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The Flemish ((オランダ語:Vlamingen)) are a Germanic ethnic group, who speak Dutch. They are mostly found in the contemporary region of Flanders. They are one of two principal ethnic groups in Belgium, the other being the French-speaking Walloons. The Flemings make up the majority of the Belgian population (about 60%). Historically, all inhabitants of the medieval County of Flanders were called Flemings, irrespective of the language spoken. The contemporary region of Flanders comprises a part of this historical county, as well as parts of the medieval duchy of Brabant and the medieval county of Loon. == History == The sense of "Flemish" identity increased significantly after the Belgian Revolution. Prior to this, the term "Flemings" in the Dutch language was in first place used for the inhabitants of the former County of Flanders. Flemish however had been used since the 14th century to describe the language and dialects of both the peoples of Flanders and the Duchy of Brabant.〔Lode Wils. De lange weg van de naties in de Lage Landen, p.46. ISBN 90-5350-144-4〕 The modern Belgian province of Limburg was not part of the treaty, and only came to be considered "Flemish" in the 19th century. In 1830 the southern provinces of the United Netherlands proclaimed their independence. French-dialect speaking population, as well as the administration and elites, feared the loss of their status and autonomy under Dutch rule while the rapid industrialization in the south highlighted economic differences between the two. Under French rule (1794–1815), French was enforced as the only official language in public life, resulting in a Frenchification of the elites and, to a lesser extent, the middle classes. The Dutch King allowed the use of both Dutch and French dialects as administrative languages in the Flemish provinces. He also enacted laws to reestablish Dutch in schools.〔E.H. Kossmann, ''De lage landen 1780/1980. Deel 1 1780-1914'', 1986, Amsterdam, p. 128〕 The language policy was not the only cause of the secession; the Roman Catholic majority viewed the sovereign, the Protestant William I, with suspicion and were heavily stirred by the Roman Catholic Church which suspected William of wanting to enforce Protestantism. Lastly, Belgian liberals were dissatisfied with William for his allegedly despotic behaviour. Following the revolt, the language reforms of 1823 were the first Dutch laws to be abolished and the subsequent years would see a number of laws restricting the use of the Dutch language.〔Jacques Logie, ''De la régionalisation à l'indépendance, 1830'', Duculot, 1980, Paris-Gembloux, p. 21〕 This policy led to the gradual emergence of the Flemish Movement, that was built on earlier anti-French feelings of injustice, as expressed in writings (for example by the late 18th-century writer, Jan Verlooy) which criticized the Southern Francophile elites. The efforts of this movement during the following 150 years, have to no small extent facilitated the creation of the ''de jure'' social, political and linguistic equality of Dutch from the end of the 19th century. The Flemish as a Germanic group, are descendants of Germanic peoples who settled in the area of what is now Bruges extending down to Kortrijk and the Flemish in the west who now are the Dutch-speaking minority in Northern France. Saxons, Frisians, Menapii, Batavians, Salian Franks, and Goths are the tribes that settled in Flanders. But as the Franks ruled the area, the other Germanic peoples living in Flanders switched to speaking the language of their rulers. Because the Franks were so Romanised, that is where the French-speaking Wallonia evolved. The Saxons and Frisians in the north called their Frankish neighbors in the south Walha because they were becoming Gallo-Romans. So, the Flemings are descendants of the Menapii and other tribes of the Belgae mixed with Teutons such as Saxons, Frisians, Batavians, Goths, and the Salian Frankish rulers. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Flemish people」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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