Louis Engelbert, 6th Duke of Arenberg

Ludwig Engelbert Marie Joseph Augustin ( born August 3, 1750 in Brussels, † March 7, 1820 ibid ) was Duke of Arenberg, Aarschot and Meppen, as well as Prince of Recklinghausen.

Ludwig Engelbert since 1778 was the last ruler of the old duchy of Arenberg in the Eifel region, which had belonged to the Holy Roman Empire. At the age of 24 he had gone blind as a result of a hunting accident. Therefore, he could not tread the usual military career in his family and turned to the arts and sciences. He was the patron of Johannes Petrus Minckeleers, a discoverer of illuminating gas and the inventor of the first working gas lamp, which at Schloss Arenberg piloted the first manned gas balloon on 21 November 1783.

By February 9, 1801, he lost by the Peace of Luneville his duchy, as the left bank of the Rhine had to be ceded to France. As a substitute, he received on 25 February 1803 the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss the Münster Office Meppen and the Electorate of Cologne county Recklinghausen awarded as the new Duchy of Arenberg - Meppen. In 1806 came the Act of Confederation nor the county Dülmen added to the Duchy.

In September 1803, he had handed over the duchy to his son Prosper Louis of Arenberg. 1806 Ludwig Engelbert was a member of the Senate Conservateur.

Family

Ludwig Engelbert was a son of the Austrian Field Marshal and Duke Karl Maria Raymond of Arenberg and Countess Luise Margarethe von der Mark and Schleiden. He was married to Louise Antoinette Josephine Candide Felicitas von Lauragais, the daughter of Count Leopold Ludwig of Lauragais. They had six children:

  • Pauline Caroline Iris (1774-1810), married to Prince Joseph Johann von Schwarzenberg (1769-1833)
  • Ludwig Engelbert (* and † 1777)
  • Prosper Louis (1785-1861), 1808-1816 married to the French Princess Stephanie de deashers de la Pagerie, a niece of the Empress Josephine
  • Philemon Paul Maria ( * 1788), honorary canon to Namur
  • Peter d' Alcantara Charles, (1790-1877), since 1828 a French duke and peer, married to Alix Marie Charlotte de Talleyrand - Perigord ( 1808-1842 ), House Talleyrand -Périgord
  • Philip Joseph (1794-1815)
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