Karel Maes, Latinized Carolus Masius (1559–1612) was bishop of Ypres and later

bishop of Ghent The Diocese of Ghent (Latin: ''Dioecesis Gandavensis'') is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Belgium. It is a suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolis (religious jurisdiction), metropoli ...

in the

Habsburg Netherlands Habsburg Netherlands was the Renaissance period fiefs in the Low Countries held by the Holy Roman Empire's House of Habsburg. The rule began in 1482, when the last Valois-Burgundy ruler of the Netherlands, Mary, wife of Maximilian I of Austr ...

.Frans De Potter, ''Het bisdom en de bisschoppen van Gent''
Vyt, 1865, pp. 10-11

Life

Maes was born in Brussels in 1559, the son of Jacobus Maes, a member of the

Council of Brabant The Council of Brabant was the highest law court in the historic Duchy of Brabant. It was presided over by the Chancellor of Brabant. One of its functions was to determine that new legislation was not contrary to the rights and liberties establis ...

, and Aleyde de Tassis. He received holy orders and on 10 May 1590 was appointed

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of Antwerp Cathedral. He went on to become

grand almoner An almoner (} ' (alms), via the popular Latin '. History Christians have historically been encouraged to donate one-tenth of their income as a tithe to their church and additional offerings as needed for the poor. The first deacons, mentioned ...

to the Archdukes

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and

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. Charles Piot, "Maes (Charles)", ''

Biographie Nationale de Belgique The ''Biographie nationale de Belgique'' (French; "National Biography of Belgium") is a biographical dictionary of Belgium. It was published by the Royal Academy of Belgium in 44 volumes between 1866 and 1986. A continuation series, entitled the ' ...

''
vol. 13
(Brussels, 1895), 130-131. He was consecrated bishop of Ypres on 24 June 1607, in succession to Petrus Simons. This was the beginning of a period of peace (due to the ceasefire preceding the

Twelve Years' Truce The Twelve Years' Truce was a ceasefire during the Eighty Years' War between Spain and the Dutch Republic, agreed in Antwerp on 9 April 1609 and ended on 9 April 1621. While European powers like France began treating the Republic as a soverei ...

of 1609–1621) and of rebuilding after the devastations of the Dutch Revolt. After Pieter Damant's death he was transferred to the diocese of Ghent, taking possession of the see on 5 November 1610. In 1611 he co-consecrated

Johannes Malderus Johannes Malderus (1563–1633) was the fifth bishop of Antwerp and the founder of Malderus College at the University of Leuven. Ch. Piot, "Malderus (Jean)", ''Biographie Nationale de Belgique''vol. 13(Brussels, 1895), 223-226. Life Malderus ...

bishop of Antwerp The Diocese of Antwerp is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Belgium. The diocese was restored in 1961. It is a suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brusse ...

. His notable exertions to restore order to his diocese undermined his health, and he died in Ghent on 21 May 1612.

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Antoine De Smet delivered his eulogy. His main legatee was Marguerite Maes, but he also left a number of relics to his cathedral. He was buried in the cathedral crypt. His monument was damaged in 1666, and a new one designed by Rombaut Pauwels was erected in the

choir A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which sp ...

Rombaut Pauwels - Mausoleum of bishop Carolus Maes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maes, Karel 1559 births 1612 deaths Clergy from Brussels Roman Catholic bishops of Ypres Bishops of Ghent Clergy of the Spanish Netherlands