Jean de Ligne, Duke of Arenberg facts for kids
Jean de Ligne, Duke of Arenberg (born around 1525 – died 1568) was an important leader. He was the Baron of Barbançon. He also started the House of Arenberg family line. From 1549 until his death, he was a stadtholder (a kind of governor) for several Dutch provinces. These included Friesland, Groningen, Drenthe, and Overijssel.
Jean de Ligne was the son of Louis de Ligne, Baron of Barbançon. His mother was Marie of Glymes. She was the Lady of Zevenbergen.
Contents
Early Life and Important Roles
Jean de Ligne was very close to Emperor Charles V. In 1546, he was made a Knight in the Order of the Golden Fleece. This was a very special award.
In 1549, he became the stadtholder for the northern Dutch provinces. This meant he was in charge of these areas for the King.
Founding a New Family Line
Jean de Ligne married Marguerite de la Marck-Arenberg. Her brother, Robert III, had no children. Because of this marriage, Jean de Ligne became the founder of the third House of Arenberg. This was a new branch of an important family.
Military Service
Jean de Ligne fought in a war in France. He showed great bravery in the Battle of St. Quentin (1557). In this battle, he helped lead the army. He and Henry V, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg led the left side of the foot soldiers. They helped in the final attack against the French army.
Loyalty and Challenges
When a rebellion started, Jean de Ligne chose to stay loyal to King Philip II of Spain. This was different from his friends, like William the Silent and Lamoral, Count of Egmont.
He faced a challenge with the spread of Protestantism in his northern provinces. However, in 1567, he managed to keep these areas loyal to the King. He did this without any fighting or bloodshed.
Final Battle and Death
Later, Jean de Ligne joined the army led by the Duke of Alva. But he disagreed with Alva about arresting Egmont and Hoorn.
When Louis and Adolf of Nassau (brothers of William I of Orange) attacked Groningen, Jean de Ligne was sent to stop them. He was killed in the Battle of Heiligerlee on May 23, 1568. Cardinal Granvelle said his death was a big loss for the Catholic faith and the King.
Jean de Ligne was first buried in the Saint Catherine Church in Zevenbergen. Later, in 1614, his remains were moved to the family burial place in Enghien.
Children
Jean de Ligne had seven children. Some of them were:
- Charles de Ligne, 2nd Prince of Arenberg (1550–1616), who took over after him.
- Margareth (1552–1611), who married Philip of Lalaing in 1569.
- Robert (1564–1614), who became the first Prince of Barbançon.
- Antonia Wilhelmina (1557–1626), who married Salentin IX of Isenburg-Grenzau in 1577. Salentin was an Archbishop but left the church to marry her.
See also
In Spanish: Juan de Ligne para niños
