Limburg

Limburg, a territory on the Meuse, lying between the provinces of Liège and Brabant, was created a countship soon after its annexation by the German king (870). Shortly after 1151 it was made a duchy. The battle of Woeringen (1288) gave it to the Dukes of Brabant, after which it shared the fortunes of that state. At the peace of Münster (1648) it was divided between the United Provinces and Spain, but was again united under French rule from 1794 to 1830, and from 1830 to 1839 under the Belgian king. In 1839 it was once more divided, the lands to the west of the Meuse remaining with Belgium, whilst a long narrow strip on the east side of the river was constituted the Dutch province of Limburg. The soil of both provinces is in parts fertile, though large portions of the area are covered with moors. The marshy district of the Peel intrudes into the north of Dutch Limburg. The Belgian province has an area of 931 sq. m. and a pop. (1891) of 223,531. Capital, Hasselt. The area of the Dutch province is 930 sq. m.; pop. (1891) 259,593. Capital, Maestricht.—The well-known Limburg cheese is made at the little town of Limburg (pop. 4768), the former capital of the duchy, which is now in the province of Liège, 19 miles E. of the city of Liège. The old castle was destroyed by the French in 1675.—LIMBURG-AN-DER-LAHN, a town of Hesse-Nassau, 32 miles E. of Coblenz by rail, has a fine Catholic cathedral (1243). Pop. 6485.