Conrad (or Coenraad) Schetz de Grobbendonck, later Conrad d'Ursel (1553–1632) was a nobleman 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 House of Valois-Burgundy, Valois-Burgundy ruler of the Netherlands, Mary of Burgu ...

and in 1604–1609 the first ordinary ambassador to England for the Archdukes

Albert Albert may refer to: Companies * Albert (supermarket), a supermarket chain in the Czech Republic * Albert Heijn, a supermarket chain in the Netherlands * Albert Market, a street market in The Gambia * Albert Productions, a record label * Alber ...

and

Isabella Isabella may refer to: People and fictional characters * Isabella (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Isabella (surname), including a list of people Places United States * Isabella, Alabama, an unincorpor ...

Ursel family

The 5th son of

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 ...

and Catharina d'Ursel, daughter of

Lancelot II of Ursel Lancelot du Lac (French for Lancelot of the Lake), also written as Launcelot and other variants (such as early German ''Lanzelet'', early French ''Lanselos'', early Welsh ''Lanslod Lak'', Italian ''Lancillotto'', Spanish ''Lanzarote del Lago' ...

, he was baptised in Antwerp on 19 March 1553. His parents had 21 children in total, eight of whom survived to adulthood. He was the fifth son. His father was the chief banker in Antwerp, financing several merchants who traded to Russia and Brazil, as well as being banker to

Philip II of Spain Philip II) in Spain, while in Portugal and his Italian kingdoms he ruled as Philip I ( pt, Filipe I). (21 May 152713 September 1598), also known as Philip the Prudent ( es, Felipe el Prudente), was King of Spain from 1556, King of Portugal from ...

, which gave him a political role and made him a leading figure in the Antwerp of the second half of the 16th century. In 1617 he inherited the estates of his aunt, Barbara of Ursel, last heir of

, on the condition that he and his heirs in perpetuity change their name and coat of arms to d'Ursel.

Descendants

* Conrad, 1st Count of Ursel, 2nd Baron of Hoboken, Vicomte of Vives-St-Eloy, Zennegem,

Oostkamp Oostkamp (; vls, Ôostkamp) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the villages of Hertsberge, Oostkamp proper, Ruddervoorde and Waardamme. On January 1, 2019, Oostkamp had a total population ...

, Lord of Highene, Lord of

Rumst Rumst (, old spelling: ''Rumpst'') is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. Since 1976 the municipality not only comprises Rumst proper but also the towns of (old spelling: ''Reeth'') and , which were independent municipalit ...

, Lord of

Opdorp Opdorp is one of the three towns making up the municipality of Buggenhout in East Flanders, Belgium. Sometimes it's classified in the Denderstreek. Opdorp is at the geographical centre of Flanders, Belgium. It is also the point at which three pro ...

, Lord of

Beernem Beernem (; vls, Beirnem) is a rural municipality in the Belgian province of West Flanders, located southeast of Bruges. The municipality comprises the towns of Beernem proper, Oedelem and Sint-Joris. On January 1, 2006 Beernem had a total popula ...

, Grand Forrestier of Flanders and became a Count of the Holy Roman Empire in 1638. Married to Anne Maria de Robles. Died 1659. ** Francois, 2nd Count of Ursel, 3rd Baron of Hoboken and Grand Forrestier of Flanders, married to Honorine Maria Dorothea, Princess of Horne. *** Conrad-Albert, 1st Duke d'Ursel, 1st Duke of Hoboken, married to Eleonora von Salm

Career

In his youth Conrad was engaged in mercantile affairs, but in 1582 he obtained a government position as councillor and commissioner extraordinary for Domains and Finances. In 1584 he was appointed comptroller of artillery, and in 1587 superintendent of munitions in fortified places. 1587 was also the year that Conrad married Françoise, the daughter of Jean Richardot, president of the Brussels Privy Council. In 1588 he was knighted and became an ordinary councillor of the Council of Finance in Brussels. In 1600 he was created Baron Hoboken, and in 1604 appointed archducal ambassador to England. He remained in this post until 1609. In 1632 he, alongside the

Duke of Aarschot The Duke of Aarschot (or ''Aerschot'') was one of the most important aristocratic titles in the Low Countries, named after the Brabantian city of Aarschot. The title was held by the House of Croÿ and the House of Arenberg. The present Duke is Le ...

, represented the nobility of Brabant in the Estates General.

Louis Prosper Gachard Louis Prosper Gachard (12 March 1800 – 24 December 1885), Belgian man of letters, was born in Paris. He entered the administration of the national archives in 1826, and was appointed director-general in 1831, a post which he held for fifty-fi ...

, ''Actes des États Généraux de 1632'' (Brussels, 1853), p. 63.

Ancestors

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schetz, Conrad 1553 births 1632 deaths Ursel People from Antwerp Ambassadors of the Habsburg Netherlands People of the Eighty Years' War Nobility of the Spanish Netherlands