Robert de Melun (died 1585), viscount of Ghent and marquis of Roubaix, was a nobleman from the

Low Countries The term Low Countries, also known as the Low Lands ( nl, de Lage Landen, french: les Pays-Bas, lb, déi Niddereg Lännereien) and historically called the Netherlands ( nl, de Nederlanden), Flanders, or Belgica, is a coastal lowland region in N ...

who fought in the Eighty Years' War.

Life

Melun was the son of Hugues d'Epinoy and Yoldande de Warchin, lady of Roubaix, and was probably born towards the middle of the 16th century. Ch. Piot, "Melun (Robert de)", ''

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. 14
(Brussels, 1897), 336-339. In May 1574 Philip II of Spain appointed him commander of a bande d'ordonnance, but he was disqualified from receiving his commission after killing Philip of Mansfeld in a quarrel at court on 28 May. Mathieu Moulart, abbot of Saint-Ghislain, mediated a reconciliation between Melun and his victim's father,

Peter Ernst I von Mansfeld-Vorderort Peter Ernst I von Mansfeld-Vorderort (20 July 1517 – 25 May 1604) was a Spanish Imperial army commander of German origin and Governor of the Spanish Netherlands from 1592 to 1594. Born in Heldrungen, Saxony, he was the 11th child (of 16) of ...

. As a leading member of the nobility, Melun was a signatory of the

Pacification of Ghent The Pacification of Ghent, signed on 8 November 1576, was an alliance between the provinces of the Habsburg Netherlands. The main objectives were to remove Spanish mercenaries who had made themselves hated by all sides due to their plundering, and ...

and the

Union of Brussels There were two Unions of Brussels, both formed in the end of the 1570s, in the opening stages of the Eighty Years' War, the war of secession from Spanish control, which lasted from 1568 to 1648. Brussels was at that time the capital of the Spanis ...

. He was appointed Governor of the

County of Artois The County of Artois (, ) was a historic province of the Kingdom of France, held by the Dukes of Burgundy from 1384 until 1477/82, and a state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1493 until 1659. Present Artois lies in northern France, on the border ...

in October 1576, and on 11 September 1577 general of cavalry in the forces of the States General, trying to hold a middle position in the Dutch Revolt between the rebels of Holland and Zeeland, led by

William the Silent William the Silent (24 April 153310 July 1584), also known as William the Taciturn (translated from nl, Willem de Zwijger), or, more commonly in the Netherlands, William of Orange ( nl, Willem van Oranje), was the main leader of the Dutch Re ...

, and the royal government headed by governor general

Don John of Austria John of Austria ( es, Juan, link=no, german: Johann; 24 February 1547 – 1 October 1578) was the natural son born to Holy Roman Emperor Charles V late in life when he was a widower. Charles V met his son only once, recognizing him in a secret ...

. Melun fought against royal forces in the

Battle of Gembloux (1578) The Battle of Gembloux took place at Gembloux, near Namur, Low Countries, between the Spanish forces led by Don John of Austria (''Spanish: Don Juan de Austria''),Morris p. 268 Governor-General of the Spanish Netherlands, and a rebel army compos ...

. His views on the state of affairs gradually became more royalist, in part under the influence of Mathieu Moulart, who had become

bishop of Arras The Roman Catholic Diocese of Arras (–Boulogne–Saint-Omer) (Latin: ''Dioecesis Atrebatensis (–Bononiena–Audomarensis)''; French: ''Diocèse d'Arras (–Boulogne–Saint-Omer)'') is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church i ...

in 1577. In 1578 Melun pressed the States General to reconcile with the king, and in 1579 he was among the signatories of the Treaty of Arras, by which Artois recognised the sovereignty of Philip II. Jacques Bernard, ''Recueil des traitez de paix, de trêve, de neutralité, de suspension d'armes, de confédération, d'alliance, de commerce, de garantie, et d'autres actes publics'' (The Hague, 1700), p. 421
On Google Books
/ref> He went on to serve as an officer under Peter Ernst von Mansfeld. On 10 May 1580 Melun accepted the surrender of

François de la Noue François de la Noue (1531 – August 4, 1591), called Bras-de-Fer (Iron Arm), was one of the Huguenot captains of the 16th century. He was born near Nantes in 1531, of an ancient Breton family. He served in Italy under Marshal Brissac, and in t ...

, a Huguenot commander who had become a mercenary in Dutch service, and delivered him to the Prince of Parma in Mons with great shows of civility and regard. He took part in the Siege of Bouchain (1580) and the Siege of Tournai (1581), the latter defended by his sister-in-law,

Marie-Christine de Lalaing Marie-Christine de Lalaing, or Philippe-Christine de Lalaing, was the daughter of Count Charles II of Lalaing and Marie de Montmorency-Nivelle. She was married to Pierre de Melun, the governor of Tournai. In the absence of her husband, she defe ...

, who was married to

Pierre de Melun Pierre de Melun (died 1594), prince of Espinoy, marquis of Richebourg, baron of Antoing, etc., was a nobleman in the Low Countries during the Dutch Revolt who took the side of the rebels against Philip II of Spain. Life Melun was born in the fi ...

. Robert de Melun was endowed with the lands confiscated from his brother, Pierre, who continued to support the revolt. He was also made Marquis of Roubaix, held a commission as a cavalry commander in the

Army of Flanders The Army of Flanders ( es, Ejército de Flandes nl, Leger van Vlaanderen) was a multinational army in the service of the Habsburg Spain, kings of Spain that was based in the Spanish Netherlands during the 16th to 18th centuries. It was notable for ...

, and was named a

knight of the Golden Fleece This article contains a list of knights of the Order of the Golden Fleece. Knights of the Burgundian Golden Fleece 15th Century !Year of Induction!!Name!!Born!!Died!!Notes , - , rowspan=25, 1430, , Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, , 1396, , ...

. He died on 4 April 1585, from wounds sustained during the Siege of Antwerp, before being invested as a knight of the Fleece. He and his wife, Anne de Rollin, had been childless.

References

{{Reflist {{Authority control {{DEFAULTSORT:Melun, Robert de 16th-century births 1585 deaths People of the Eighty Years' War Knights of the Golden Fleece Belgian nobility