Claude de Berlaymont
Encyclopedia
Claude de Berlaymont lord of Haultpenne (ca. 1550 – 14 July 1587) was a Flemish military commander in Spain
's Army of Flanders
during the Eighty Years' War.
(1510–1578) and Adriana de Ligne Barbançon. His father was a supporter and councilor to Margaret of Parma
; he is reported to have referred to the Dutch citizens requesting the Compromise of Nobles
as "geuzen
" (beggars), an appellation the Dutch proudly adopted.
He married Adrienne de Brimeu, but left no offspring. At his death, his property and honors passed to his brother, Florent.
, a Walloon area in the bishopric of Liege. His nickname is derived from the name of the castle, an elegant medieval and renaissance structure. He was a member of the council of states of the Seventeen Provinces
, and he was captured in 1576 with his father. Although he signed the Union of Brussels
, but immediately afterwards travelled to Namur, where he joined the Spanish
faction and tried to win the favour of Don John of Austria. His father died in 1578, and in 1579, his oldest brother, Gilles, killed at the Siege of Maastricht
; Claude succeeded his brother as governor of Charleville
.
In 1581 Haultpenne was sent to fight Dutch rebels in the eastern province of Friesland
, but the capture of Steenbergen
on 12 August 1583 signalled the need for his return to the Brabant
. In 1581 he led the Siege of Breda
, also known as the Haultepenne's Fury. Breda had been in the hands of William of Orange
since the Pacification of Ghent
in 1576. Haultpenne managed to enter the city by bribing a sentry, after which his troops sacked and plundered it, murdering more than 500 citizens. He defended 's-Hertogenbosch, and reconquered Lier
, Eindhoven, Nijmegen and Guelders
, after which he became its Stadtholder
from 1583–1585.
The Duke of Parma
had great confidence in Haultpenne's abilities, and sent him to the Electorate of Cologne, which was rife with disorder arising out of conflicting claims by Calvinists and Catholics to the Electorate and its possessions. In the Cologne War
, Berlaymount laid siege to Werl
in 1586,. Although Martin Schenck von Nydeggen had a force of approximately 500 men, and Berlaymount over 4000 plus horse and cannons, Schenck succeeded in fighting his way out of the city and to safety. While at Boxtel
, Haultpenne received a call for aid from 's- Hertogenbosch. On his way there, he engaged an enemy army led by Philip of Hohenlohe at a redoubt
at Engelen
, and was mortally wounded in the throat. He was taken to 's-Hertogenbosch, where he died on July 14.
Philip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
's Army of Flanders
Army of Flanders
The Army of Flanders was a Spanish Habsburg army based in the Netherlands during the 16th to 18th centuries. It was notable for being the longest standing army of the period, being in continuous service from 1567 until its disestablishment in 1706...
during the Eighty Years' War.
Family
He was the seventh and last son of count Charles de BerlaymontCharles de Berlaymont
Charles de Berlaymont was a noble who sided with the Spanish during the Eighty years war, and was a member of the Council of Troubles. He was the son of Michiel de Berlaymont and Maria de Berault. He was lord of Floyon and Haultpenne, and baron of Hierges...
(1510–1578) and Adriana de Ligne Barbançon. His father was a supporter and councilor to Margaret of Parma
Margaret of Parma
Margaret, Duchess of Parma , Governor of the Netherlands from 1559 to 1567 and from 1578 to 1582, was the illegitimate daughter of Charles V and Johanna Maria van der Gheynst...
; he is reported to have referred to the Dutch citizens requesting the Compromise of Nobles
Compromise of Nobles
The Compromise'of Nobles was a covenant of members of the lesser nobility in the Habsburg Netherlands who came together to submit a petition to the Regent Margaret of Parma on 5 April 1566, with the objective of obtaining a moderation of the placards against heresy in the Netherlands...
as "geuzen
Geuzen
Geuzen was a name assumed by the confederacy of Calvinist Dutch nobles and other malcontents, who from 1566 opposed Spanish rule in the Netherlands. The most successful group of them operated at sea, and so were called Watergeuzen...
" (beggars), an appellation the Dutch proudly adopted.
Siblings
- Gilles of Berlaymont, count of HiergesHiergesHierges is a commune in the Ardennes department in the Champagne-Ardenne region in northern France.Hierges is located in the Meuse valley along the Belgian border.-Population:-See also:*Manasses of Hierges*Héribrand II of Hierges...
, Statholder of FrieslandFrieslandFriesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands and part of the ancient region of Frisia.Until the end of 1996, the province bore Friesland as its official name. In 1997 this Dutch name lost its official status to the Frisian Fryslân...
(1572–1574 ), GueldersGueldersGuelders or Gueldres is the name of a historical county, later duchy of the Holy Roman Empire, located in the Low Countries.-Geography:...
(1572–1577), GroningenGroningen (province)Groningen [] is the northeasternmost province of the Netherlands. In the east it borders the German state of Niedersachsen , in the south Drenthe, in the west Friesland and in the north the Wadden Sea...
1572–1574. He died in the Siege of Maastricht (1579)Siege of Maastricht (1579)The Siege of Maastricht was a battle of the Eighty Years' War it lasted from March 12 - July 1, 1579. The Spanish were victorious.-Prelude:In 1579 the city of Maastricht was in the hands of the Dutch rebels. On March 12 1579 the Spanish General Alexander Farnese started to lay siege to the city...
. - John of Berlaymont, Provost of the Saint Gervais, in MaastrichtMaastrichtMaastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
, and a member of the Cathedral chapter in LiegeLiegeLiège is a municipality and a city of Belgium. The term Liège or Liege may also refer to:* Liege, a party to the oath of allegiance in feudalism .* Liège Island, in the Antarctic...
. - Charles of Berlaymont, Knight of MaltaKnights HospitallerThe Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
in 1554 - Louis of Berlaymont (? – 15 February 1596), Archbishop of Cambrai
- Lancelot of Berlaymont, Lord of Beauraing
- Florent of Berlaymont (? – 1626), Count of Berlaymont, Lord of Floyon, Knight of the Golden Fleece, Hereditary Chamberlain of Hainault, and Governor of Luxembourg.
- Claude of Berlaymont (? – 1587), Count HaultpenneHaultpenneThe Castle Haultepenne, also spelled Haultpenne, located in Gleixhe in the town of Flémalle, is a part medieval, part renaissance structure. It is known for its red brick and uniquely shaped tower. For several centuries, the castle was in the possession of a Flemish noble family, Berlaymont...
, Governor of Bréda - Marie of Berlaymont
- Adrienne of Berlaymont (? – 1582), married Johann of Brandenburg
He married Adrienne de Brimeu, but left no offspring. At his death, his property and honors passed to his brother, Florent.
Career
Claude was lord of Haultpenne in FlémalleFlémalle
Flémalle is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Liége. On January 1, 2006 Flémalle had a total population of 25,140. The total area is 36.68 km² which gives a population density of 685 inhabitants per km².-Subdivisions:...
, a Walloon area in the bishopric of Liege. His nickname is derived from the name of the castle, an elegant medieval and renaissance structure. He was a member of the council of states of the Seventeen Provinces
Seventeen Provinces
The Seventeen Provinces were a personal union of states in the Low Countries in the 15th century and 16th century, roughly covering the current Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, a good part of the North of France , and a small part of Western Germany.The Seventeen Provinces were originally held by...
, and he was captured in 1576 with his father. Although he signed the Union of Brussels
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...
, but immediately afterwards travelled to Namur, where he joined the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
faction and tried to win the favour of Don John of Austria. His father died in 1578, and in 1579, his oldest brother, Gilles, killed at the Siege of Maastricht
Siege of Maastricht (1579)
The Siege of Maastricht was a battle of the Eighty Years' War it lasted from March 12 - July 1, 1579. The Spanish were victorious.-Prelude:In 1579 the city of Maastricht was in the hands of the Dutch rebels. On March 12 1579 the Spanish General Alexander Farnese started to lay siege to the city...
; Claude succeeded his brother as governor of Charleville
Charleville
Charleville can refer to:* Charleville, County Cork, a town in Ireland**Charleville railway station**Charleville GAA**Charleville * Charleville, Queensland, a town in Australia...
.
In 1581 Haultpenne was sent to fight Dutch rebels in the eastern province of Friesland
Friesland
Friesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands and part of the ancient region of Frisia.Until the end of 1996, the province bore Friesland as its official name. In 1997 this Dutch name lost its official status to the Frisian Fryslân...
, but the capture of Steenbergen
Steenbergen
Steenbergen can mean:*Steenbergen, a town and municipality in North Brabant, the Netherlands*Steenbergen , a hamlet in the south of Drenthe, the Netherlands*Steenbergen , a hamlet in the north of Drenthe, the Netherlands...
on 12 August 1583 signalled the need for his return to the Brabant
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
. In 1581 he led the Siege of Breda
Siege of Breda (1581)
In 1581 Spanish troops under the command of Claude de Berlaymont, lord of Haultepenne, took Breda by surprise after a sentry was bribed by a follower of the king, Charles de Gavre, who was kept a prisoner at the castle...
, also known as the Haultepenne's Fury. Breda had been in the hands of William of Orange
William the Silent
William I, Prince of Orange , also widely known as William the Silent , or simply William of Orange , was the main leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish that set off the Eighty Years' War and resulted in the formal independence of the United Provinces in 1648. He was born in the House of...
since the Pacification of Ghent
Pacification of Ghent
The Pacification of Ghent, signed on November 8, 1576, was an alliance of the provinces of the Habsburg Netherlands for the purpose of driving mutinying Spanish mercenary troops from the country, and at the same time a peace treaty with the rebelling provinces Holland and Zeeland.-Background:In...
in 1576. Haultpenne managed to enter the city by bribing a sentry, after which his troops sacked and plundered it, murdering more than 500 citizens. He defended 's-Hertogenbosch, and reconquered Lier
Lier, Belgium
Lier is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises the city of Lier proper and the village of Koningshooikt. On January 1, 2010 Lier had a total population of 33,930. The total area is 49.70 km² which gives a population density of 669 inhabitants per...
, Eindhoven, Nijmegen and Guelders
Guelders
Guelders or Gueldres is the name of a historical county, later duchy of the Holy Roman Empire, located in the Low Countries.-Geography:...
, after which he became its Stadtholder
Stadtholder
A Stadtholder A Stadtholder A Stadtholder (Dutch: stadhouder [], "steward" or "lieutenant", literally place holder, holding someones place, possibly a calque of German Statthalter, French lieutenant, or Middle Latin locum tenens...
from 1583–1585.
The Duke of Parma
Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma
Alexander Farnese was Duke of Parma and Piacenza from 1586 to 1592, and Governor of the Spanish Netherlands from 1578 to 1592.-Biography:...
had great confidence in Haultpenne's abilities, and sent him to the Electorate of Cologne, which was rife with disorder arising out of conflicting claims by Calvinists and Catholics to the Electorate and its possessions. In the Cologne War
Cologne War
The Cologne War devastated the Electorate of Cologne, a historical ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire, present-day North-Rhine-Westphalia, in Germany...
, Berlaymount laid siege to Werl
Battle of Werl (1586)
The Battle of Werl occurred between 3–8 March 1586, during a month-long campaign in the Duchy of Westphalia by mercenaries fighting for the Protestant Archbishop-Prince Elector of Cologne, Gebhard Truchsess von Waldburg....
in 1586,. Although Martin Schenck von Nydeggen had a force of approximately 500 men, and Berlaymount over 4000 plus horse and cannons, Schenck succeeded in fighting his way out of the city and to safety. While at Boxtel
Boxtel
Boxtel is a municipality and a town in the southern Netherlands.This is the origin of the van Boxtel family, which has numerous descendants in North Brabant....
, Haultpenne received a call for aid from 's- Hertogenbosch. On his way there, he engaged an enemy army led by Philip of Hohenlohe at a redoubt
Redoubt
A redoubt is a fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on earthworks, though others are constructed of stone or brick. It is meant to protect soldiers outside the main defensive line and can be a permanent structure or a...
at Engelen
Engelen
Engelen is a village in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is located in the municipality of 's-Hertogenbosch. Engelen is neighboring Vlijmen, Bokhoven and several parts of `s-Hertogenbosch.- Location and plan :...
, and was mortally wounded in the throat. He was taken to 's-Hertogenbosch, where he died on July 14.