Home > The History > Since the foundation of the abbey
In this way, the Abbey of Leffe witnessed an appreciable increase of its possessions and revenues. During the XIIIth century, the estates of the Abbey of Leffe increased as a result of numerous donations or purchases.
The first abbot of Leffe, Wéric, elected in 1200, left Leffe in 1208 for Floreffe, where, because of his knowledge and virtues, he was called upon by his former brethren to succeed abbot Jean d’Auvelais. Many abbots succeeded him during the first century of the Abbey’s existence; fourteen in one hundred years.
For over two centuries, the estates of the Abbey prospered, particularly because of the generosity of the local lords. This kind of liberality often represented a reward for services rendered in a certain place or parish. In fact, even in these distant times, the Premonstratensians of Leffe ministered to the parishes of Saint-Georges in Leffe, of Saint-Médard in Dinant, of Waha, of Sart-en-Fagne, of Awagne, of Jassogne and of Courrière.
The XVth century was a truly disastrous one for the Abbey of Leffe. According to certain authors, its abbot, Albéric de Pecheroux and seven other religious fell victim to the plague in September 1400. In 1408, abbot Wéric de Beaumont resigned without authorisation. The abbatial office remained vacant for a long time and the religioous tried to ignore orders given by the father abbot, the prelate of Floreffe. On 7 August 1460, the church of Leffe was so badly damaged by a heavy and sudden flood that only its four walls remained standing. The abbot of the monastery, Jean Ghorin, was drowned. The other canons had a good deal of difficulty in finding refuge in the tower. Hardly had the flood damage been repaired, when the Abbey had to endure a second trial. In 1466, Dinant, which had revolted, alongside the population of Liège, against Bishop Louis of Bourbon, was sacked and burnt by the armies of his uncle, Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy. The Abbey of Leffe touched on the line of the outer fortifications of Dinant. On 17 August 1466, Charles the Bold lodged and set up his headquarters there during the siege of the city by the armies of his father, Philip, Duke of Burgundy. The main battery of the besieging army was set up just next to it and from there the first cannon salvoes were fired, thus enabling the Burgundian army to seize the suburb of Leffe on the following day. On 23 August 1466, the city of Dinant was forced to surrender and was sacked, pillaged and burnt.
The Abbey suffered the fate of the city: it was devastated, the church was set on fire and almost entirely destroyed, together with its outbuildings. Abbot Wauthier de Wespin and his religious were taken prisoner and for a period of six months, the Abbey remained derelict. When, after this interval, the religious were freed and returned to the Abbey, they found little more than ruins. The Duke of Burgundy, having ordered the seizure of the Abbey’s treasure, demanded one hundred Rhine guilders as ransom for the abbot and the return of the Abbey’s objects of worship. The money had to be borrowed.
[updated on the 27.10.05]
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