Evil Paths

Near this place, the Brussels hero Serclaes was fatally wounded. A political history underlies this. The lord of Gaasbeek, Sweden of Abcoude (ca. 1350-1400), saw his chance to expand his domain within the duchy of Brabant through a purchase. The Brussels aldermen, led by Everaard t’ Serclaes, however, were against any territorial expansion by Abcoude and managed to prevent the sale. The lord of Gaasbeek, thwarted in his plans, sought revenge and instructed his bailiff and his illegitimate son Willem van Kleef to lure t’Serclaes into an ambush and kill him. On March 26, 1388, t’Serclaes was ambushed on his way home from Lennik at dusk and severely beaten by the hired murderers of Abcoude. One of his feet was chopped off and his tongue was cut out. It was Jan van Stalle, the dean of Halle, who found the dying t’Serclaes and hurriedly took him to Brussels, where he succumbed to his injuries a few days later.

Pascal Brackman