▁has ▁remained ▁the ▁capital ▁of ▁the ▁region ▁until ▁today . ▁As ▁part ▁of ▁Lo on , ▁Belg ian ▁Lim burg ▁eventually ▁became ▁subject , ▁not ▁only ▁spirit ually ▁but ▁also ▁polit ically , ▁to ▁the ▁Prince ▁B ish ops ▁of ▁Li ège . ▁ ▁Modern ▁history ▁ ▁Lo on , ▁and ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁prince - bishop ric ▁of ▁Li ège , ▁were ▁not ▁joined ▁polit ically ▁with ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁what ▁would ▁become ▁Belg ium ▁until ▁the ▁French ▁revolution . ▁Nevertheless , ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 6 th , ▁ 1 7 th , ▁and ▁ 1 8 th ▁centuries ▁the ▁population ▁of ▁Lo on ▁was ▁constantly ▁and ▁badly ▁affected ▁by ▁the ▁wars ▁involving ▁neighbour ing ▁B rab ant ▁and ▁Dutch ▁Lim burg , ▁including ▁the ▁E ight y ▁Years ' ▁War , ▁the ▁War ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Su cc ession , ▁the ▁War ▁of ▁the ▁Aust rian ▁Su cc ession , ▁the ▁Seven ▁Years ' ▁War , ▁and ▁even ▁the ▁B rab ant ▁Revolution ▁against ▁the ▁un pop ular ▁re forms ▁of ▁the ▁Emperor ▁Joseph ▁II . ▁During ▁this ▁period ▁the ▁region ' s ▁epis cop al ▁government ▁was ▁often ▁unable ▁to ▁maintain ▁law ▁and ▁order , ▁and ▁the ▁economy ▁of ▁the ▁area ▁was ▁often ▁des per ately ▁bad , ▁affected ▁by ▁pl und ering ▁by ▁soldiers ▁and ▁gang s ▁of ▁th ieves ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁" B ok ken rij ders ". ▁Nevertheless , ▁the ▁population ▁contained ▁strongly ▁conserv ative ▁c atholic ▁elements , ▁and ▁not ▁only ▁supported ▁the