Good Cities
The Good Cities (French: Bonnes Villes) were the most important cities of the Prince-Bishopric of Liège (980-1795). If considered a Good City, the city was allowed to build a city wall; partake in the States of Liège; and erect a perron symbolising the autonomy and freedom of Liège.
In 1651 the Good Cities numbered 23, and they were grouped in so-called villes thioises (Low Dietsch cities, which contemporarily would be termed Dutch or Flemish) and villes françoises (contemporarily French or Walloon cities). All of these Good Cities are located within present-day Belgium.
Two other major cities of the Prince-Bishopric had a special statute, which differentiated them from the Good Cities as they were not allowed to be represented at the States of Liège.
The cities
Villes thioises
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City name Contemporary location Beringen Province of Belgian Limburg Bilzen Province of Belgian Limburg Borgloon, then named Loon Province of Belgian Limburg Bree Province of Belgian Limburg Hamont Province of Belgian Limburg Hasselt Province of Belgian Limburg Herk-de-Stad Province of Belgian Limburg Maaseik Province of Belgian Limburg Peer Province of Belgian Limburg Sint-Truiden Province of Belgian Limburg Stokkem Province of Belgian Limburg Tongeren Province of Belgian Limburg
Villes françoises
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City name Contemporary location Châtelet Province of Hainaut Ciney Province of Namur Couvin Province of Namur Dinant Province of Namur Fosses-la-Ville Province of Namur Huy Province of Liège Liège Province of Liège Thuin Province of Hainaut Verviers Province of Liège Visé Province of Liège Waremme Province of Liège
Cities with a special statute
The Condominium of Maastricht - of which the Prince-Bishopric shared the authority with the Duchy of Brabant and later the Dutch Republic - as well as the Dukedom of Bouillon comprised the two cities with special statute.
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City name Contemporary location Bouillon Province of Luxembourg Maastricht Province of Dutch Limburg, Netherlands
