Portal:Belgium/Anniversaries/June/June 7

• 1337: death of William I, Count of Hainaut
• 1607: death of Johannes Matelart, Renaissance composer
• 1840: birth of Charlotte of Belgium, Empress of Mexico
• 1917: start of the Battle of Messines with the explosion of 455 tons of ammonal, killing about 10,000 German troops and creating what was possibly the loudest man-made noise made up to that date
• 1931: the Ploegsteert Memorial to the Missing is unveiled
• 1944: King Leopold III of Belgium is deported with his family to Germany
• 2002: death of Mary Lilian Baels, Princess de Réthy, controversial second wife of King Leopold III of Belgium