Numerous times in the past, the fate of Ghent has been decided upon on this beautiful market square. It is called the 'Friday Market' (or Vrijdagmarkt in Dutch) for the simple reason that on Fridays a market takes place here. It was here that king Edward II of England was proclaimed king of France in 1340, by the guilds under the
command of Jacob Van Artevelde. Van Artevelde statue now occupies a central spot on the market. The market has been witness to numerous celebrations, as well as battles. Everything that happened here was related to the activities of the corporations of which the weavers and the traders were the most powerful. During the Middle-Ages the fate of Ghent largely depended on the wool trade and industry. When the wool industry flourished, so did the rest of the city.
