biography
| name: |
Egmont, Count Lamoral of
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Dutch Egmond, Graaf Lamoraal van
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| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1522–68)
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| biography:
| Dutch nobleman, born at La Hamaide in Hainault, 4th Count of Egmont, Lord of Purmerend, Hoogwoude, Aartswoude, Fiennes, Sotteghem, Armentieres, and Auxy, and Prince of Gavere (from 1553). One of the leading aristocrats of The Netherlands, he married Sabina, daughter of John II of Bavaria in 1544; when he had a polder drained beside the Old Maas in 1557 it was called Beijerland after her. He was made a Knight of the Golden Fleece in 1546 and had a distinguished military career under Charles V and Philip II of Spain, at St Quentin (1557) and Grevelingen (1558). He was made stadtholder of Flanders and Artois (1559) and a member of the Council of State. He opposed Granvelle's policies, and was a co-signatory, with William I of Orange, of a letter of protest of 23 July 1561 to Philip II, joining Orange and the Count of Horne in offering resignation from the Council of State if Granvelle were not recalled. In 1565 he was the envoy of the Council of State sent to Spain to explain their views personally to Philip. With Megen, stadtholder of Luxemburg, Hainault, and Gelre, he advised Margaret of Parma about the League of Nobles and the Compromise, warning her of the risk of armed revolt. After the Iconoclasm of 1566 he did not join the revolt, and immediately took the additional oaths of loyalty required by Margaret; but, having rejected Orange's advice to flee, was with Horne arrested by Alva in 1567. In spite of his rights as a knight of the Golden Fleece, he and Horne were beheaded in the Grande Place in Brussels in 1568. |
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