
Apparently Louis' pamphlet was written as sincere advice, not just an
inflammatory writing, as his letter to Tielemans written December 18,
1829, seems to indicate. In this letter he wrote: “I write to the King
to tell him about the spilling of resources and men of good will, a ruin
for the homeland and its allies.”
The beginning of 1830 found Louis still in his cell at the Petits-
Carmes, in the street just behind the present Royal Palace. When not
writing pamphlets or letters to the journals, he was occupied revising
his ecclesiastical history, which was to be published further at Paris
264

publishers in 1836-37 in eight volumes as the “Philosophical History
of Christianity since Jesus until Today”.
One can see in the works of Louis a continuum running from his
early interest in religious history to this later interest in Christian
socialism and rational socialism which dealt with problems of his own
era, and possible future solutions. Like his later friend Lamennais,
another religious maverick, Louis was a “spiritual” man, in the double
sense. Thinking philosophically but not too seriously.
In January 1830, King William incurred the wrath of Belgium once
again when he ousted six members of the States-General and took
away their pensions, because they had dared to vote against the king's
ministers on December 11, 1829. They either were members of the
Lower Chamber who had voted against the budget, or as Louis
implied in his Souvenirs, they had refused to sign a loyalty oath. At
any rate, William felt that they had "displayed an absolute aversion to
the principles of my Government. "
Not less than 17 newspapers launched a subscription for opponents
of the government that had lost positions because of their actions! A
medal engraved by Veyrat (Louis’ friend) was sold as a public press
petition for the freedom of the poor journalists. The following text
was written: “Aries Faucis Patria” meaning “food for homeland
families”, as inspired by a Brabant revolution text of Jacques t’Kint
and: “The Powers locks them up, the Population crowns them!”.
265

Louis and his old friend minister Tielemans went one step further
and came up with the idea of a patriotic confederation. Jean Francois
Tielemans, who was the one who originally envisioned the
confederation, was at that time a referendary in the Department of
Foreign Affairs at the Hague.
Louis had met Tielemans at the home of the publisher of his
biography of Scipio de Ricci, Tielemans at that time being a student
courting the publisher's daughter. Later on, Louis had approached
Van Gobbelschroy about him and gotten him a governmental
position.
Louis and Tielemans had been corresponding since 1827, and had
become the best of friends. Louis proposed the Patriotic
Confederation in the February issue of the Courrier des Pays-Bas.
The Confederation was to be what we today would simply regard as
a political party, however besides accepting donations from its
members, it would tax each one of them in order to create a bank
from which needy members might draw.
The idea was that timid men might be more willing to join the
opposition if they knew they would be guaranteed a kind of
"unemployment insurance". Minister Van Maanen did not let this
plan go unnoticed. On February 5, 1830, he wrote to King William
that this idea was definitely dangerous and subject to punishment
under the penal code.
The King agreed and Louis’ correspondence with Tielemans was
seized and he was put in solitary confinement.
Louis wrote that this upset him greatly because his child was very ill,
and he was no longer able to see his wife.
266

As soon as the government realized that Tielemans was the real
originator of the idea of the Patriotic Confederation they arrested him
at The Hague and threw him into prison also.
In addition to Louis and his friend, the government seized the
publishers of Louis, Coche-Mommens of the “Courrier des Pays-
Bas”; Adolphe Bartels of the “Catholique des Pays-Bas”; baron de
Neve, publisher of "Le Catholique" newspaper; and E.
Vanderstraeten of "Le Belge" newspaper.
Their offenses included suggesting the Confederation or praising it,
and allowing people to send money to their journals. Until February
9, Louis' treatment in prison had been good, even mild, but now for
the first time he was indeed treated as an enemy of the state.
He took a particular dislike to the Procurator of the King,
Schueremans, who he felt was an inherently cruel person. In his
Souvenirs Louis writes that between February 9 and February 26, he
was questioned eleven times, sometimes for two or three hours at a
time.
The memoirs of Schueremans related that the government was fully
aware of the delicacy of the situation. Van Maanen went to Brussels
at the end of February to confer with Schueremans, and at the end of
the next month, the Prince of Orange arrived in Brussels to see what
was happening...
267

Second trial of Louis for Public Disorders
The second trial of Louis started on April 16, 1830, in the Higher
Appeal Court of Southern Brabant. The correspondence between
Louis and Tielemans was probably produced by the government as
evidence against them, but Louis said that Van De Weyer, he was
defended by Van De Weyer, Van Meenen and Gendebien, used the
same letters to discredit the Dutch-led administration.
268

He also used the letters to show Louis' true character was quite
opposite from the dismal portrait the government wished to ·paint:
“a wild ambitious without faith nor religion." All the defendants were
accused of "causing public troubles and anarchy in public opinion”.
Gendebien, on the other hand, speaking in defense of Louis, said that
the real goal of the prosecution was to destroy his popularity: “The
main goal of the trial against Louis is to counter his popularity gained
because of the government not being wise nor careful.”
Given the mood of the king and his ministers, a sentence was
preordained. The men were found to have engaged in seditious
activity and sentenced on April 30, 1830.
Coche-Mommens and Vanderstraeten received lesser sentences, the
other four were exiled. Louis was banished for eight years, plus eight
years of surveillance; Tielemans and Bartels banished for seven years,
with seven years of surveillance, de Neve, for five years each. The
defendants were also fined.
In sentencing two Liberals, Louis and Tielemans, and two Catholics,
de Neve and Bartels, the King punished both parties. Unfortunately
for William, the sentences not only increased the popularity of all the
men, it extended Louis' renown to the lowest classes ·of Belgium.
269

Here is the plea of lawyer Gendebien, long-time friend of Louis and
future member of the Revolutionary government:
They had already sympathized with his call for the abolition of the
milling and slaughtering taxes, this intensified their adulation. It is
perhaps difficult for anyone of the20th century to appreciate the
natural suspicion and distrust the lower classes would have felt for a
man of Louis' status, a born aristocrat, a nephew and grandson of
two of the most powerful men of the Josephist regime.
By May 1830, however, King William had indeed created a folk hero.
Belgium's love object was a graying scholar, 5 feet 3 inches tall and
forty-four years old.
On May 3 the government printed the private correspondence of
Louis and Tielemans. The idea was to discredit Louis, whose private
life and views were somewhat unconventional. Many refused to read
the publication, considering it an invasion of privacy. In general, the
plan backfired because those who did read the letters saw noble and
human values exchanged with children and wives.
By the spring of 1830, King William evidently realized that the
situation in Belgium was tense. His government was caught in a trap
not entirely of its own making.
Like the French revolutions of both 1789 and 1830, the Belgian revolt
was preceded by bad harvests and a shaky economic situation: The
winter of 1829-30 had been exceptionally severe, an economic crisis
of unexpected proportions has swept the country. Factories had gone
bankrupt and leading bankers had closed their doors. Poor relief
could not meet the demands made for the simple necessities of life
and hundreds of unemployed were aimlessly and dangerously
roaming the streets of Brussels, Liege, Antwerp and Ghent.
270

On the very eve of the revolution the town of Ghent was petitioning
the Ministry of the Interior for a grant of two million to ease the lot
of its unemployed and find them work. Even in normal times the
standard of living in Belgium was exceedingly low. The poor
struggling English worker still made twice as much as his Belgian
counterpart. The country with a long-suffering peasantry, the
industrial revolution had added a new and dangerous dimension, the
urban poor.
No one in Belgium, thought that the lower classes were capable of
instigating a revolt with the bourgeoisie or the nobility. King William
felt amazingly secure with his "rabble-rousers" like Louis either in
prison or exile.
King Louis on the throne (with hanging cord) and poor
King of Orange Nassau in prison…
271

Soldier de Potter in Ancient Revolutionary Outfit
272
Belgian Freedom with Louis the Potter!

Also tied up, above left on the drawing, is the Irish revolutionary O’Conell.
The king did make a few concessions to the demands of his Belgian
subjects. He modified his stand on education on May 27; allowed the
use of French in public affairs after June 4; and made an effort to
stabilize the cost of living.
It was, however, the classic example of too little, too late. Also, Van
Gobbelschroy had merely been moved, end 1829, from the
Department of Interior to another ministry. Van Maanen, whom the
Belgians hated, was still Minister of Justice.
Although sentenced to exile April 30, 1830, the four journalists spent
thirty-eight days waiting for permission to reside in France, and were
finally requested to leave without it. Felix de Merode had tried to
arrange with Polignac for the men to stay in Paris, but the France of
Charles X was not interested in Unionists, which pleased William.
273

In his Souvenirs Louis compared the two kings; Charles X, a
conservative man, hating liberty, who did not want us to be further
persecuted and King Willem, an intolerant anti-jesuit, hating freedom
of opinion. And the union of people who want the same thing is so
natural, liberty or despotism, whatever their personal beliefs and
principles.
Louis said that before the trials, neither he or Tielemans had met
Bartels or de Neve. All became friends with the revolt and he
particularly enjoyed the company of Bartels. Together, exiled from
their beloved homeland, they were already preparing a new dream,
re-inventing a country for the forgotten brave Belgians !
The group left Brussels in a horse coach on June 7, 1830, for AixlaChapelle,
but was turned back by the Prussians and had to return
to the Belgian border town of Valls. There they stayed for almost two
months, until finally they received permission to cross Prussia and
reside in Lausanne, Switzerland.
274

Mrs. de Potter, Mrs. Tielemans and their kids had joined their
husbands at Vaels, Louis does not mention the other families. All of
them were glad to leave Vaels where they lived in cramped quarters
under what appears to be house arrest.
On July 31, 1830, while still at Vaels, the men heard the news of the
revolution in Paris. This made the group nervous because they feared
that King William, upon hearing of that revolt, might imprison them
again to prevent their going to Paris. They demanded their right to
exile and left Vaels either on August 1 or 2, escorted by the
burgomaster and several lawyers from Maastricht.
Evidently these people's sympathies lay with the banished party and
not the government. From Aix-la-Chapelle, Louis sent a horse-letter
to King William, on August 2, 1830, in which he clearly implied that
a revolution could erupt in Belgium, just as surely as one had in Paris
: “In the fight that is preparing, Your Majesty, and in any place that
it will take place, the cause of justice, reason, humanity and citizens’
rights will prevail. Ministries, governments and kingdom, if poorly
advised, or not prudent enough, will be overthrown because of
despotism and cupidity. Hurry up to save them, it may still be time.”
Here for the first time, one doubts the sincerity of Louis' warning.
On the last evening he was in prison, his colleagues Tielemans and
Gendebien discussed with him the future of Belgium: “Because of
the negative turn of events, the hypotheses of a Belgian revolution
was the subject of our conversations during hours. We thought it
would first start in Prussia, propagating in France, Belgium and
Ireland. They insisted that I should take the lead of it.”
The direction of the revolution that they hoped would soon occur.
This, and the fact that Louis not only mailed this letter to the king,
but to various French journals, secured the printing of it. Such a letter
indicated that Louis was interested in keeping his name before the
Belgian public, than merely warning the king. This did indeed happen.
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The literate Belgian public obviously had easy access to these French
journals, and of course they would have been reading them diligently
to obtain news of the latest developments in France.
The banned migrants, or political refugees, travelled from Aix-la-
Chapelle to Mannheim, where instead of continuing on to Lausanne,
they headed toward Strasbourg, France en route to Paris. Louis
described the horse coach trip as tiring.
Obviously, German territories could not get rid of them fast enough,
and he said that the journey was particularly exhausting for his wife,
who was nursing a seven-month-old baby, a prison-infant who was
obviously the result of a conjugal visit to the Petits-Carmes jail...
Louis did not say that he actually kissed the French soil, but the
group's spirits lifted immediately upon entering Strasbourg. They
were welcomed in great style by a ceremony performed by the
municipal commission.
The French tricolor was still flying, which pleased Louis de Potter,
Mr. Liberty. While still at Strasbourg, they learned of the election of
Louis-Philippe, which did not please Louis. He thought the French
had merely exchanged one dynasty for another.
By August 14, the group's passports were in order and they had rested
sufficiently to embark for Paris. The company also received a hero's
reception in Paris on their arrival August 20. They were met and
escorted to their hotel by a contingent of the National Guard,
complete with a band.
On August 21 the four emigrees were received by General La Fayette.
There was good relation between the men, and Louis later wrote that
“La Fayette had given him tangible and touching evidences of noble
friendship”. This “great veteran of French freedom was devoted to
the cause of oppressed citizen.”
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277

On August 24, 1830, the day before the riot in Brussels, Louis
addressed another letter to King William. He received it by the same
courier that brought him the news of the uprising, which had
destroyed the houses of police informant Libri, minister Van
Maanen, King’s prosecutor Schueremans, Police chief Knyff,
screaming: "Long live de Potter! Long live Freedom ! "
In this prophetic letter of August 24, Louis related that the parallel
with the French situation was obvious, comparing Prince Willem of
and his Minister Van Manen with prince de Polignac and the
Bourbons. The “Belgians” were fed-up of being dominated by their
neighbors, suffering economic, administrative, educational crises.
The revolution itself was largely confined to a few days in August and
four days in September, at the end of which time the Dutch retreated
from the country. They attempted to take over again in the summer
of 1831, but the brand new King Leopold's armies were rescued by
the arrival of French troops. Diplomatic negotiations, on the other
hand, were long and drawn out and lasted until 1839.
The first fighting broke out in Brussels on the evening of August 25,
1830, after a moving performance of Auber's “The Dumb Lady of
Portici”, an opera played by the charming Mrs. Noblet celebrating a
Napolitan revolt in 1648. It is not sure but Buonarroti and Matilde
Mancini and their friend Louis were not far away when this nice
subject was chosen for a Brussels replay while forbidden in Florence.
It was the week of King William's fifty-ninth birthday, and he had
withdrawn to his northern capital at The Hague. His aides had feared
possible demonstrations, inspired by the Paris uprising of July, and
had cancelled the fireworks scheduled, but had felt it safe to proceed
with the opera. When the cast came to the patriotic aria, "Sacred love
for the homeland", the audience at the Théâtre de La Monnaie, and
the crowd surging outside, both went wild.”
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The outburst started with young men destroying Libri’s library and
the houses of ministers. The public found the dumb Italian revolt
singer too beautiful and the authorities unprepared… They did
nothing effective to stop Louis’ brave Belgians…!
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The bourgeoisie began to fear for their property the next day when
the mob still had not settled down, and formed a bourgeoisie guard.
This unit was headed by van der Linden d'Hoogvorst.
Some Belgians wanted annexation to France, particularly the French
republican society, "The Friends of the People;" in Liège.
Orangist groups were to pop up and fight back around the country,
notably at Ghent and Antwerp; but the Brabant flag was already
flown over the town hall at Brussels, and it was an hour entirely
Belgian.
It took two days to reestablish order, and Brussels was clearly a city
in revolt: "News of the Brussels uprising quickly spread to the in
provincial towns and there similar incidents occurred which were
handled in like manner.
Thus power slipped imperceptibly into the hands of the bourgeoisie
throughout the whole of Belgium before William had even time to
recover from his surprise or make anything like a display of military
force. He was outmaneuvered by events, accelerated by the
publishers in and outside the country.
Despite indications that the revolt itself may have been entirely
spontaneous, and this is something we may never be completely able
to determine, there is evidence that some revolutionary activity had
been underfoot.
There had been much sentiment for a reunion with the newly liberal
France: Early in August, De Brouckere, De Stassart, and LeHon went
to Paris to negotiate over the union with the now liberal France.
The offices of the Courrier des Pays-Bas became the center of secret
deliberations, and Gendebien, supported by the young lawyer Van de
Weyer, took the lead in the proposed movement.
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The French government, however, was not ready and asked
postponement. King William sent the Prince of Orange and his
brother, Prince Frederic to Belgium with Dutch troops.
They arrived in Vilvoorde, near Brussels, on August 31, and were
asked by the van der Linden d'Hoogvorst, and another delegation the
next day, not to fight their way into the city. The princes finally agreed
to enter the city with merely a retinue, and not the army.
The Prince of Orange entered Brussels on September 1, "calm and
even smiling." A popular prince, he decided, after consulting with
some notables, to go to The Hague and mediate between the Belgians
and the government.
In early September a delegation from Belgium, returning with the
prince, presented King William with their grievances, which were
essentially the same that Louis had enumerated in his pamphlets.
William seemed unmoved. He told them that ministerial
responsibility was against the constitution, that with the knife at the
throat he could not dismiss ministers, but that he would think of it.
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He did in fact dismiss Van Maanen, after proclaiming his satisfaction
with the hated minister he refused to yield `to wild threats, to
complaints, to imagined by some disturbers of the public peace.
Louis de Potter had, nonetheless, made an analysis of the dramatic
poverty situation under King William and published it with a
proposed action letter to his lawyer and friend, future minister Van
de Weyer.
While he had signed the creation of Belgium in London, Vande
Weyer was, like Louis, a fierce opponent to slavery and he died as
“vice-King” of… a British colony!
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Brewers Rodenbach, friends of family de Potter Roulers
In and around Roulers, Louis had family (in the castle of Oyghem
lived his said cousin Joseph) and several friends like the most famous
four-star general Jean van der Mersch (Menen 1734 - Dadizele 1792)
who had known Louis’ father too.
General baron van der Me(e)rsch was a leading figure in the Brabant
Revolution best known for his victory against Austrian forces of
Joseph II at the Battle of Turnhout in 1789. He was the hero of a
regional sovereignty after the Dutch Austrian Low Countries united
into a confederation under the name: “United Belgian States”
(11/01/1790) which even influenced the American constitution.
Alexander Rodenbach was another old friend of Louis’. He was born
September 28, 1786, in Roeselare and died 17 August, 1869, in
Rumbeke. So he was 44 in 1830. He was a member of the Congress
(1830-1831) for Roeselare. He was a Catholic, elected in the district
of Roeselare (1831-1868), a politically active journalist, and a
philanthropist. His family originated from the Grand Duchy of
Hessen. He was the second son of Pierre Rodenbach and a brother
of Ferdinand, Constantijn François, Raymond and Pieter.
Alexander was blind at the age of 11. His father, who was a famous
business and political negotiator in Roeselare, had nevertheless
obtained four surgical interventions by the best specialists of the
century, amongst them Dubois, Napoleon’s renowned surgeon.
Nothing helped and he had a lot of admiration for the “Dumb of
Portici” who launched the Italian revolution. He also raised the
Institute for Blinds and Dumbs in Brussels.
The catholic opposition had doubled its attacks against the
government of king William around the year 1826, specifically against
the laws on education. From the start on, Alexander and Constantijn
Rodenbach cooperated with the Catholics and contributed to the
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Unionism movement. Under Alexander, known as ‘the blind man of
Roeselare, the city became a hotbed of petitions. At the start of the
revolution, Alexander continued to prompt West-Flanders, while his
brother Pieter went to Brussels to form an army of volunteers.
The first days of September he met Ferdinand Rodenbach in Lille
where they gathered a number of exiles, together with Barthélemy
Dumortier. While Pieter Rodenbach took Louis to Brussels,
Alexander returned to Bruges where he caused a revolt, together with
Bartels.
November 4, the inhabitants of Roeselare were represented in the
National Congress by Constantijn who was appointed as the
representative after the next elections and occupied his seat in the
Chamber till May 1866. Alexander firmly supported the eviction of
the Nassau’s in Congress, as proposed by his brother.
Both voted in favor of the Duke of Leuchtenberg. Next, they
supported the hesitating policy of the Regent. In 1831, while
Constantin Rodenbach gave his vote to Leopold of Saksen-Coburg,
Alexander refused to support this prince. Alexander was convinced
that Leopold was a presumptuous person who thought that accepting
the throne on humiliating conditions, as stipulated by the Great
Powers, was not worthy of him.
Being more headstrong than his brother, who approved the 18
Articles, he signed the protest of June 29, 1831, and voted against the
violation of the territorial integrity. Rodenbach obviously was very
active in the parliament.
On December 27, 1841, he lost his brother Ferdinand (born May 3,
1773), who was commissioner in the arrondissement of Ypres since
10 years. Constantijn, who was the Belgian ambassador in Athens,
died in 1846. Pieter, being retired, died in 1848.
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Being the mayor of Rumbeke he enormously accommodated to the
whole population of the district during the disastrous years 1846-
1847, when both famine and typhus struck Flanders.
Alexander supported the abolition of the multiple papers for living
on unemployment pay in the Chamber and demanded, in exchange,
a lowering on taxes on the ports to 1 cent and on letters to 10 cents.
He was appointed as a member of the High Council for Agriculture
of the kingdom, an important administration when the population
was starving.
Alexander’s brother, Pedro, had also helped Louis by handing out to
King Willem a petition letter of the famous school of Roulers, “Le
Petit Séminaire”, asking the liberation of Louis de Potter from his
prison of the “Petits Carmes” in Brussels.
Also, upon the suggestion of Alexander Rodenbach, his brother
Pierre had helped Louis de Potter on several occasion. For example,
he had brought Louis to Brussels from Lille when the whole Belgian
population was expecting him as the national hero.
Also during that period, Alexander returned to Bruges where he
organized the local rebellion with Adolphe Bartels, friend of Louis de
Potter. He provoked the rout of the Dutch garrison by his inflamed
proclamation addressed to the non-commissioned officers of the
army, and peddled in the barracks by the merchants of canvases.
Thanks to the kind help, between 2010 and 1017, of Pierre-Paul De
Beir and Jo Steverlinck, both members of the Rodenbach dynasty,
plus the genuine support of Jan Toye, CEO of the Palm Rodenbach
Brewery in 2015, we could discover the unknown role of The
Rodenbach Brothers during the Belgian independence.
They played an instrumental role and provided energetic efforts to
set up new power and prepare West Flanders for the resistance…!
285

286

287

Funerals of French actor Hippolyte Dechet named poet “Jenneval”,
co-author of Belgium’s national anthem, in the presence of Pedro
Rodenbach and François Van Campenhout, co-authors, and Louis de
Potter, supporter, Place des Martyrs (formerly Place St Michel 6),
where Louis lived several years with his mother.
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Louis’ connections in Paris
September 5, 1830: King William called for patience and announced
that he would convene States-General on the 13th. On the 28th, the
meeting at The Hague decided by a Dutch majority that the
fundamental law of Low Countries did not have to be revised and
that relations between the North and South established by treaties
and the fundamental law did not require any alteration.
A proposal that the two kingdoms be separate but share a common
monarch was also defeated by forty-seven to ten, the Dutch voting
against it. There being no common ground the Dutch and Belgians
could decide on, the States-General was adjourned and its members
returned to their respective homes
When the rioting occurred in Brussels, on August 25, Louis and
Tielemans had gone immediately to confer with General La Fayette.
He did not seem to think that the outbursts had been the start of a
real revolution, but Louis insisted that unless King William paid
attention to their complaints, which was unlikely, that it was as much
a revolution as that one Paris had just witnessed.
Answering La Fayette's query, Louis said that Belgium did not seek
annexation to France and that future “Belgians” would always
welcome Frenchmen as brothers, as long as they would not arrive as
“masters”.
Louis did say that the new French government should encourage the
Brussels insurgents, and wrote this down for LaFayette to give to the
King of the Low Countries!
289

Chart of French revolutionaries’: Lafayette is in the Feuillants (moderates),
David, Grégoire and Buonarotti, friends of Louis, are in the Jacobins. Fabre
d’Eglantine and Babeuf, publishers of Louis, are in Indulgents (reactive) and
Montagnards (more active). Other connections of Louis, painter Delacroix and
police inspector Fouché are in the Thermidors, near Bonaparte (Napoleon III).
It may seem strange that a group of Belgians in Brussels were
considering, even seeking, a reunion with France while Louis, in
Paris, was against the idea!
These men were mainly monarchists who would see the government
of King Louis-Philippe as an improvement over the not so popular
Protestant-Calvinist William of Orange.
In the meantime, an important colleague of Louis, baron de Stassart,
had long been an administrator under prince Napoleon III ‘s staff
(like Louis’ natural son), but was however a supporter of a Brussels
monarchy.
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Louis, on the other hand, hoped that Belgium could form an
independent and progressive state, electing its own Head of State
among the “New Belgians”. He learned from his visit and contacts
with La Fayette that the new French government was indeed not
favorable to revolution in Belgium.
It not only threatened the stability of Louis-Philippe's government, it
would cause the other major powers to suspect the on-going French
political “intrigues”. A republic was an unsettling idea: Louis-Philippe
did not want a republic being so close to Paris but could not form a
decent alternative.
Two other colleagues of Louis also met Lafayette (Gendebien and
Rogier), preparing the venue of Louise-Marie d’Orléans, sister of
Louis-Philippe, future Queen of the Belgians.
If the official stance was cold, the sympathy of the Parisians and the
expatriate groups of Paris, can only be described as very enthusiastic.
August 31, 1830, the First Legion of the National Guard had held a
banquet for the “exiles” at the Chatelet, the law courts of Paris, which
was attended by guardsmen, Belgians, Russians, Poles, Italians...
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The band played, a Parisian crowd gathered outside shouting "Vive
de Potter!," and the evening ended with five thousand people singing
the Marseillaise. Every day someone came to Louis offering to form
a legion to help the Belgians.
Such enthusiasm seemed to make him nonchalant about the lack of
official support for a full-fledged Belgian revolution.
After the summer uprising, Louis remained in close contact with his
friends in Brussels, although he was surprised that his letters reached
them because the postal service was almost entirely controlled by the
Dutch. He does not seem to have been worried that his letters might
be read by the Hollanders en route.
Place de la Bastille in Paris, the famous “Liberty Louis”
de Potter could enjoy a moment of glory when he stood near
General Lafayette, acclaimed for liberating citizens from
outside powers, but also for his “Robin Hood” heroism,
giving back some richness to a suffering population.
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293

294

In a letter to Gendebien on September 9, he continued to stress that
separation, at least administrative and parliamentary, "is not a law
project. It is a step that your revolution has set forward and that you
have in hand or not”. Louis did not stop there however; he wanted
the Belgians to stand firm : “You will impose to your future leader a
preliminary condition to his reign. It will be yours to provide a
Belgian constitution which you will request the king to swear and
respect. If he wants to be King of the Belgians, and does not approve
firmly and frankly your complete independence, then erect a
federative republic.”
Gendebien had cautioned Louis about returning from Paris and Lille
too soon. Louis assured him that, "Expelled from Belgium by the
Dutch, I should be recalled by the Belgians themselves." Louis then
wrote an indignant letter to Van De Weyer reproaching him for an
offhand reply that Louis should “remain tranquil”, while Louis had
kindly offered him the aid of the “eight thousand Belgians in Paris”
who wanted to march on the country and liberate it!
Not to mention German Prussians, British, Polish and Spaniards in
France who wanted to help too. The revolutionary spirit of Paris had
made Louis even more ebullient than usual. September 12, he wrote
again, this time a joint letter to both Van De Weyer and Gendebien.
He again offered to lead a citizen army to Brussels, if given the signal.
He claimed that: “I had told you that I had requested a positive
declaration from the French government not to interfere. I had
obtained frank, precise and positive replies.” Belgian deputy de
Brouckere (from Bruges) visited Paris in September but he was there
earlier too as he spoke with Louis who was staying there too. They
worked together towards a separation of the two countries within the
States-General. They mentioned the creation of a revolutionary
government although they intended to first promote a debate
regarding the issue of separation at the State's-General before taking
any action.
295

While in Paris, Louis incidentally provided support to Eugene Sue,
author of the “Mysteries of Paris”, who also promoted freedom for
the Jews against the jesuits. A delicate subject when racism was being
banned and slavery was about to be suppressed. He supported the
co-financing of the freedom of Sue with the selling of freedom
medals for his book on “Jesuits and lost Jews”.
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Louis' residency in Paris during the 1830’s placed him in that city
during a period of intense Catholic renewal. As one of the
contributors to “L'Avenir” newspaper, and a staunch supporter of its
publisher Lamennais, Louis further developed close contacts with
many French opinion leaders. He also reconnected with Jacques-
Louis David, David d’Angers, Stendhal, Balzac, Sand and other
famous authors and artists. His friend Lafayette was dead but the
natural son of Louis gave him access to the team around prince
Napoleon III where he had access.
The “Statute of Liberty” by David was sent to Louis, detailing his
aspirations in 1839: “Regarding the statue of Liberty, I made it simple
so it could be purchased by all. Let us hope and see the Liberty in
humble homes.” Bronze casts of “La Liberté” are in the Musée du
Louvre, Musée des arts décoratifs, and Musée David d’Angers.
In this context, Armand, alleged son of Louis, also received a medal
by David. He moved to the USA and brought prominent libertyminded
businessmen in Europe. His medal, shown earlier, is exposed
in the Pantheon museum of Paris. Instead of fighting in Brussels,
Louis connected with international “intelligentsia”. When he retired,
he had a successful library in Paris and published several books of
Balzac while Honoré's publisher had gone bankrupt.
In September, deputies went to the States General. The radicals took
advantage of their departure by creating a Commission of Public
Safety above the Regency of the Prince of Orange. Gendebien,
VanDeWeyer, and Merode sat on this council led by Louis.
The group, convinced that the King was not sincere about meeting
Belgium's demands, created the “Central Reunion” on September 15,
a revolutionary government. Frenchman Charles Rogier, future
Prime minister of Belgium after Louis, was the man who had brought
a group of men from Liege to assist Brussels that summer. He was
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the acknowledged leader of this group with Louis behind the scene
in the “fine arts cities” Paris, Florence and Bruges.
Also in the Reunion was a friend of Louis, colleague journalist
Ducpetiaux, an old friend of and neighbor in Roulers, Rodenbach.
Others were Chazal (family of sponsored artist), Negelspach
(neurologist), Gregoire (doctor), Niellon, van Haelen and Pletinckx
(army men).
Before returning to Brussels, Louis had to take care of his mother
who was severely ill in Lille. He stood long nights by her while writing
letters to his fellow Belgians. The letters announced his powerful
return to Brussels, with sadness of the severe economic crisis and the
imminent departure of his mother…
298

299

Louis’ revolutionary Return
September 20th, a group of 300 men, led by Frenchman Rogier
(brother of the journalist and future Prime minister) arrived with a
crowd from Liège and disarmed the bourgeoisie guard, trying to take
control of Brussels. On their flag were the names of Louis,
Gendebien and other names of Liège personalities.
King William decided that prince Frederik, at Antwerp with ten
thousand soldiers, should march on Brussels. The decision was made
on the 21st. Gendebien, Van de Weyer, de Merode, Niellon, and
Rogier supposedly all fled over the French border between
September 21 and 23, to avoid capture.
On September 20, Louis went to Lille, to pick up his aged mother.
She might have been an excuse for the trip… Arriving in Lille,
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approximately 154 miles northeast of Paris, Louis met Gendebien,
Vleminckx and Rodenbach who persuaded him to go to
Valenciennes. There the group joined Sylvain Van De Weyer on
September 22.
The tenor of their meeting seems to have been discouragement. Van
De Weyer "we told him that all was lost". Louis did not agree, but
does not elaborate on what was discussed. He said that he had to “see
his mother first”. Gendebien and Van De Weyer returned to Brussels,
arriving there sometime around September 25.
Cousin de Merode as “white prince”, Gendebien as Rogier-supporter
and Van de Weyer as Leuven lawyer of Louis, self-proclaimed
“founding members” of the Provisional Government.
Fighting in Brussels began on September 23, 1830 when Frederick
attacked the city. Men, women, and children of Brussels erected
barricades and fought fiercely. Aided by the men from Liege and
Louvain, they expelled, by the 27th, the Dutch from the city.
This historic street fight of a population, which had been triggered by
young journalists, avid of freedom, and conducted by improvised
combats-leaders, such as the chief of Bourgeois Guards, commander
d’Hooghvorst, was the turning-point in the revolution, started at the
doors of the opera “Portici”.
It is illustrated by the huge painting “The Belgian revolution of 1830”
made by baron Gustave Wappers (1803-1874), a friend of Louis. It
hangs in the Royal museum and shows Louis embracing the Belgian
flag, while he criticized all violence, being fiercely against it.
The records of barricade fighting in European capitals during the
19th century show no other instance in which the success of the
citizen volunteers over regular troops entailed such important results.
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The Dutch, though no doubt badly led, were veteran soldiers. The
Belgians lost some 600 killed (400 were buried in the Place des
Martyrs). With this price they were free. Their capital was never
attacked by the Dutch again.
Elated by their countrymen's victory, Louis and Rodenbach left Lille
on September 26, travelling to Brussels in Rodenbach's brewery
carriage. The next morning the revolution leaders team sent word to
Louis who was in Enghien, twenty miles southwest of Brussels, that
he was formally invited to return to the capital as a dean and
constituting member of the Provisional Government.
Louis’ trip across his homeland was a heroic procession. Near
Brussels, it was a triumphal march. Inside Brussels it was an
enthusiasm which was almost a delirium! The streets, windows, and
roofs of the houses offered thousands of spectators, all of whom
were animated by the same patriotic sentiment, and uttered only one
cry: “Long live Louis de Potter, leader of Belgium’s freedom!
302

Long live the Belgian Lafayette! Hurray for the great citizen, defender
of Belgian liberty!” Fighters of the four days, and even the wounded,
carried the cabriolet in which he was, and that no horse could have
dragged across such a crowd of more than 20.000 people! Women
were presenting him flowers and requesting the honor of kissing the
nation’s heroïc liberator.
303

The success in Brussels was not long in spreading across the country.
September 26 Bruges fell to the Belgians, and September 28 two
thousand men from the forces at Ostend went over to the side of the
new Belgian government, and these were typical surrenders in most
new Belgian cities.
Louis finally reached the city hall that evening of the 28th at 18:30,
followed by an immense crowd screaming his name as liberator of
the country.
After embracing the victorious leaders of the city on the balcony of
the City Hall, Louis de Potter, was introduced to the crowd outside
by Gendebien where he declared the independence of the country
from the Dutch domination.
The Provisional Government now consisted of Charles Rogier,
Sylvain Van De Weyer, count Félix de Merode, viscount Andre Jolly,
baron F. de Coppin, Joseph vander Linden, J. Nicolai, baron
Emmanuel van der Linden D'Hoogvorst, and Alexandre Gendebien,
and their dean by age, the honorable Louis de Potter. Rodenbach was
approached but declined until elections.
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With a vibrating voice, Louis did the speech of independence of
Belgium in front of thousands of citizens gathered on the Grand’
Place: “Dear fellow citizen, here I am, at last, among you all. Your welcoming
screams moved my heart and they will never escape from my memories. I will do
everything to serve you and the homeland the best I can. Brave Belgians, you have
gloriously won, now be prepared to take advantage of your victory. Your coward
enemies are running away. I declare you free from the Nassau who are banned
forever. Let’s all gather around a popular government which is your
accomplishment. No more hesitations, we have to repel forever the assassins of our
families. Let’s be united, let us keep order to our independence. Freedom for all,
equality in front of the supreme power, the Nation, and its will: the Law. Dear
Belgians, what we are, is because of you. What we will do, will be done for you!”
Louis' career as a statesman was the shortest episode of his life,
consisting of less than two months. When he inaugurated the
National Congress, as oldest member of that assembly, he also
stepped down as chairperson, dismissed of active political life and
remained an ordinary member.
Disappointed by the overruling of the Provisional government by a
number of powerful persons, supported by neighboring nations, he
did not want a Kingdom of Belgium without a leader elected among
its population.
305

A hero in September, he was an exile in February, having fled to Paris
to avoid possible arrest as conspirator. It is possible that he would
indeed have resisted against the government, but not likely that he
would have resorted to violent measures.
Just thought that Louis did not seize control of the leadership of
Belgium when his popularity was at its height because he was a man
of action and long-term deeds rather than of short-term political
compromises.
Our philosopher-hero should not be misjudged as spineless or
withdrawn, however. Jottrand, who knew him well, described him as
“dynamic, ardent minded, funny, sometimes hilarious… He had a
form of egoism but which was related to the artists and craftsmen for
whom he was advocating.
He had a lot of empathy for the ones interested in social questions
and he was serving their interest. He was a “man of rules and laws”,
democracy and transparency were central values. He was
hardworking and spiritual without beliefs.“
Louis did not waste any time in making his position central. In his
speech as dean of the Provisional Government, he made an
impassioned plea for independence and democracy. In addition to
the emotionalism of the day, which made him overstate the depravity
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of the Dutch, Louis’ stay in Italy and France had strengthened his
resolve for the republican form of government in which he would
have served the Belgians at his best. Both the idea of independence
and the call for equality for all were stated as political goals in this
speech.
Louis thought that the Revolutionary Government should have, like
in Paris, a Central Committee, a smaller number of men who would
act as its executive branch.
It was created on September 29, and consisted of Louis, with Flemish
origin who had resisted king William; Charles Rogier, of French
origin who had brought a small army to Brussels; Sylvain Van De
Weyer, Louis’ young lawyer from Leuven, consolidating with the
other young members.
Louis de Potter seen by young rebellious journalists
as interim King ready to be hung by the new nation
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To these ardent Liberals was added de Merode, the “will be cousin”
of Louis, a moderate catholic. Gendebien became member as of
October 10, when he returned from Paris, which gave Louis 12 days
of unlimited power. Although de Merode opposed Louis' motions to
eliminate rank and privileges, he could be outvoted by the other 3.
Louis said of him that: “When in group, I only had opposition from
Mr. de Merode and his spirit of conservatism with somewhat
outrageous superb attitude of a great lord”, whereas Louis thought
that the poor people who sacrificed into the revolution were left aside
by ancient principles working against new democratic values.
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First draft Congressional text by Louis de Potter & count de Merode:
“Considering that the prince of Orange is now subject to Belgian laws; Considering
agitators who were paid by authorities to disturb the provinces, draw the citizens’
attention away from national elections, falsify people’s will, prepare the return of
former Dutch tyran, members of the Nassau family are excluded the national
congress of Belgium or from any form of power in sovereign territory of Belgium.”
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With the addition of Gendebien to the Central committee, Louis'
woes began. At first the committee had gone along with the popular
hero. The only member of government well-known abroad, Louis
was assumed by foreign countries to be the head of the Government.
In 1830, Charles Rogier was only thirty years old, Van De Weyer was
only twenty-eight. Louis was forty-four. Count de Merode was not
much younger, being thirty-nine. While Gendebien was himself fortyone
and d'Hooghvorst as well, the others like Coppin, Vanderlinden,
Nicolaï, Jolly were very young leaders around Louis, the ancient voice
of the free united states of Belgium!
Louis thought that Gendebien came to see him as a threat: “Our
agreement was total independence and freedom. He was one of the
members of the committee with whom I got best along, on opinions
and principles, with whom I could be friend, but the positions he
took did not serve the interest of the citizens as much as the citizens
expected us to serve them.”
Louis definitely enjoyed the prominence his exile had given him;
history expert Blok calls him "the Belgian Lafayette”. On October 2,
King William appealed to the four great powers of the Vienna
Congress to help him end the disturbances in Belgium, with armed
help if necessary. France objected to this idea and sent Talleyrand,
then seventy-six years old, to London.
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Fortunately for Belgium, none of the great powers of Europe was
particularly interested in fighting a war in Belgium in the fall of 1830.
Louis-Philippe had only been king since July; Austria had had her
chance to regain Belgium in 1814 and did not want its problems;
Russia and Prussia had a revolt on their doorsteps, Poland, after
November; and that fall, Palmerston, who was more sympathetic to
Belgium, replaced Wellington in the Foreign Office of England.
With the voice of Louis, again as dean by age of the Provisional
Government, declared Belgium an independent nation on October 4,
and called for the election of a National Congress.
The National Congress was to reaffirm this act by again declaring
Belgium's independence on November 18, with Louis as oldest
member reading the official text.
A "constitutional committee" was formed consisting of Van Meenen,
de Gerlache, Devaux, de Brouckère, Fabry, Ballin, Tonde, Thorn, and
Tielemans on October 11. This is where the revolution was
"recuperated", according to Louis.
This committee was also to determine the requirements for election
to National Congress. An amusing sidelight, the young Jean-Baptiste
Nothomb got himself appointed Secretary to this constitutional
committee, and he and Paul Devaux managed to have the minimum
age for candidates set at age twenty-five years.
Since Nothomb was then twenty-five years old, he was able to run,
did so, and was elected a delegate from Luxembourg, while the Dutch
were still ambitions on the neighboring Grand-Duchy of
Luxemburg.
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October 5, the Prince of Orange, at Antwerp, announced that he
intended to set up a Belgian government under his direction; on
October 13, King William appointed him the ruler of the Southern
Provinces. The Prince tried to set up a government that the Belgians
would appreciate, by removing some grievances, but it was too.
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The addition of Gendebien to the Provisional Government had
coincided with the return of Louis young friend Tielemans from
Paris, on October 10.
Louis relates that Tielemans became a member of the Provisional
Government at that time, replacing Nicolai, who became a judge.
Early October had been the time of many decrees.
The decisive period' at least for Louis' programs' seems to have been
between October 7 and 10.
Louis declared that the judicial branch of the government was the
first thing that had to be reorganized, because it had been so
thoroughly controlled by the Dutch. He was upset at the way people
scurried after the new Belgian government.
The government's decrees of October affected many needed reforms:
the municipal police was better regulated; the lottery abolished;
freedom of association was assured; the secret police abolished; right
of public access to communal budgets and councils of war asserted;
and the right of the accused to a freely chosen legal counsel
confirmed.
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Here follows a decree abolishing the punishment of caning young
persons on public places:
Belgian government
Taking into consideration that caning is insulting for the Belgians and an infringement
of human rights, above mentioned “caning” punishment is abolished.
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During that period, heavy military operations were being prepared in
order to defend the new Belgian borders. Louis’ daughter Justa was
falling in love with colonel Henri Brialmont, from Liège.
In a few months, he will become the chief of the new Belgian Army
and the future wing officer of the next King of the Belgians… Here
is a proposal to exchange prisoners with the Dutch by which the
provisional government refuses because not equitable “one-to-one”:
Another measure that was voted on while Louis was leading the
Provisional Government was the establishment of the property
requirements for voting and applying for office.
These standards were set very high, and thus were very restrictive. It
is unlikely that Louis, who was in favor of universal suffrage as early
as 1831, would have supported these elitist standards. The one
measure that we do know he regretted not having achieved was the
abolition of the death penalty, an attitude indeed ahead of its time.
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316

The Constitution was the cause of the final rupture between the
former friends Gendebien and Louis. Louis wanted the Provisional
Government to go over the Constitution which was drawn up by its
committee, and to present a body of work to the Congress that was
essentially all ready for ratification.
Gendebien evidently wanted the National Congress to have full
legislative power over the document, not just a rubber stamp sort of
seal of approval. The main issue seems to have been whether the
government would be a monarchy or a republic. Louis knew that his
very democratic approach would not stand a chance with the more
conservative assembly.
By October 16, Gendebien had convinced the Central committee
that the final say should be made by the National Congress. October
18, Louis wrote to the Courrier Des Pays-Bas : If the final choice of
the power system does not suit me, I will return in the opposition and
counter it until it changes to the best interest of the citizens.
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After October 18, the break between Gendebien and Louis was open
and complete. When the Secretary of the constitutional commission,
Nothomb, read the proposed monarchical Constitution to the
Provisional Government on October 27, Louis said: "It wasn’t worth
sacrificing so much blood for so little…”
Nothomb said that the Constitution was "generally accepted as a
reaction fact” rather than a “voluntary system”. The idea of Louis
was to select a Belgian Head of State among Belgians, like our brave
King of the Belgians, H.R.H. Philippe did, marrying our first Belgian
Queen of Belgium HRH Mathilde Saxe-Coburg Gotha-Udekem d’Acoz.
In Louis' political heritage published on October 31, 1830, he
reaffirmed his attitude toward the “exaggerating monarchies” of that
particular period whereas Versailles required one dead worker every
day. The revolution made by the people should benefit all of them
and not only the rich or the educated. Only elections will determine
who will be in charge of Belgium, he said. The long awaited key
elections only took place... Six months later!
Louis thought that titles and heraldic ornamentation were alright, as
long as they were only a personal affair, not recognized legally as an
award for merit, nor awarded by the state and securing a better rank
in society. Religion and the priesthood should also be a private
concern, and no religion or priest should be singled out for legal
recognition or rank by the government.
This of course would make aristocracy a matter of social status, and
hopefully, unimportant. It is interesting how so many of his various
liberal friends received titles and honors in later life, and seemed quite
happy to have achieved them.
Even Tielemans, the one member of the constitutional committee
who had voted against it and refused to sign the Constitution on
October 27, because he was against a monarchy, in his later years
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received the Order of Leopold for distinguished citizenship. He, of
course, deserved the award, but it was hardly a republican honor.
After Gendebien and Louis had their dispute, early October, Louis
found that Rogier and Van De Weyer no longer stood by him against
Gendebien or de Merode.
Curiously, Louis said that de Merode would have supported his idea
to exclude the Nassau dynasty. Earlier, de Merode had called Louis a
"Robespierre" for wanting to punish Orangists who had started
various incidents around the nation, but de Merode realized his
mistake when Louis was firmly against reprisals, such as breaking
Dutch dikes, after the bombardment of Antwerp. Louis was a
peaceful democratic person, fighting "privileges", not a violent
individual neglecting workers.
Although Louis was involved with many of the legislative acts of the
Provisional Government, he did not sign Protocol One of the
London Conference, by which Belgium agreed to let the five great
powers, England, France, Austria, Prussia and Russia, mediate the
difficulties between Belgium and Holland.
Protocol One was later much criticized by the Belgians, who claimed
that the 1830- Government had in fact signed away its selfdetermination
by allowing foreign powers to arbitrate the terms
which Belgium and Holland had to accept. Louis argued that the
revolutionary Government intended no submission, that it believed
it was only agreeing to a suspension of war so that terms might be
discussed, that it was a declaration of armistice.
While Louis was addressing the inauguration speech to the Congress,
on November 10, the protocol was signed. During his speech, he had
signified his hopes for a peaceful settlement. Louis was particularly
wary of France's motives, and it is important to remember that he
was writing this in 1829: “I am convinced that France wants a
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provisional state, led by Leopold, like by William. Established power
in Belgium would jeopardize her projects.”
The great powers had contacted Belgium on November 4, Louis’
lawyer signed Protocol One on November 10. Louis resigned from
the Government three days after the document was signed, and the
subsequent management of Belgium's foreign affairs by the National
Congress, relieved him of any blame connected with this agreement.
Also, the actual armistice was discreetly signed on December 15, after
he had quit his first-line position.
The London Conference's disadvantages could not be fully assessed
until the final treaties were signed in 1839. The difficulty all along, of
course, was that Belgium was actually powerless to dictate the limits
of her own boundaries. It was Louis’ opinion that the London
Conference was determined to destroy the revolutionary elements of
the Belgian revolt from Holland; that when the Belgian diplomats
accepted its diplomacy they also accepted its counter-revolutionary
goals, namely to create a monarchy, preferably under the Prince of
Orange, and to prevent the formation of any kind of republic.
Louis' colleagues in the Provisional Government had a very different
concept of its function than him. He felt that the Provisional
Government had a mandate from the people of Belgium to construct
a new state, the articles of which would be ratified by the National
Congress.
Louis, his co-governors, and also most of the delegates who were
elected to the National Congress, all agreed that with the opening of
the National Congress, the legislative power of the Provisional
Government officially ceased, having been transferred to Congress.
The transfer of executive power was not this clearly established.
Unlike Louis, the other members of the 1830-Government seemed
to contend that they still retained some executive functions after the
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opening of Congress, and they did not feel the same urgency that
Louis did to settle major issues in front of a larger assembly.
Van De Weyer agreed with him that the elections for the National
Congress should be delayed until some of the most important
problems were settled.
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Van De Weyer helped his friend Louis with the working of the
Congress. The combination of the fact that only citizens of a certain
educational level, the capacitive system, and those who paid a certain
amount of taxes, the “censitairy” (wealth) system, meant that "out of
a population of approximately 3,921,000, only 46,000 could vote."
By November 3, Louis had reached impatience. He wrote to
Gendebien saying that he did not want such forms of “weighted
voting” system, management by classes, “people” instead of
“universal” rights. Frenchman Rogier seemed to prefer the Belgian
meriting classes than the French one.
Nine years later, Louis wrote to Gendebien, who was still in the
government, and commented him on his opposition to the Treaty. It
is interesting that in 1859, Gendebien, once his loyal friend,
afterwards his bitter enemy, walked in Louis' funeral cortege.
Rogier had empathy for Louis' state of mind and acted as a mediator
with Gendebien, begging Louis to stay on at least until the opening
of the Congress, a week later. Louis reluctantly agreed. In 1833 a
pistol fight took place between ministers (!) Rogier and Gendebien
who pierced the mouth of Rogier in the royal park, breaking his
teeth…
On November 10, Louis, dean of the Government, inaugurated the
Congress of the new state: “Dear colleagues: in the name of the Belgian
citizens, the Provisional government opens the assembly of the representatives of
the nation, entrusted with the mission to found, upon solid and wide bases of
freedom, the institution of a new social order which will be for Belgium the principle
and the guarantee of a long-term happiness…”
322

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Eventually, Louis chose not to run for office because: “I believed that
it was my duty to run the revolutionary government until a
representative power was elected, in order to respect the wishes of
the citizens who were willing to vote...” It is curious that this conflict
of interest did not seem to bother the other potential politicians.
Louis, though, always tried to act as he thought one should, and
colleague Jottrand credits him with being a "pure high caliber
philosopher, working for the common good and never for his
personal interests."
In his personal political legacy, Louis made another plea for a Belgian
democratic republic, claiming that kings were afraid of themselves as
they had exaggerated with the gorgeous lifestyle while the mid and
low classes were suffering like never before.
Upon the decision of the new Congress, and without Louis’ vote,
censorship voting was applied in all provinces, instead of the
Universal voting right, so much requested by the young rebels, before
they got power. Paid by the businessmen, ballots were legion, there
were fifty aristocrats also elected in function of their fortune, and a
few clergymen in function of their education. Coppieters claims that
Catholic and Liberals were of equal strength.
With help from colleagues (Merode, Rogier, Hoogvorst,
Gendebien…), the oldest member elected with paid ballots, obtained
Gendebien (father), to the presidency of Congress. Louis, elder
statesman of the Central Committee, had the honor of inaugurating
the assembly, based on his historic, international and successful
opposition role. Surlet de Chokier was (s)elected as interim “regent”,
while no decision was made to (s)elect a king ...
On the appearance of the provisional government at the table of the
hall, as they were escorted there by the Bourgeois Guards, Louis de
Potter further described the objectives of the congress, the causes
which had brought the members together, the course which had been
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pursued by him and his colleagues in the administration of affairs,
and also the necessity there was for harmony of deliberation and
independence of action.
Louis then wrote his letter of resignation to the Congress on
November 13. He also wrote to his partners in the Provisional
Government announcing his retirement. Both letters were read aloud
in Congress! Louis' leaving the Provisional Government was the end
of it, and the name of Louis de Potter was the only name which was
known outside Belgium. By his popularity, he had imprinted a
splendid freedom élan of Belgium for other nations all around, with
the new so called press and popular power.
On November 22, the Congress voted 174 to 13 in favor of a
"hereditary, constitutional and parliamentary monarchy." While many
voted “white”, Louis did not vote. Bologna thought this was to be
expected of a "censitary congress" whereas high representatives are
chosen in function of their financial capacity or their aristocratic
belonging and education.
It was altogether, a government of the propertied classes, for the
propertied classes, and by the propertied classes. While refusing to sit
in Congress, except as an observer, Louis made it clear to the world
that he intended to speak out on important issues related to
"universal voting rights" and "independence of locally elected
persons from foreign countries. Aristocratic families, in those days,
were even more international than today.
On November 23, he published the “Letter to his co-citizens”,
explaining his political conduct up to that point. He also continued
to write in the “Belgian Journal” with a remarkable ardent mind. His
son-in-law would pursue his career as Wing officer of King Leopold
to whom Louis was writing some advices too.
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Son in law of Louis appointed on staff of King Leopold
Kingdom launch, 1831, with leaders Leopold and Louis
Liberator Louis de Potter and King Leopold
(project of motion pictures cartoon)
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Belgian hearts artist
The honorable Louis de Potter, life Senator of the Kingdom of
Belgium, painted by his son Eleuthère in 1850, just before his death
at school in Rome, aged 24. Eleuthère was a brilliant scholar of the
master Fr-J. Navez in Brussels.
As a farewell, Eleuthère dedicated 24 great art pieces to his mother,
thereafter offered by a desperate Louis to sponsor baron van Zuylen.
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This collection was purchased by our joint cousin, baroness
Véronique van Caloen. Below is a self-portrait sent to David for the
Paris painters’ competition in 1848.
Louis was not just a well-known journalist, retired revolutionary
official, opposed to the search for the new (non Belgian) king… He
was a popular hero, still much beloved by the mid and lower classes,
in other words, dangerous for the Nations and their wealthy
representatives in Brussels. All of a sudden, the small streetwise hero
was weighting too much in Belgian politics. Even watched by the
police, while his friend inspector Plaisant could not protect him
anymore, he took his family to Paris in February 1831, and did not
return until 1838.
His voluntary exile prevented Louis from experiencing first-hand the
new government of Leopold I, who was formally made King of
Belgium on July 21, 1831. Prince Leopold of Saxe Coburg-Gotha was
not the Belgians' first choice, as loudly requested by the population,
but apparently was fine because the Dutch king, so much opposed
by Louis (with nothing more than petitions paid by coins and a prison
bed), was gone.
Louis’ lawyer and old-time friend, Belgian delegate in London, Van
de Weyer, had proposed Leopold's name in November 1830. But it
was Lord Palmerston who influenced the decision. Leopold was
English by culture and sympathy; any children of his future marriage
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would, as native-born Belgians, be of the Catholic faith. On 4 June
the Congress selected him by 152 votes out of 195.
Many of Louis' ideas were adopted by the infant nation Belgium.
While all religions received support from the state, which must have
annoyed Louis, there was no established national church. The new
King Leopold had been sworn in on the steps of a church and not
crowned inside of it. Both the Catholics and Liberals gained much
freedom from interference with a new constitution which resolved
many old abuses; and the first cabinet of the Kingdom of Belgium.
From 1838 to 1846, minister de Muelenaere (a neighbor of Louis in
Dixmude) formed government which was a Unionist one, containing
both Catholics and Liberals. The London Conference, meeting on
and off until 1839 when the final treaties were signed with Holland,
was itself a progressive example of settlement by negotiation. Europe
was born… The war-weary great powers, seeking to make the
"Concert of Europe" a continuing reality, actually sat down at the
conference table, instead of settling the Belgian issue with a war.
Furthermore, unlike most peace conferences, it neither followed a
major war, nor did its conclusion benefit one particular nation.
However many Belgians disliked being a pawn of the great powers, a
conference substituting talks for bloodshed.
Louis also wrote an excellent appraisal of the relationship between
the church and state. His Union book contained an interesting
philosophy which is still relevant today. It might be interesting to
compare Louis’ statement to the way other nineteenth century
philosophers related the religious to the secular society.
Fighting for “equal rights”, against exaggerating multinational
leaders, Louis mentioned a text of the British poet John Dryden:
“They would be free as nature first made man, ere the base laws of servitude began,
when wild in woods the noble savage ran.” Swelling sentiments cannot easily
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be put into practice. Grand ideas must - unfortunately - be qualified
and adjusted by a compromise between the aspirations of individuals
and a due concern for the general tranquility. Values must - alas - be
subdued and chastened by reason and experience, before they can be
directed to a lean and mean purpose.
The liberal German journalist Gorres knew Lamennais, editor of
L'Avenir. Louis was also further intimately connected with the Italian
Vieusseux. It would be interesting to study the interlocking
relationships between the various editors of the liberal journals of
revolutionary Europe at this time.
After 1838, back in Belgium, Louis returned to his role of loyal
opposition. While he spent the second part of his life as a private
citizen, he remained an active critic of the Belgian government. Louis
never withdrew from the mainstream of progressive European
activism and that made it difficult, for future historians, to make any
"revisited" analysis whatsoever !
He kept and corresponded with his German, Italian, and French
friends, and encouraged the many Italian expatriates who found a
haven in Belgium. Within Belgium, he retained his elder statesman
role, and was even proposed, but declined the honor, as a candidate
on the Catholic party's ticket in the 1850' s, a tribute to his enduring
unionism.
The Belgian and European “intelligentsia”, including de Lamennais,
Colins de Ham, Constant de Rebecque, Stendhal, Vieusseux,
Buonarotti, Jottrand, Juste, Rogier, Rodenbach, Devaux, Nève de
Roden, de Merode, Vilain XIIII, Jolly, de Coppin, Gendebien,
Nothomb, de Gerlache... owed much to Louis de Potter of Belgium.
Maybe it is not a coïncidence that the College of Europe is now
located in the former house of Louis in Bruges…!? Let’s work on a
better Europe every day.
330

Belgian 1830 Revolution, Louis kissing the flag by his
friend Wappers Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Brussels
331

Building Belgium brick by brick
Louis de Potter by “Lucky Luke
Louis was corresponding with so many people in different countries
and printing tickets for Polish supporters and the poorest people.
Out of my donation, please use this money without delay, as follows:
(1830-2030) (conversion)
To Reverend Father de Haerne, for the Polish committee,
fr. 832 60 (25.000€)
To Mister Michiels de Heyn, for the poor of Brussels,
To Mister Jullien, for the poor of Bruges,
fr. 5,500 00 (125.000€)
fr. 5,500 00 (125.000€)
Total. fr. 11,832 60 (275.000€)
It is my wish that the fr. 5,500, both for Bruges and Brussels, be used for
buying coal and bread, in reliable hands and adequate places. A total of
1,100 gift-cards should be printed, each of them representing a value of fr.
5 in bread and coal.
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334

Grave of Louis de Potter de Droogenwalle, near the Monument of
“Union, Glory and Freedom” with several other personalities and
artists of 1830 like Rogier, Gendebien, Navez, Wappers... in the
Brussels Cemetery in Evere. It is written: “Perpetual overhaul by
Brussels City” but nobody did the job for two centuries. His body
was left behind in the (suppressed) Protestant cemetery of Brussels!
Triumph of opinion, by its own blossom, is never tyranny.
335

336

The Hon. Louis de Potter by Jacquet in the Library of
the Senate of Belgium. Monarchy inauguration dinner
25/09/1831 for Louis as “dean of the government”
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338
Lophem castle built by Louis’ sister Marie-Christine
married to Baron Joseph van Caloen

First “picture” of Louis de Potter, based on a
“daguerreotype” imprint from inventor Mr. Daguerre
Little recognition or gratitude was awarded to a great
Belgian country creator and reporter, Louis de Potter!
339

340

Armand de Potter
by relatives Yvonne & Denis de Potter
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One day, in the context of the above research on Louis de Potter,
prof. Marijcke Schillings contacted us. She is a Dutch expert in the
History of arts in the 18th Century, author of a book about the
companion of Louis de Potter in Italy, Matilde Malenchini-Meoni.
She brought us in contact with Yvonne de Potter said d’Elseghem
(94) in New-York. When I called, she said that she was a daughter of
Victor Armand de Potter, married to the daughter of Belgian General
van den Hende, working in the circles of Lafayette (friend of Louis)
and Napoleon III. Yvonne was the grand-daughter of Pierre Armand
de Potter, son of Victor, senior businessman and teacher in Boston,
organizing “grand tours” for VIP’s in Europe’s most beautiful castles.
She then showed me their family logbook and books published in
New-York by revolution hero Louis, with comments in the margins
written by the hand of Louis, whose handwriting I compared to my
own samples and did recognize.
The conservative man shows the way out to a
“natural child”. Not the family de Potter.
When I received her letter, with by the book she edited for her
daughter, Joanna Scott, I cried like a child who had finally found “a
truth” about the hidden history of Louis de Potter and his said natural
son, a Belgian -Parisian personality, Victor Louis Armand! The
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natural kid would have been conceived very near to the castle of
Reine de Potter d’Indoye in Elseghem. Coïncidence, Reine belonged
to the blue-branch and was the daughter in law of Mr. de Bay, high
representative of empress Margueritte of Austria in Ghent, the one
who enrolled both branches during the same timeframe into the
Belgian nobility. She had married knight de Ghellinck d’Elseghem.
My tears of emotions
In those days, as scholar of the nearby castle of Kerckhove, Louis de
Potter had the privilege to consult the world famous library of the
castle of Elseghem, with numerous renowned manuscripts, ancient
and sometimes secret books. His alleged natural son Armand would
also incidentally have been buried in... Melle where the castle the
(blue) Potter d’Indoye is situated too! Small world...
Castle of Elseghem where Reine de Potter (d’Indoye) lived
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Not a lot is known about Victor Armand Louis de Potter except that
he was a wealthy businessman from the textile industry of
Audenaerde, owning two great properties in Cannes and Paris where
he was connected to afore mentioned personalities. Here are the
documents received from Yvonne de Potter’s daughter, professor
Joanna Scott, of the University of Rochester, from the Metropolitan
Arts Museum in New-York (where there is a “Room of ancient
Egyptian Arts donated by P.A.L. de Potter”), from the University of
Boston (where P.A.L. de Potter was teaching) and from Yvonne de
Potter d’Elseghem herself. These evidences documented Joanna’s
book (25.000 copies) re. the life of their audacious relative.
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Obituary and grave of the hon. Armand de Potter said
d’Elseghem alleged son of first Belgian parliament leader
Louis de Potter de Drogenwalle (Bruges – Brussels)
Like his alleged grandfather and his alleged father, Pierre Louis
Armand de Potter was quite a personality, as shown on this painting

which hangs in the living room of Yvonne de Potter (before heritage
to her son). This portrait hangs next to the painting of the wife of
Louis de Potter (see above chapter related to the family of Louis)
made by the son of Louis, Eleuthère!
Can you imagine that even an official engraved medal was made to
support his promotion efforts as “V.I.P.’s Tour Operator”. Today,
this masterpiece is displayed in the famous Museum of the Pantheon
in Paris, one of the most famous French arts centers! What is written
on the picture below are the exact words of dear Yvonne de Potter.
Extract of Armand’s VIP’s Grand Tours marketing
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Having published these evidences on Facebook, I was then
connected to Denis de Potter, a Gendarme (police) living in Lille,
who showed me official archives from the Municipalities of
Audenaerde, Elsegem, Lille and Brussels. He had evidences of his
filiation to the very Armand de Potter as well…!
This ancestor, was a natural child (as well) named “Platteau”, family
of the (Belgian) inventor of the first “motion pictures”. The ADNtest
will verified this link with Denis and Yvonne to Louis de Potter.
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There was also this publication by the Government of Belgium in
1832 (Louis de Potter’s colleagues running it!) with special
authorization for his family to bear the name “de Potter” again,
instead of his mother’s name…
« N° 877. — Arrêté qui autorise le sieur Amand Platteau à changer son nom en celui
de Amand de Potter. LEOPOLD, roi des Belges, A tous présents et à venir à salut!
Vu la requête du sieur Amand Platteau, charpentier à Mooregem (Flandre orientale),
tendant à obtenir l'autorisation de changer son nom en celui d'Amand de Potter; Vu la
loi du ii germinal an XI; Vu l'avis de notre procureur-général à Bruxelles, en date du
23 avril I83I; Sur la proposition de notre ministre de la justice; Nous avons arrêté et
arrêtons: Art. ier. Le sieur Amand Platteau est autorisé à porter le nom d'Amand de
Potter. Signé, LÉOPOLD. Par le roi, Le ministre de la Justice, Signé LEBEAU.
Gouvernement de la Belgique ».
Act of name conversion for the natural child authorized by
the new Belgian government led by Louis de Potter
347

The daughter of Yvonne de Potter, Professor Joanna Scott, is a
Roswell Smith Burrows Professor of English Literature History at the
University of Rochester. She is member of the American Academy
of Arts, recipient of the MacArthur Foundation Fellowship,
Guggenheim fellowship, Lannan Literary Award, doctor of letters of
Trinity College, nominated or winner in Best American Stories,
Pushcart Prize, Aga Khan Prize, Ambassador Book Award, Pulitzer
Prize, PEN-Faulkner Award, and Los Angeles Times Book Award
and several other acknowledgements…
Based on her family archives and above documents, she wrote a great
historic novel called “Armand de Potter’s Grand Tour”. I cooperated to
her considerable historic research and her novel was sold in many
thousands copies with the major USA and U-K. publishers. It was
also published in Dutch at Lannoo, of my late friend Godfried.
348

A new fashion in 1800, prized by young people of good family, after
their studies in high schools… They were touring in Europe to discover
the legacies of French, Greek and Roman times. ‘En route’, one takes
the time to exercise foreign conversation, learn to dance, paint a
portrait, visit other well-to-do families (hosted e.g. in the castle of
Saumur or the castle of Monte-Christo…). It lasted one year, in the
19th century, train made the journey more accessible. What remains
of this custom is the romantic notion of the ‘endless travel’, the search
for oneself and many portraits or daguerreotypes of wealthy young
people leaning on pillars of motionless wisdom.
349

350

351

352

Frans de Potter
by descendant Christian de Potter
353

Frans de Potter (1834-1904) was a Flandersrooted
Belgian history researcher. With his
profound study of the Flemish roots, he became
a key player of self-empowerment of the
Flemings.
To understand the philosophy of Frans de
Potter, one has to frame his enormous work in
the context of the 19th century, with a
challenging textile city of Ghent, and, at the same time, one must also
take into account the exceptional personality of the researcher.
His childhood and youth took place in a turbulent period. After the
declaration of independence in 1830, an undemocratic authority
came into the hands of the "rich and upper" French-speaking classes.
Social abuses were reflected in bad housing, illiteracy and in moral
decline of workers. Industrialization that developed and attracted a
multitude of workers to the city experienced periodic crises with high
unemployment and low wages.
Failed harvests in 1845-1850 led to starvation and were the cause of
physical weakening and illness. The defencelessness of the workers
and their dissatisfaction resulted in social riots in the winter of 1834-
1835.
The mother of Frans was not wealthy and could only let him go to
primary school. The evening school allowed him to become
proficient in French, but it was mainly through his own study that he
could broaden his knowledge and mind.
In other words, he was a real "self-taught" who, in time, even became
a historian.
354

As a child, he loved the unspoilt nature of the Leie-Lys river and
villages Sint-Martens-Latem and Deurle, and this was expressed in
his earliest romantic poetry. He was rather introverted, avoided
contacts and had few friends. He was always simple, humble, hostile
to extreme accolades, spontaneous, ... in short he was an "own-kind"
and original personality.
Writing was his goal, already at an early age. He had already made a
first contribution in the "Gazette of Ghent" when only 14, and he
immediately attracted the attention of renowned writers such as Rens,
Snellaert and Prudens van Duyse who have further influenced him.
Their encouragement made him come in the spotlight with the
writing of poems, songs, novels and studies. As a result, he then won
many medals and awards.
When only twenty years old, he wrote a concise history of "Dutch
Literature", a work crowned by the Antwerp "Nederduitsch
Taelverbond". There, he even started dreaming of being able to
acquire a place in this history himself.
His song "The Blue Kiel" from 1853 was widely known and was sung
along. This last song on the melody of "Do You Remember?", Was
about a boy who says goodbye to his youth and proudly learns how
to wear his workers' keel.
It was the time of the countryside competitions, but also the time for
the enthusiasm for a reborn Dutch language. Soon our Frans would
become a literary “young potential” of Flanders.
Following the example of (Louis de Potter’s) publisher Baron Saint-
Genois, Frans came to the actual historiography through historical
novels. He never, however, denied this literary genre, even when
writing novels. In addition to novels such as "Walter de Gek", "The
Last Friend" and "Robert of Valois", he also wrote novels, poems
355

(the autobiographical "The poor poet") and songs (for "The
Liederboek" , the "Jacob van Artevelde-cantata" ...).
In 1856 Frans de Potter became editor at the Ghent conservative
Catholic "Scholarship". This journalistic work obviously bears the
characteristics of his time, style, content and spirit, writing style that
is now completely outstripped in 2018. But through the now outdated
appearance, it shows a muscular language, an imaginative word, an
inspiring enthusiasm and a total commitment to the cause of his
Flemish people and his homeland.
In 1857 Frans de Potter was one of the co-founders and secretary of
the theater company "Van Crombrugghe". In 1860 - he was 26 years
old - he married Coleta Duyckers and their family had seven children.
One of them died at a very young age.
When Frans had to establish that on the one hand little was written
about the city of Ghent and that on the other hand documents and
archives were scattered here and there in town halls, presbyteries,
monasteries and castles, he started the project with his friend Jan
Broeckaert. "To write down the history of the Municipalities of the
Province of East Flanders".
This led in the period of 1864-1903 to the creation of a 46-volume
book where he discovered, studied and explored thousands of
documents for almost half a century.
In these historical studies on the cities and municipalities, their
attention was mainly to the inhabitants, to their customs and habits,
the great events of their turbulent history, their struggle on life and
death for their municipal independence, their victories but also their
defeats, but above all about their character and their soul.
Some West Flemish cities and municipalities such as Roulers, Furnes,
Blankenberge and Courtrai also attracted interest.
356

One of the 30 volumes describing the history of Ghent
The result of all this was that Frans was appointed in 1877 in Ghent
as deputy state archivist. He taught his people more than just learning
to read.
On the contrary, with his enthusiastic word, his literary work and his
immense activities, he has been a precious and unmistakable element
in the first years of their spiritual and cultural emancipation and their
awakening.
In 1863 Frans was one of the first (founding) members of the liberal
Fund Willems and he was very active in its operation. In retrospect,
perhaps under the urge of circumstances fed by his Roman
conscience, he has explicitly distanced himself from this cultural
association.
This grand project was traversed by his appointment in 1886 as
general secretary of the "Royal Flemish Academy of Linguistics and
Literature". As a pivot and soul he has led this new national
institution tirelessly for 18 years. It meant for him a not only a
national recognition but also a tribute from the Netherlands.
357

From 1871 to 1877 he became chief editor of the Ghent "News of
the Funds", the flagship of the press group of Canon Verschueren.
Frans de Potter turned out to be a formidable polemicist, had become
a real political champion and could always be counted among the
most radical.
His sharp pen was mainly aimed at the liberals and in 1874 he
launched in the " News of the Funds" an appeal to found a Catholic
counterpart for the liberal Willems Fund.
This cry for help is simply regarded as the founding act of the David
Fund, a cultural association with "the popular exaltation" as noble
goal. Frans de Potter, by the way, would have continued to live and
would continue to work for this fund for 26 years as national
secretary.
The second half of the 19th century was also characterized by the
sharp contrasts between the clerical conservative and anti-clerical
progressive parties, all of which had a very pronounced political
character. The school struggle is a clear example of this. People who
were destined to work together and strive for the realization of their
popular ideals, now fought each other extremely vehemently.
Frans de Potter also entered the arena where he clearly chose the
Flemish Catholic side. His combative workforce and his drive, given
to him during his upbringing and youth, continued to help him until
his death.
When the liberals, with their anticlerical tendencies, came to power
in 1878, they did not hesitate to immediately dismiss Frans de Potter
under the guise of "incompetence". The French-speaking press
concluded in an article of 14 December 1878: "... “The honourable
archivist believes in God and that is his crime."
358

However, in 1881, the same minister, cousin Gustave Rolin-
Jaequemyns, had to award him in the name of "Member of the Royal
Academy of Belgium" for his study on the history of creation in the
Belgian provinces.
Frans de Potter (pink branch) at the Academy
359

Living from a redemption pay (for 3.5 years) Frans de Potter from
1882 to 1891 began a series of historical descriptions of the city of
Ghent in 25 parts each of 400 to 500 pages under the name "Gent -
From the oldest time to the present" .
This work was not so much built up chronologically but
topographically. It was a walk through the ages that covered not only
historical buildings and local activities but also the working of guilds
and nations.
As Chief Clerk of the “News of the Funds” of Ghent and in 1886,
co-founder of the Belgian Flemish Academy.
He wrote an extensive masterpiece, composed of numerous books
such as “History of Flemish Literature” (1854), “Popular Country
Songs” (1861), “Ode to Jacob van Artevelde” (1863), “History of
Ghent and Courtrai” (1870), “History of Jacoba van Beieren” (1880),
and many more.
Of particular importance is his “Flemish Authors Bibliography”
(1893) and his “History of Flanders’ Communes” in 46 volumes
(1888-1995). He received an award for his “Communal Celebrations
in Flanders” (1870).
He also wrote the historical novel Robert of Valois in Ghent (1862).
He was the main founder of the famous Flemish Roman Catholic
“David Fund”, and became its first general secretary.
In 1886, he created the Flemish Academy in Ghent as an addition to
the Royal Academy in Brussels which also became the Flemish wing
of the Royal Academy in Brussels.
"The life of that gifted folk boy was an example of toughness and of unwavering
diligence”. No-one can be described more accurately, now that he is
360

gone for 70 years, that: “He had not eaten his bread in idleness...",
wrote the liberal Volksbelang in August 1904, following the death of
the Catholic “Flemish character” Frans de Potter.
Other sources as well emphasize the enormous work ethic and study
spirit of Frans de Potter. The Ghent citizen was of modest origin. His
father Josephus de Potter was a teacher and his mother, Rosalie
Francisca Peirsegaele, a housewife. Frans only got primary education,
but managed, by self-study, to become prominent publicist and
historian.
He culminated as first permanent secretary of the Royal Flemish
Academy for Languages Literature in Ghent.
De Potter started his career as a writer with the publication of poems,
cantatas and novels. Successfully. According to Alphonse Siffer,
printer-publisher, friend and Catholic politician, Frans was "literally
covered with honours, prizes and successes.
His first book, “Brief History of Flemish Literature” was crowned in
1854 by the “Nederduitsch Taalverbond” in Antwerp.
His “Cantata Artevelde”, written following the foundation of the
famous statue in Ghent, was crowned in 1863 with the “Price of the
Fine Arts & Literature Society of Ghent”.
The same Society crowned De Potter again in 1866 for his “Yearbook
of Saint George's Guild of Ghent”, and yet again in 1870 for his
“History of the Municipal Feasts in Flanders”.
As a young man, Frans de Potter participated frantically in
competitions and price camps that were written by various "Flemishminded
companies”.
361

He was, successively, a laureate at the “Music Lovers of Malines”, at
the “Brotherhoods of Bruges”, the “Gold Flowers of Antwerp”, the
“Lion of Flanders in Kortrijk”, the “Fields Flowers in Brussels”, the
“Fraternity in Roulers” etc.
Besides poetry and novels, Frans wrote many contributions in
yearbooks and magazines, e.g. the “Dutch Language Association” ‘s
one, the “Yearbook Unity of Rens”, the “Flemish School by Desiré
van Spilbeecke, the “Reading Museum of Heremans”, the “Campens
and De Baets” one, the “Future of Dautzenberg and Frans De Cort”,
the “Low German magazine of Hiel”, and the “Old and New” letter,
of which he was co-founder.
De Potter edited it as publisher of the “Scholarship List” (1856-
1870), and as editor-in-chief of the ultramontane newspapers the
“New Trading News” (1870-1871) and the “Funds newsletter”
(1871-1878).
De Potter, however, became well-known with his publications about
local history, in particular with its 46-part History of the
municipalities of the province of East Flanders which he wrote in
1903, in collaboration with Jan Broeckaert.
Siffer describes how they got to know each other, in 1855, on the
occasion of the crowning of Frans’ work “The Poor Poet” by the
“Oliver Branch” publisher in Antwerp.
Full of youthful admiration for the laureate, Mr. Broeckaert had
come to applaud these, and graciously hosted by the community
around Frans, Mr. Broeckart discovered that he would become a
partner of Frans, to whom he gave the best of his career and from
whom he gained a wide recognition too.
362

Frans’ historical work, with regard to the Flemish municipalities,
Courtrai, Furnes, Blankenberg, Roulers… also provided considerable
success and visibility to the new team.
On August 16, 1877, Frans was appointed deputy manager of the
Archives in Ghent.
Alphonse Siffer testifies how Frans, through this important change
in his life, decided to forgo the future journalism career, and devote
himself exclusively to history.
However, Frans' career in the State Archives was shortened. By Royal
Decree of November 3, 1878, due to some "incompetence", as
declared by the liberal minister cousin Rolin-Jacquemyns, Frans was
“made available” for another job. According to the Catholics, this
was a fallacy.
They were convinced that Frans paid cash for his sharp articles
against the liberal party, following the festival commemorating the
third centenary of the Pacification of Ghent, which had caused
violent polemics between liberals and Catholics.
The fact that the Royal Decree was never published in the Official
Gazette, the Catholics strengthened the conviction that Frans de
Potter was (yet another) "sacrificed" individual...
Prior to his appointment as "deputy archivist of the State", Frans was
indeed a fiery polemist.
With his articles in the Scholarship list and the “Funds Letter” he set
the tone in the anti-liberal press in Ghent.
It was a combative students society period, many authors writing in
the free press organs like the “Folks Power” and the “Liberal
Flanders”.
363

In August 1861, Frans joined forces with Vuylsteke and Geiregat, on
the side of the Flemish Liberal Commitee, a department of the action
group “Flemish Union”, fighting for the establishment of a Flemish
Association for the countryside. Thereafter, Frans disappeared from
politics for a while.
He moved permanently to the Catholic party in 1870. At the local
council election from 1 July 1872, he was appointed candidate for the
"Opposition List”.
This list was adopted by the conservative Catholic newspaper
“Flemish Land”, and described as a list of "distinguished citizens with
several belonging to politics”, (...), “lending each other’s hand to give
Ghent a leadership in accordance to its interests, no more blind and
disastrous war against religious and free education”.
They wanted “economic” deals with benefits for the urban finances
and ensuring prosperity in a somewhat decaying Belgium.
Since the opposition list was supported by all Catholic newspapers,
and since the electoral process took place in the premises of the
“Public Goods” and the “Catholic Circle”, it was for the liberals
foregone that it is not an independent list here, but a tough "burners
list ".
The “opposition list” was overwhelmingly defeated.
After such a defeat, Frans left politics to carry out action for the
Flemish interests in cultural associations and magazines; the pen and
the printing press were his weapons par excellence.
He thereafter published a total of 212 titles, including groundbreaking
studies on it area of the history of creation and of the peasantry.
364

His “History of the Belgian Farmers' Union” and his “History of the
in the Belgian provinces”, in 1880 and 1881, were awarded the Gold
medal by the Royal Academy of Belgium.
His work was highly valued by contemporaries and biographers, but
it also provoked criticism.
"The fact that he always worked on different works at the same time
("he rested from one work by working on another") and working
rather hastily ("he wrote his books on his proofs, he deleted, he
refilled, he glued and re-glued each piece separately"), his writings
exculpated redundancies and a lack of synthesis.
Frans de Potter was also active in various associations. He was,
among others, founding member (and from 1893 to 1902 ordinary
member) of the “History Circle” in Ghent, established in 1893 to
watch over the historical patrimony of Ghent.
He was one of the pioneers in the field of monument conservation.
When in 1870 rumors circulated about a possible demolition of the
Gravensteen, he was the first to point out the historical importance
of the castle.
The association to which Frans devoted most of his attention was the
David Fund, from the first name of a friend of his father.
The newspaper “Citizen’s Interests” wrote, just after the death of
Frans, that "his efforts in the David Fund, were the greatest service
to the Catholic party and the Flemish people in general".
Multiple contemporaries of Frans mention that his appeal in the
“Funds Letter” of December 20, 1874, to establish a "David Fund",
with as many divisions "as the Willems Fund”, was the foundation of
a cultural association that would soon become the strongest Flemish
organization for popular development.
365

And also after the actual foundation, during the difficult initial
months in 1875, he continued to sensitize public opinion for the sake
of an association that stood up for Religion, Language and People.
The “Funds Letter” repeatedly published articles and messages about
the David Fund in general and about the attempts in various cities
were set up to set up departments, and turned out to be thus
becoming the principal promoter of the association.
In Ghent, on February 7, 1875 a department was established. Frans
de Potter was co-founder and board member, and from 1885 to 1904
chairman.
On July 23 1878 De Potter was appointed secretary-general of the
David Fund, function that he would hold until his death.
In the same year Frans founded in Ghent the “Flemish Observatory”,
a magazine that says so "a reverberation" of the activities of the David
Fund, and soon developed into an unofficial organ thereof.
In 1886, he exchanged the editorship of the observatory with the
office of “Permanent secretary” of the newly founded Royal Flemish
Academy, an appointment that can be considered as a restoration by
the Catholic government after the deposition as deputy curator of the
Ghent State Archives by the Liberals.
It is true that he remained part of the editorial committee of the
“Flemish Tower” (Belfort), successor of the observatory.
The Royal Flemish Academy of Linguistics and Literature was the
first official authority representing the interests of Dutch language
and literature in Belgium would look after.
366

Together with Theofiel Coopman, official at the Ministry of Railways,
Postal Services and Telegraphy, and publisher of the leading literary
magazine the “Dutch Arts & Poetry”, Frans de Potter tried to expand
the field of action of the Academy.
They meant that the Academy was not only interested in linguistics
and literature, but also had to work for the expansion of Dutch as a
full language and for the recognition of the Flemish spiritual life in
Belgium.
Frans wanted this emancipation of the Flemish language and achieve
culture mainly through the gaps in the bio- and bibliographic field to
supplement the official French-language publications and the
publications of the Royal Academy.
In 1893 he published the first modern scientific bibliography in
Flanders, with all Dutch books, magazines and magazines, musical
works, maps, records and tables of Belgium from 1830 to 1890, in
four volumes.
Frans de Potter died on August 15, 1904. He left a widow behind,
Coleta Francisca Duyckers with whom he had moved to Ghent in
1860 and had six children.
Anyone who is familiar with the Ghent historical literature is familiar
with Frans‘ book: "Ghent, from the oldest time to the present”.
Historical description of the city "Within the local historical world
this study, which appeared in eight volumes between 188 and 1901,
has since grown to a masterpiece.
Notable professional historians, amateur historians and students have
studied this work. Notwithstanding, several new syntheses have
already been written.
367

The history of Ghent was a key reference of de Potter’s work. This
has mainly to do with the original way the publication has been
conceived, so that it always differs from others.
The author chose not to take a chronological or substantive structure,
but for a topographic layout.
As if an experienced guide was walking with the reader through the
streets of Ghent, and on the basis of the history of the buildings and
residents, telling the history of the city and its institutions.
Another merit of this work lies in the field of heuristics. Frans de
Potter collected data from many untold and unreleased archive
documents.
The founder of the Flemish David Fund and heavy supporter of the
Willems Fund, as well as the Flemish emancipation movement, was
not a man of science.
He felt that way in his work, but science owes an infinite amount to
this hard worker, friend of modest countryside men, this fighter who
died with the pen in his hand.
He led a life of uninterrupted quest for Flemish identity and
“Belgian” history and the rest of his ageing period was short. After a
short illness, he died in Ghent on August 15, 1904.
368

He is buried in Sint-Amandsberg and on his protected tomb is
chiseled: "In my shadow is all my hope”.
Yes, hope comes from the dark unknown, yet to discover…!
Credits to Christian and Serge de Potter for the work and images
369

Frans de Potter rests for ever after a great work !
(the only moment to wear a medal on your pyjama)
370

Jean de Potter
by descendant
Fernand de Potter
Fernand de Potter, Esq.
371

A research, sponsored by Fernand de Potter and his partner, dame
Françoise de Casaubon, was ordered to Yseq.org wo could certify the
origins of Jean de Potter, and thereby Fernand and his living
descendants. Jean was a small hero of the “big war” (WW1), who died
aged 24 because of the bad treatments by the enemy.
Several positions were occupied by Jean’s ancestors, in the 16th and
17th centuries, such as Mayor in Brabant, Scout in Brussels, Dean of
the silversmith guild, member of the Ommegang’s Lineages, etc.
I also discovered that an ancestor of Jean, Peter (Pierre) de Potter
built a windmill around 1790 near Brussels, in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean.
Fernand de Potter also said that his ancestors had properties in
Brussels for a long time, a windmill in Molenbeeck, a hotel Place
Rogier, a cinema Boulevard Anspach and other estates.
372
Brussels commune named after Potter’s windmill

Fernand de Potter also mentioned that his grand-uncle Guillaume
(see family chart) was deputy judge in Brussels and that his
grandfather, father and himself were judges in Verviers.
Their branch also occupied the castle of Limburg in the Province of
Liège (left below) and the castle of Gouvy in the Ardennes (right
below). The coustellry and dishes of Leon Lucien de Potter were
found with the family of their maid in Ghent. The latter said that
those belonged to a member of the family of the famous Louis de
Potter (not ascertained when printing).
Castle of Limburg (Liège)
Dishes of Louis de Potter's branch found
at Jean's family castle.
373

Jean de Potter, by prof. Laurence van Ypersele,
Commissionner General of “End of WW1 Memorial”
Some patriots engage from the beginning of the occupation in hiding
to harm the enemy, galvanize patriotism in occupied countries,
participate in the victory.
It was at the request of the Allied and Belgian staffs that the first
intelligence networks were organized at the end of 1914.
These resistants came from all horizons and from all over the
country. The observation of enemy forces, transport of equipment
and troops to be done 24 hours a day, it is often entire families who
commit themselves.
The repression was not slow to organize. From the spring of 1915,
the first networks are dismantled. To raise terror, until 1916, the
occupant displays the names of executed patriots. The networks of
men smugglers, from the spontaneous help of Belgian and French
citizens to soldiers cut off from their lines during the war of
movement, are another form of engagement against the occupier.
These networks perpetuate themselves to feed the front with war
volunteers. Indeed, the duration of the war raises new vocations,
especially among those who, like Jean de Potter in 1914, were too
young to engage and who, two or three years later, wish to join their
elders on the front of the Yser for fight the weapons in the hand.
To do this, we must thwart the surveillance of the occupant and cross
the Dutch border (electrified since 1915). In total, over the entire
duration of the war, the Belgian army welcomed some 32,000
volunteers.
374

But that's not counting those who, like Jean de Potter, were stopped
at the border. For these young people full of ideals, then begins an
experiment to which they are not prepared, that of the prison.
It is not a matter of living in a military prison camp, but of being
assimilated to a common law prisoner for months or even years.
Sometimes living in isolation in a cell, often promiscuity in a cell, they
live always locked up and malnourished, in an extreme deprivation.
To fight against boredom, depression or terror, some manufacture
small objects, others write a diary or draw paintings. The drawings
that illustrate Jean's narrative cling to the reassuring banality of the
world - a village, a deer's head, a lying dog, a rather ridiculous jailer -
and sometimes to family attachment - coats of arms, faces.
But these drawings above all say the haunting and desperate
confinement - impassable walls, barbed wire, cramped cell, closed
doors, handcuffs.
Images of the desire to live in spite of everything. But also, images of
a youth stolen by the war. Aged prematurely, bruised in the soul or
sick to death, few have escaped without being heavily hurt...
Laurence van Ypersele de Strihou
Professor at the University of Louvain
Commissioner Bicentenary WW1
375

376

Daily Book of Jean de Potter
Going through this moving story of a young man, dying for his belief
in Belgium, we also discovered the brave fate of a young “stowaway”
child, during the Great War.
This young Belgian rebel, named Jean de Potter, was barely 17 years
old. During his secret escape, ignored by his own parents, at the risk
of his life, this little “lonely soul" described his courageous hiding
away journey, as unarmed resistant, and his captivity in the German
"helmets spikes" prisons.
As an introduction, here is an excerpt from the letter written by his
descendants, Fernand, Guy and Corinne de Potter, co-authors of this
chapter, discovered this letter in the archives, a sort of shoe-box with
memories in the city of Pépinster. Belgium being so small, Nicolas’
grand-mother was - of course - born in the castle of Pépinster, a
couple of miles away from cousin Fernand!
Here is the letter by Guy de Potter in the castle of Limburg (Liège):
« My grandfather was Guillaume de Potter who gave birth to my
father, Lucien, living in Gouvy in the Ardennes. Guillaume’s children
were me (Fernand), Frantz, notary, Charles, who married an English
actress and Arthur who became Alderman of fine arts of the City of
Brussels. »
My family is from Brussels and was, before, from Bruges. It is part of
the (green) "Droogenwalle" branch, as attested by the coat of arms
on the last page of Jean's “Daimy Diary”.
This personal journal of daily facts was completed by Jean just before
his death, aged 24, in 1917. Our branch, the one of all the other de
Potters listed in the “green branch”, is connected with the famous
Louis de Potter, head of the Revolutionary Government of 1830,
who co-founded Belgium.
377

Guillaume lived in an imposing building, rue du Frontispice in
Brussels: one thousand square meters, including horse-quarters. He
was also the owner of the “Hôtel des Boulevards”, now the famous
Sheraton hotel! His children were Frantz, notary, Charles, who
married an English actress and Arthur who became Alderman of fine
arts of the City of Brussels.
Unlike his 'dandy' brothers, Guillaume was a delicate man,
intellectually strong, but unfortunately of poor health. He married
Amélie Stilman, a dynamic Ardennes native of the village of
Strépigny.
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The “Great War” of 1914-1918? Never anymore!
Young people will barely understand these years of horrors,
deprivation and exalted patriotism. At the time, one would have been
shot for less than the secret that you now hold in the hands…
In 1914 the Germans violated the borders. Belgium was occupied
violently and without any respect for citizens’ rights. The Belgians
and their allies organized “networks of resistance and courage”. One
of them had gone up to Stavelot, in the Ardennes, by the Grandprez
family.
Unfortunately, a man sent discretely by the Germans infiltrated the
network and the whole heroïc family was shot. Their story is told in
the book "Volunteers of Death" at the Albertine Library in Brussels.
This is where my father, Lucien de Potter, re-organized this network
in 1916. The condition proposed to the colleagues was that he could
receive gun and ammunitions. As veteran Ardennes fighter, he was
quicker than a lightning with the weapon and could knock out an
opponent without worries.
He was armed until the end of the war. Judge in Vielsalm, Lucien
made his judgments at the foot of a large tree well known in the
region. He was often summoned by the Germans who did not realize
that the center of the network was established in Gouvy.
It was a courageous lady who hosted the secret head-quarters of the
network: my grandmother, Mrs. Annie Cheratte. She had learned to
hide the secret folds in the curtain lining of her living room and carry
them in dough balls baked like rolls. His son Franz transported them
through the villages and the countryside to the other members of the
network.
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And this is where the story begins ... His other son, Jean, the “talented
young pupil”, had decided to rebel against the 'spike helmets', despite
the ban by his parents ... He was too young! At the age of barely 17
in 1916 he left, without permission or message, to join what he
thought were the 'allied lines', beyond the Dutch border...
You will see that, hanging on an electric fence, he was intercepted by
the Germans and drove to Aix. According to his words, he lodged
on the floor on cold slabs and caught a disease of the spinal cord
which he died two years later ... Let us tell him himself his adventure
for the freedom of the homeland.
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Just before his heroïc death, Jean de Potter, aged 24, draw
the coat of arms of the family of Louis de Potter de
Droogenwalle, along with 'long live Belgium!
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Nicolas
de Potter d’Indoye
(Indooie = dégel = defreezing)
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Nicolas de Potter (1958)
Origin: Tourhout (Bruges) and Brussels. Father of six kids.
Studies:
- 1978-1982: B.A. European University Antwerp;
- 1982-1983: M.B.A. University of Dallas;
- 1987-1988: Cepac ULB Brussels.
Career:
- 1983-2013: compulsory military service, Belgian army, reserve
Lieutenant-Colonel at military Headquarters.
- 1984-1987: Bristol-Myers Squibb, analyzing markets and
supporting marketing team to sell healthcare specialties;
- 1987-1990: Olympia & York (largest EU real estate owner)
and AG Real Estate, managing large investments in Brussels;
- 1990-1995: Government of Québec in The Netherlands,
Belgium and Luxembourg, promoting investments in Canada
under the authority of the president of the High Assembly,
His Excellency the late honorable Lucien Lamoureux;
- 1995-2000: Euroregion France/UK/NL/ Belgium, obtaining
and managing large European Commission funds to
strengthen cooperations between SMEs;
- 2000-2003: Neumann Executive Search, finding clients,
candidates and investors for companies in Brussels;
- 2003-2013: Resources Experts Partners (REP), finding clients
(European Commission’s consortia, media, food, beverages,
real-estate, environment) and marketing services in Brussels.
Trends International (Roularta): freelance journalist.
- Volunteer 1996-2016: Helped the White March, 385.000
persons in Brussels on 20/10/96 against pedocriminals,
managed meetings, trilingual newsletter, advocacy...

Books contributions:
- 2000: Procès Dutroux & Consorts (2000, Couleur Livres);
- 2006: X-Files, Dossier Bis (private collection);
- 2013: Louis de Potter (2013, Couleur Livres);
- 2017: Jean de Potter (2015, S.I. de Verviers);
- 2016: Armand de Potter’s (2015, helped Barnes & Noble);
- 2016: Armand de Potter’s Grand Tour (2016, Lannoo);
- 2017: Louis de Potter (2017, Amazon.com);
- 2018: Louis de Potter. (2018, helped GK Roeselare);
- 2019: Jan de Potter. Dagboek (1570, Lulu);
- 2020: Potter United Families 1050-2050 (2020, multiple ed.).
Projects 2020-2050:
1. M3: Matching Meeting Machine for executives on Google
Search, Google Calendar and Google Maps.
2. L3: LeanLifeLease: income for older or fragile property
sellers with young buyers co-living and helping.
3. V3: Volunteering for “White March souvenir” (2026),
“Bicentenary of the Kingdom” (2030), “End of WW2” (2045).
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Making of
With the practical help of
Olivia & Magali de Potter d’Indoye
The initial sounding box team
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“DUNCE” (cancre/ niksnut)
He says “no” with the head, but “yes” with the heart.
He says “yes” to what he loves but “no” to the teacher.
He stands up, being asked many questions.
All the problems are there...
All of a sudden, a crazy laughter catches him.
He erases everything!
Figures and words. Dates and names.
Sentences and pitfalls.
Despite the threats of the teacher,
under screaming mockery of the prodigy children,
with the chalks of all colors,
upon the black board of misfortune,
he draws the face of... happiness!
Prévert
The making of this book with deep investigations and over 200
illustrations, going for worldwide distribution, took almost 20 years
to conceive and write up. It is a lifetime achievement and the
acknowledgements on page one deserve more team faces below…
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Encouragements from the King of Belgium
and the Prince of The Netherlands
Gift Grand Duke of Luxemburg
1830 film being prepared
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Nicolas de Potter d’Indoye and his aunt Nicole
d’Udekem d’Acoz (xPotter) plus Eric, Jean, Muriel,
Axel de Potter de ten Broeck (x Udekem)
André de Potter d’Indoye, chairman of the family
association, with Nicolas de Potter d’Indoye
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Baron Jean-Charles van Caloen welcomes the book of
his ancestor by Nicolas de Potter d’Indoye and professors
Francis Balace and René Dalemans
Journalists from Finland and the Netherlands interview
Nicolas de Potter d’Indoye after publication of first books
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“Impossible”, shouts Miss Proudness.
“Risky Business”, screams Mr Experience.
“No way out!”, says the old Reason.
“Let’s try”, murmurs the Heart! »
William Arthur Ward
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BLOCKCHAIN BOOK
Dear young historic book-chain supporters,
As volunteering writer aged 66, I am the happy co-author of 6 kids
and books. Today, unlike cousin Harry, I distribute my lifetime for
free, with all money for the book chain.
WITH THIS BOOK-CHAIN = WE OFFER
100% TO DISTRIBUTORS AND YOU !
Sales channels are Publica.com, Lulu.com, Amazon.com, Kindle.com
and other (eBooks) distribution channels at cost-price.
I’ll buy a limited number of printed books to inform journalists via
the network of book-chain volunteers around the world.
My wish is that young people enjoy these historic adventures and
have fun discovering the origin of Potter ‘s, outside J.K. Rowlings.
Blizzard-breaking boomer brings books boxes by bike!
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