De Grootste Belg (The Greatest Belgian) was a 2005 vote conducted by Belgian public TV broadcaster Canvas, public radio broadcaster Radio 1, and newspaper De Standaard, to determine who is the Greatest Belgian of all time. It could be considered as a Flemish list, considering that French-speaking community broadcast RTBF also held a vote, Le plus grand Belge. Nominees needed to have lived between 50 BC and now, between the borders of present-day Belgium. This is because Belgium only gained its independence in 1830, while numerous historical individuals from, for example, the Spanish Netherlands, are considered to be "Belgians". An initial list of 111 names (100 decided by a panel, 11 added by the public after a preliminary poll) was set online. People could vote for their favourites to reduce the longlist to a shortlist of ten. After the first television show, the final list of ten nominees was announced. Two of them, Ambiorix and Hendrik Conscience, came out of the 11 names chosen by the public instead of the 100 chosen by the panel. The ten finalists were each presented on Canvas with a documentary, their nomination defended by famous Flemish people. On 1 December 2005, Pater Damiaan was announced as the winner of the "De Grootste Belg" poll, beating Paul Janssen and Eddy Merckx. Top 10 From 11 to 111 11) Desiderius Erasmus, (1466–1536) writer, philosopher, theologian (In Praise of Folly). Born in Rotterdam or Gouda and thus technically a Dutchman by modern-day standards. 12) Adolphe Sax, (1814–1894) inventor of the saxophone. 13) Jan Decleir, (1946–) theatre, TV and film actor (Mira, Daens, Character, The Memory of a Killer). 14) Kim Clijsters, (1983–) tennis player. 15) Victor Horta, (1861–1947) architect and designer (Hôtel Tassel, Brussels-Central railway station, Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels). 16) Baudouin of Belgium, (1930–1993) king (1950–1993). Founder of the King Baudouin Foundation. 17) Pieter Bruegel the Elder, (1525–1569) painter (The Peasant Wedding, The Blind Leading the Blind, Netherlandish Proverbs, Landscape with the Fall of Icarus). 18) René Magritte, (1898–1967) painter (The Treachery of Images, The Son of Man). 19) Guido Gezelle, (1830–1899) poet (Het Schrijverke, Dien Avond en die Rooze). 20) Toots Thielemans, (1922–2016) jazz musician (Bluesette). 21) Charles V of Spain, (1500–1558) Spanish king (1517–1556) and Holy Roman Emperor (1519–1558), who was born in Ghent. 22) Louis Paul Boon, (1912–1979) novelist (De Kapellekensbaan, Priester Daens, Mieke Maaike's Obscene Jeugd). 23) Jozef Cardijn, (1882–1967) priest,