Philippe-Charles d'Arenberg (18 October 1587 in Barbancon – 25 September 1640 in
Madrid
Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
) was the third sovereign prince of
Arenberg
Arenberg, also spelled as Aremberg or Ahremberg, is a former county, principality and finally duchy that was located in what is now Germany. The Dukes of Arenberg remain a prominent Belgian noble family.
History
First mentioned in the 12 ...
and 6th
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 ...
. He was a leading figure in the political life of the
Spanish Netherlands
Spanish Netherlands (Spanish: Países Bajos Españoles; Dutch: Spaanse Nederlanden; French: Pays-Bas espagnols; German: Spanische Niederlande.) (historically in Spanish: ''Flandes'', the name "Flanders" was used as a ''pars pro toto'') was the Ha ...
.
Life
Arenberg was the son of
Charles de Ligne, 2nd Prince of Arenberg
Princely Count Charles of Arenberg, duke of Aarschot (''jure uxoris''), baron of Zevenbergen, knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece, (22 February 1550, in Vollenhove – 18 January 1616, in Enghien) was the second Princely Count of Arenberg ...
and Anne de Croy, daughter of
Philipe de Croÿ, Duke of Aerschot. He was named Duke of Aarschot in 1616, and attained the highest honors 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 ...
, including the
Order of the Golden Fleece
The Distinguished Order of the Golden Fleece ( es, Insigne Orden del Toisón de Oro, german: Orden vom Goldenen Vlies) is a Catholic order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in 1430, to celebrate his marriage ...
. As duke he was the first lord temporal in the
States of Brabant
The States of Brabant were the representation of the three estates (nobility, clergy and commons) to the court of the Duke of Brabant. The three estates were also called the States. Supported by the economic strength of the cities Antwerp, Brusse ...
, and in the
Estates General of 1632.
Marriage and children
He married three times:
* on 21 September 1610 with Pierre Hippolyte Anne de Melun, Baronesse de Caumont, died 1615
* on 28 June 1620 with Isabelle Claire de
Berlaymont
The Berlaymont () is an office building in Brussels, Belgium, which houses the headquarters of the European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union (EU). The structure is located on the Robert Schuman Roundabout at 200, rue de l ...
, Comtesse de Lalaing, died 1630
* on 29 March 1632 with Countess Maria Cleopha von
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
( en, Nothing without God)
, national_anthem =
, common_languages = German
, religion = Roman Catholic
, currency =
, title_leader = Prince
, leader1 ...
(1599–1685)
and had nine children, two sons and seven daughters.
The sons were :
*
Philippe François, 1st Duke of Arenberg
Philippe François de Ligne, (30 July 1625 - 17 December 1674), 7th Duke of Aarschot, 1st Duke of Arenberg, a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece, was the first son of the second marriage of Philippe Charles, Comte d'Arenberg and Isabelle ...
(1625–1674)
*
Charles Eugene, 2nd Duke of Arenberg
Charles Eugene, 2nd Duke of Arenberg (1633–1681), a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece since 1678, became 2nd Duke of Arenberg in 1674 on the death of his half-brother Philippe François, 1st Duke of Arenberg. The original title had be ...
(1633–1681)
Arrest and death
He fell from grace in 1634, and spent the last six years of his life under house arrest in Madrid. The arrest occurred while he was on a diplomatic mission in Spain. Charged with requesting
Philip IV to grant the
States General The word States-General, or Estates-General, may refer to:
Currently in use
* Estates-General on the Situation and Future of the French Language in Quebec, the name of a commission set up by the government of Quebec on June 29, 2000
* States Gener ...
of the southern Netherlands the power to negotiate a truce or peace with the
United Provinces, Aarschot was sent to Spain in December 1633 as the highest-ranking member of the nobility of the
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a State of the Holy Roman Empire established in 1183. It developed from the Landgraviate of Brabant and formed the heart of the historic Low Countries, part of the Burgundian Netherlands from 1430 and of the Habsburg Neth ...
. Although initially received with great consideration by Philip IV, he was denounced four months after his arrival, accused of participating in the
1632 conspiracy to overthrow Spanish rule in the Netherlands. While admitting knowledge of the plot, he denied involvement in it and maintained his innocence. Despite letters from the
Archduchess Isabella written on his behalf, Aarschot was imprisoned for some months before being placed under house arrest, in December 1634. Three years later his wife and eldest son joined him, but they were not allowed to reside in his quarters. Aarschot's depressing and restrictive circumstances brought on a debilitating disease, to which he succumbed in 1640. Shortly before his death, Philip IV sent word that his case was under review and a favorable outcome was expected; the duke was too ill to rally, however, and he died the day after receiving the king's message.
Art collector
Philippe-Charles d'Arenberg was a great art-collector and purchased paintings from artists like
Paul de Vos
Paul de Vos (1591/92, or 1595 in Hulst – 30 June 1678 in Antwerp) was a Flemish Baroque painter who specialized in mainly in compositions of animals, hunting scenes and still lifes. He worked for an elite clientele and was a regular collaborato ...
,
Frans Snyders
Frans Snyders or Frans Snijders (11 November 1579, Antwerp – 19 August 1657, Antwerp) was a Flemish painter of animals, hunting scenes, market scenes and still lifes. He was one of the earliest specialist animaliers and he is credited with ...
,
Gaspar de Crayer
Gaspar de Crayer or Jasper de CrayerName variations: Caspar de Crayer and Gaspard de Crayer (18 November 1584 – 27 January 1669) was a Flemish painter known for his many Counter-Reformation altarpieces and portraits. He was a court paint ...
, and Salomon Noveliers, court painter to the archdukes in Brussels. The best known of several
Rubens paintings that Arenberg owned was the Wolf and Fox Hunt, believed to be the work today in the
New York Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, colloquially "the Met", is the largest art museum in the Americas. Its permanent collection contains over two million works, divided among 17 curatorial departments. The main building at 1000 ...
. The duke of Aarschot was also responsible for the acquisition of Rubens's late Martyrdom of St. Andrew for the Flemish Hospital in Madrid, where it still remains today.
Philippe Charles
Art Historicum. Accessed June 2, 2012.
Further reading
Art Historicum
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Philippe-Charles, 3rd Count Of Arenberg
1587 births
1640 deaths
Arenberg family
House of Ligne
Dukes of Aarschot
Knights of the Golden Fleece
Counts of Arenberg