The present township of Zoutleeuw (French Léau), between Tienen and Sint-Truiden in the extreme east of Brabant, came into being in the 11th C. under the name of Leeuw. It was linked by the little river Kleine Nete with Antwerp and in the 12th C. developed into an important trade center and one of the
principal towns of Brabant. At the same time Leeuw was of great importance for the dukes of Brabant as a frontier fortress, so that in the 12th and 13th C. (and later also in the 17th C.) it was provided with extensive fortifications. Finally Leeuw attracted notable artists as it was a cultural and religious center with no fewer than eight monastic houses of various orders who left impressive testimony of their skill in St Leonard's Church (Sint-Leonarduskerk). French troops conquered the town in 1678 and destroyed the fortifications.
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