Pierre-Théodore Verhaegen, Belgium (1796-1862)
Pierre-Theodore Verhaegen was born in Brussels, Belgium in 1796. As a Brussels lawyer he provided the impetus necessary for the creation of the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) by mobilising the influential Belgian Freemason community and ensuring that adequate funds were raised.
The key term, "Free", in the name of the institution, represented an important declaration of intellectual freedom from any kind of religious or philosophical dogma, prejudice or polemic. It reiterated the freedoms fought for in the French Revolution, and inscribed in the new Belgian Constitution, shortly before the ULB was founded. The ULB's founders, mainly liberals and Freemasons had consciously sought to define a truly modern university, open to all, one that was independent and innovative in spirit, and rigorously committed to its philosophy of "Free Examination", i.e. an approach based on principles of open-mindedness and tolerance.
Verhaegen was a member of the chamber of representatives from 1837 to 1859 and President of the chamber of representatives on two occasions, 1848-1852 and 1857-1859. He died in Brussels in 1862.