George van Rennenberg
Encyclopedia
George de Lalaing count Rennenberg (c. 1550 – 23 July 1581), was stadtholder
of Friesland
, Groningen
, Drenthe
and Overijssel
in the service of Philip II of Spain
from 1577 to 1581. The Lalaing family came from Hainaut and had a tradition of governing. His parents were Philip de Lalaing
, count of Hoogstraten and Anna of Rennenberg.
Rennenberg (as he was known in the Netherlands) was appointed stadtholder of the Northern provinces in 1577 on a proposal from William of Orange
. He was a firm believer in the Pacification of Ghent
as a means to reconcile the rebellious Calvinists with their Catholic king. When the treaty resulted in Protestantism gaining ground, notably in Brussels
, Ghent
and Brugge
, he deserted the cause of the rebels for the king on 3 March 1580, with the support of the city of Groningen. The rest of the province remained loyal to the rebel cause. Rennenberg died at Groningen in 1581, but the city remained the scene of military action until 1594. Rennenberg's desertion polarized the Dutch population further along religious lines. Catholics would no longer be trusted with high posts.
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...
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...
, Groningen
Groningen (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...
, Drenthe
Drenthe
Drenthe is a province of the Netherlands, located in the north-east of the country. The capital city is Assen. It is bordered by Overijssel to the south, Friesland to the west, Groningen to the north, and Germany to the east.-History:Drenthe, unlike many other parts of the Netherlands, has been a...
and Overijssel
Overijssel
Overijssel is a province of the Netherlands in the central eastern part of the country. The region has a NUTS classification of NL21. The province's name means "Lands across river IJssel". The capital city of Overijssel is Zwolle and the largest city is Enschede...
in the service of Philip II of Spain
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....
from 1577 to 1581. The Lalaing family came from Hainaut and had a tradition of governing. His parents were Philip de Lalaing
Philip de Lalaing
Philip de Lalaing, 2nd count of Hoogstraten was stadtholder of Jülich and Guelders .-Life:A descendant from a noble family from Hainaut, Philip was the son of Charles I de Lalaing and Jacoba of Luxembourg. He inherited the title of count of Hoogstraten from his childless uncle Antoine de Lalaing...
, count of Hoogstraten and Anna of Rennenberg.
Rennenberg (as he was known in the Netherlands) was appointed stadtholder of the Northern provinces in 1577 on a proposal from 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...
. He was a firm believer in 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...
as a means to reconcile the rebellious Calvinists with their Catholic king. When the treaty resulted in Protestantism gaining ground, notably in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
and Brugge
Brügge
Brügge is a municipality in the district of Rendsburg-Eckernförde, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.Its small church and market square are noted for their beauty....
, he deserted the cause of the rebels for the king on 3 March 1580, with the support of the city of Groningen. The rest of the province remained loyal to the rebel cause. Rennenberg died at Groningen in 1581, but the city remained the scene of military action until 1594. Rennenberg's desertion polarized the Dutch population further along religious lines. Catholics would no longer be trusted with high posts.