Charles de Brimeu (1524 or 1525 – 1572 in

Zwolle Zwolle () is a city and municipality in the Northeastern Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of Overijssel and the province's second-largest municipality after Enschede with a population of 130,592 as of 1 December 2021. Zwolle is on ...

), was the last count of Meghem, lord of

Humbercourt Humbercourt (; pcd, Himbèrcourt) is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Geography Humbercourt is situated on the D127 road, some southwest of Arras and on the border with the Pas-de-Calais département for ...

, of

Houdain Houdain () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France. Geography A former coalmining, now a light industrial and farming town, situated some south of Béthune at the junction of the D86, D301 and the ...

and

Éperlecques Éperlecques (; ; pcd, Éparlecques) is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France. Geography It is a farming commune comprising eight hamlets, all found within the regional nature reserve of the Caps et ...

. He was grandson of

Guy of Brimeu Guy de Brimeu known as the great or Gwijde of Brimeu, was a knight of the Golden Fleece, he was beheaded in Ghent on 3 April 1477. Family His father was Jean of Brimeu, Lord of Humbercourt. He married Antonia de Rambures. Children: * Charle ...

, who was beheaded in Ghent. He became the last ceremonial

Hereditary Marshal of Brabant The Marshal of Brabant (''erfmaarschalk van Brabant/ maréchal-héreditaire de Brabant'') is a hereditary royal officeholder and chivalric title at the Court of Brabant. History During war the Marshal was responsible for the safekeeping of abb ...

of his family: he sold this ceremonial office to

Gaspard II Schetz Gaspar Schetz (1513–1580), Lord of Grobbendonk, Hereditary Marshal of Brabant was a financier and statesman in the Habsburg Netherlands. For reasons that are unknown he was nicknamed "Corvinus". Life Gaspar Schetz was born in Antwerp on 20 July ...

Career

During his career he became stadtholder of

Gelderland Gelderland (), also known as Guelders () in English, is a province of the Netherlands, occupying the centre-east of the country. With a total area of of which is water, it is the largest province of the Netherlands by land area, and second by ...

(from 1556) and Order of the Golden Fleece. He opposed the centralizing policy of Philip II of Spain. During the Dutch Revolt, however, he remained loyal to the crown of Spain, and in June 1568 defended Groningen successfully against

Louis of Nassau Louis of Nassau (Dutch: Lodewijk van Nassau, January 10, 1538 – April 14, 1574) was the third son of William I, Count of Nassau-Siegen and Juliana of Stolberg, and the younger brother of Prince William of Orange Nassau. Louis was a key ...

.M. Gachard,
Correspondance du duc d'Albe sur l'invasion du comte Louis de Nassau en Frise
in ''tirée des Compte-rendus de la commission royale d'histoire de Belgique'' Dying without direct descendants, his titles passed on to his niece

Marie of Brimeu Marie de Brimeu (born ca. 1550, Megen, North Brabant, died Liège, 18 April 1605), was a Flemish noblewoman known for her knowledge of botany and horticulture. She inherited her titles from her uncle, Charles de Brimeu, Count of Meghem, when he d ...

(born in 1550 – died in Liege on 18 April 1605), wife of

Lancelot of Berlaymont Marie de Brimeu (born ca. 1550, Megen, North Brabant, died Liège, 18 April 1605), was a Flemish noblewoman known for her knowledge of botany and horticulture. She inherited her titles from her uncle, Charles de Brimeu, Count of Meghem, when he d ...

then (from 1580) of

Charles III de Croÿ Charles III de Croÿ (Beaumont, Hainaut, 1 July 1560 – Beaumont, 12 January 1612) was Seigneur de Croÿ, 4th Duke of Aarschot, 5th Prince of Chimay and 5th Count of Beaumont. He played an important role on both sides of the Dutch Revolt. He ...

. Marie, a convinced

Calvinist Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Ca ...

, had a decisive influence on her second husband, until their separation in 1584.

References

External links

Charles de Brimeu, graaf van Megen
by Anton van der Lem, includes many references {{DEFAULTSORT:Brimeu, Charles De Charles Dutch stadtholders Knights of the Golden Fleece 1572 deaths 1524 births Nobility of the Spanish Netherlands