Tijl Uilenspiegel [Reformation song from the Low Countries] (Rare)

-History:

_Tijl Uilenspiegel_
Tijl Uilenspiegel is a character from Flemish, dutch and German folklore. The origins aren't very well known but he first appeared in central Germany somewhere around 1300 A.D but under the name of "Dil Ulenspiegel".
It is interesting how the Tijl Uilenspiegel re-appeared first in Flanders during the protestant reformation. He was back than seen as the supposed "protector of the Protestant reformation" of the low countries. As you might already know, Flanders doesn't have a protestant majority today, but this wasn't allways the case.

_The reformation in the low countries_
One of the places where the reformation started spreading early and rapidly, especially Calvinism, was in the low countries. Back at the time, most of the low countries were ruled by the Habsburg Spanish who brutally enforced Catholisism in the erea. This ofcourse sparked resentment among the Dutch reformed population. So as a protest the "beeldenstorm" or in English: " statue storm" in 1566 took place where Protestant dutch people would plunder and destroy Catholic churches and it's relics, statues and paintings. More notably the statues wich were one by one ripped off their pedastals and church walls. The beeldenstorm started in west Flanders but rapidly made it's way up to the North to places like Frisia and Groningen.

_Reformation and the 80 years war_
The 80 years war was a war where the dutch broke free from the Spanish. The beeldenstorm and reformation were 2 of the most crucial (but not only) reasons for the 80 years war to take place. the northern part of the low countries managed to brake free from the Spanish. However the Southern parts did not. After the proclaimation of the dutch republic, many people from the southern netherlands migrated to the Northern parts to avoid the atrocious Spanish persecution of Protestants.

_The message behind the song_
In the song, Tijl Uilenspiegel in a way respresents the protestants of Flanders and Brabant who were unable to break free from Spanish persecution and so had to suffer until either way all of them migrated out or were excecuted. The song tries to emply that throughout the ages, the persecuted protestants were underrepresented in history wich is why it states that Flanders is breaking the soul of Tijl Uilenspiegel as he represents the protestants in this song.
#reformation #history #belgium #netherlands
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-The record:
Wannes van de Velde Pieter Breughel in Brussel / Philips records
Wannes van de Velde / PF 320355
Performed by: Wannes van de Velde and Trad./arr. W. Heymen

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-Disclaimer:
I record shellac records, upload them on youtube and tell a bit of history. I was not the creator of this song.
I do not promote any type of ideology, hate or anything of the sort. This video is made to educate people about history through old music.