Europe still retains a lot of artificial boundaries as relics of the Austro-Hungarian empire and other long-gone political entities. The existence of Walloon+Flemish Belgium (a relic going back still further, to the Spanish Inquisition's rule of the southern Netherlands) never made much sense either.
“to the Spanish Inquisition’s rule of the southern Netherlands”
The Spanish Inquisition never ruled in the Southern Netherlands. Spain once ruled the Netherlands - because of the Hapsburg family dynastic holdings - but the Spanish Inquisition never ruled any country.
I bet they weren't expecting that.