![Charles Vilain XIIII](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Charles_Vilain_XIIII.png)
Viscount Charles Ghislain Guillaume Vilain XIIII (15 May 1803 – 16 November 1878) was a Belgian politician, serving as
governor of East Flanders,
Minister of Foreign Affairs
A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between cou ...
and
President of the Chamber of Representatives of Belgium.
Early life
Charles Vilain XIIII was born in Brussels in 1803 as the eldest son of Count
Philippe-Louis Vilain XIIII, mayor of
Rupelmonde
Rupelmonde is a village in the municipality of Kruibeke, in the Belgian province of East Flanders. It stands on the bank of the river Schelde opposite the confluence of the eponymous Rupel, and is famed for its sundials as well as having what is ...
, and Baroness
Sophie de Felz. He was the eldest male descendant of one of the main branches of the ancient noble family
Vilain XIIII
Vilain and Vilain XIIII (pronounced ''Vilain-Quatorze'' , sometimes written with the more standard Roman numerals Vilain XIV) is a Belgian noble family. Their coat of arms is basically "Sable, a chief argent" (french: sable, au chef d'argent), a ...
. He studied at the Lyceum of Brussels, the
Charlemagne college in Paris, and the Jesuit college in
Saint-Acheul
Saint-Acheul is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. It is not to be confused with Saint-Acheul, a suburb of Amiens after which the Acheulean archaeological culture of the Lower Paleolithic is named.
Geograph ...
. He started studying Law at the
University of Liège
The University of Liège (french: Université de Liège), or ULiège, is a major public university of the French Community of Belgium based in Liège, Wallonia, Belgium. Its official language is French. As of 2020, ULiège is ranked in the 301 ...
in 1821, but dropped out of school and married Baroness Pauline de Billehé de Valensart (1800–1842) on 21 May 1822.
Political career
In 1828, Charles Vilain XIIII became a member of the
States-General of the Netherlands
The States General of the Netherlands ( nl, Staten-Generaal ) is the supreme bicameral legislature of the Netherlands consisting of the Senate () and the House of Representatives (). Both chambers meet at the Binnenhof in The Hague.
The States ...
and joined the opposition against
William I of the Netherlands
William I (Willem Frederik, Prince of Orange-Nassau; 24 August 1772 – 12 December 1843) was a Prince of Orange, the King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg.
He was the son of the last Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, who we ...
, but influenced by the writings of
Hugues Felicité Robert de Lamennais Hugues may refer to
People:
* Hugues de Payens (c. 1070–1136), French soldier
* Hugues I de Lusignan (1194/95 –1218), French-descended ruler a.k.a. Hugh I of Cyprus
* Hugues IV de Berzé (1150s–1220), French soldier
* Hugues II de Lusignan ...
, he had more progressive ideas than his father and his uncle
Charles-Hippolyte Vilain XIIII, both also members of the States-General.
[
In 1830, he was a member of the ]National Congress of Belgium
The National Congress (french: Congrès national, nl, Nationaal Congres) was a temporary legislative assembly in Belgium, convened in 1830 in the aftermath of the Belgian Revolution. Its purpose was to devise a national constitution for the n ...
, where he became the Secretary of the Central Bureau, which was responsible for drafting the new Constitution of Belgium
The Constitution of Belgium ( nl, Belgische Grondwet, french: Constitution belge, german: Verfassung Belgiens) dates back to 1831. Since then Belgium has been a parliamentary monarchy that applies the principles of ministerial responsibility f ...
. Charles Vilain XIIII read the Belgian Constitution at the Oath of the first king, Leopold I. In 1830, he was offered but refused the function of Governor of Limburg {{Use dmy dates, date=March 2020
The Governor of the Belgian province Limburg is the provincial head of government.
Governors
Governors of Limburg (Belgium and the Netherlands):
*1815–1828: Charles de Brouckere (1757–1830)
*1828–1830: Maxim ...
. He was elected to the Chamber of Representatives in 1831 for Sint-Niklaas
Sint-Niklaas (; french: Saint-Nicolas, ) is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Sint-Niklaas proper and the towns of Belsele, Nieuwkerken-Waas, and .
Sint-Nikl ...
, and reelected in 1832, 1833, 1834 and 1835.[
Vilain XIIII was appointed Belgian Ambassador to the Holy See in 1832, and sent to the Vatican and some Italian kingdoms as a special emissary in 1832, a mission which was largely a failure, and which was responsible for Charles' move away from progressive ideas towards more reactionary and anti-democratic principles. On his return, he became governor of ]East Flanders
, native_name_lang =
, settlement_type = Province of Belgium
, image_flag = Flag of Oost-Vlaanderen.svg
, flag_size =
, image_shield = Wapen van O ...
in September 1834, succeeding Werner de Lamberts-Cortenbach; he held this position until the end of August 1836. At the end of 1835, he again became a special emissary to the Vatican and the Italian States; this mission lasted until 1839 and was a success. Due to his frequent absences, he didn't stand in the 1836 elections for MP.[
After the end of his mission in Italy, he again was a candidate MP for Sint-Niklaas, and became the MP from 1839 until 1848. He was the vice-president of the Chamber of Representatives from 1843 until 1847. In 1848, he switched from Sint-Niklaas to ]Maaseik
Maaseik (; li, Mezeik) is a city and municipality in the Belgian province of Limburg. Both in size (close to 77 km2) and in population (approx. 25,000 inhabitants, of whom some 3,000 non-Belgian), it is the 8th largest municipality in Limburg ...
(where his family castle was located), and became MP for Maaseik from 1848 until his death in 1878. He was President of the Chamber between 1855 and 1858. He was mayor of Leut from 1842 until 1878. He was a candidate for Governor of Antwerp in 1844, but didn't get the position.[
In 1855, he became ]Minister of Foreign Affairs
A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between cou ...
in the Pierre de Decker
Pierre (Pieter) Jacques François de Decker (25 January 1812 – 4 January 1891) was a Belgian Roman Catholic politician, statesman and author.
He was educated at a Jesuit school, studied law at Paris, and became one of the editors of the '' Rev ...
government, until the end of that cabinet in 1857. From 1870 until 1875 he was again elected president of the Chamber of Representatives, and in 1875 he received the honorary title of Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a Minister of State is a Junior Minister of government, who is assigned to assist a specific Cabinet Minister. In o ...
.[
He was made a Knight in the Order of Leopold on 30 August 1835, and raised to Officer in the same order on 13 Mai 1843; he was also awarded the ]Iron Cross
The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia est ...
. Foreign decorations include the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Januarius in Sicily, Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus in Italy, Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of the Medjidie in the Ottoman Empire, Grand Cross of the Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa in Portugal, Grand Cross of the Order of the White Eagle in Russian Poland, and Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star in Sweden.
Personal life
Pauline de Billehé died on 9 April 1842. They had seven children, all daughters. The marriage gave him the castle of Leut, in Maasmechelen, which became the new family home until the last of his daughters died in 1922; it is now the retirement home
A retirement home – sometimes called an old people's home or old age home, although ''old people's home'' can also refer to a nursing home – is a multi-residence housing facility intended for the elderly. Typically, each person or couple i ...
Vilain XIIII. Not having a male heir, he was succeeded as head of the Vilain XIIII family by his younger brother Alfred Vilain XIIII.[
Charles' oldest daughter Zoë Théodorine Ghislaine Vilain XIIII was born 1 November 1824; she married Baron Gustave de Marches à Guirsch on 16 April 1844. Her sister Marguerite Ghislaine Alfredine Antoinette was born 20 September 1829 and married Baron Jacques de Schiervel on 7 January 1852. Younger sister Georgine married Baron Louis de Brigode, and Philippine married in 1860 Baron Gustave de Villeneuve.]
Honours
;National
* :
** Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a Minister of State is a Junior Minister of government, who is assigned to assist a specific Cabinet Minister. In o ...
, by Royal Decree.
** Grand Cordon in the Order of Leopold.
** Croix de Fer
;Foreign
* : Knight Grand Cross in the Order of Leopold
* : Knight Grand Cross in the Illustrious Royal Order of Saint Januarius
)
, clasps =
, post-nominals =
, established = 3 July 1738
, first_award =
, last_award =
, founder = Charles VII of Naples
, head_title = Grand Master
, head = Disputed:Prince P ...
.
* : Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus
The Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus ( it, Ordine dei Santi Maurizio e Lazzaro) (abbreviated OSSML) is a Roman Catholic dynastic order of knighthood bestowed by the royal House of Savoy. It is the second-oldest order of knighthood in the wo ...
.
* : : Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer
The Order of the Redeemer ( el, Τάγμα του Σωτήρος, translit=Tágma tou Sotíros), also known as the Order of the Saviour, is an order of merit of Greece. The Order of the Redeemer is the oldest and highest decoration awarded by the ...
* : Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star
The Royal Order of the Polar Star (Swedish: ''Kungliga Nordstjärneorden'') is a Swedish order of chivalry created by King Frederick I on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Seraphim.
The Order of the ...
.
* : Knight Grand Cross in the Order of Pope Pius IX
, image =
, caption = Knight's cross of the Order of Pius IX
, awarded_by =
, type = Papal order of knighthood
, established = 1847
, motto = ''VIRTUTI ET MERITO''(Virtue and Merit)
, day ...
.
* : Knight Grand Cross in the Order of the White Eagle
* : Knight Grand Cross in the Order of Saint Joseph
The Order of Saint Joseph was instituted on 9 March 1807 by Ferdinand III, Grand Duke of Tuscany during his reign as Grand Duke of Würzburg. It was transformed into a Tuscan Roman Catholic Dynastic Order in 1817.
The constitution of the Order ...
.
* : Knight Grand Cross in the Order of the Lion and the Sun
The Imperial Order of the Lion and the Sun (Persian language, Persian: نشان سلطنتی شیر و خورشید) was instituted by Fat′h Ali Shah Qajar, Fat’h Ali Shah of the Qajar dynasty in 1808 to honour foreign officials (later extend ...
.
* : 1st Class, Order of the Medjidie
Order of the Medjidie ( ota, نشانِ مجیدی, August 29, 1852 – 1922) is a military and civilian order of the Ottoman Empire. The Order was instituted in 1851 by Sultan Abdulmejid I.
History
Instituted in 1851, the Order was awarded in fi ...
.
Notes
External Lists
Charles Vilain XIIII
i
ODIS - Online Database for Intermediary Structures
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vilain XIIII, Charles Ghislain
1803 births
1878 deaths
Foreign ministers of Belgium
Members of the House of Representatives (Netherlands)
Presidents of the Chamber of Representatives (Belgium)
Mayors of places in Belgium
Governors of East Flanders
Members of the National Congress of Belgium
Belgian Ministers of State
Viscounts of Belgium
Ambassadors of Belgium to the Holy See
Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa
Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus
Recipients of the Order of the White Eagle (Russia)
Commanders Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star