Lambert le Bègue, the revivalist Belgian priest, was the first to organise communities of Beguines around 1170 in Liege, Belgium.
The Beghards appeared somewhat later, probably in the early 13th century, modeling their communities after those of the Beguines. Beguines and Beghards, members of certain Roman Catholic religious communities for women (Beguines) and men (Beghards) were prominent in north-western Europe from the 12th to the 14th century. They differed from monks and nuns in that most did not take permanent vows, promising only to do good works and not to marry as long as they lived in the community.
The foundation of such groups reflected the general flowering of the religious life among the laity in the towns of northern Europe during the late Middle Ages. The communities of Beguines also served as refuges for women left widowed or unmarried by the participation of large numbers of men in the Crusades. The members frequently lived in individual apartments in a large, separately enclosed section of town called the Beguinage. They dressed in distinctive costumes and spent their days in prayer, education, care of the sick, and work such as weaving.
At first, the Beguinages received women from all social classes, but gradually many of the establishments were transformed into poor houses for destitute girls and widows. In the meantime, a portion of the Beghards ceased living in communities and took to individual begging. By the late 13th century, many members were suspected of heresy, primarily because of their association with the Spiritual Franciscans, a rigoristic community that had been condemned by church officials. As a result, numerous groups were closed in the 14th century, and many members were burned at the stake. The Beghards disappeared altogether; some of the Beguines were assimilated into other religious orders, and a few still remain in Belgium.