It was founded in 1441, which makes it one of the last Cistercian foundations in the Southern Netherlands, and it was closed down in 1783 under a decree from the "Enlightenment Emperor", Joseph II, probably as part of his wider programme of closing down as "unnecessary" monasteries in the Habsburg lands identified as "purely contemplative".

Over the years a succession of donations from grateful former pupils, backed up by generous financial support from Christine de Franckenberg, abbess over the canonesses at nearby Nivelles, made it possible for the little priory at Nizelles to be expanded into an abbey.

On 4 December 1601 Robert d’Ostelart, abbot of Cambron, sent over three of his monks, including one named Jean d’Assignies, to re-establish Nizelles.

[3] In 1602 the three monks at Nizelles were joined by Bernard de Montgaillard who was sent by the chapter at Cîteaux to serve as abbot.

Personally austere, and experienced as a monk, Bernard proved an energetic administrator: born in 1562, by the time he came to Nizelles he was already well known to the secular authorities locally.

As abbot, Bernard contributed much to restoring the fortunes of Nizelles, although the abbey never returned to its 1442 prosperity.

The monks complained about the lifestyles and administrative approaches of their abbots and the abbots complained about the insubordination of the monks: The decree of 18 March 1783 by which Joseph II, the archetypal enlightened despot, closed down monasteries identified as "unnecessary", was the death knell for the abbey at Nizelles.