Charles de Brimeu

Charles de Brimeu or Karel van Brimeu (* 1523, † January 7, 1572 in Zwolle ) was from 1547 Count of Megen and the last male member of the house Brimeu. His full title was in Latin: Carolus DE Brimeu marescalcus brabantiae Gubernator lucenburgiae hanoniae gelriae frisiae groningae transisalaniae etc. aurei velleris eques aos xxvi comes de megen.

He was the eldest son of Eustatius ( Eustaes ) de Brimeu, Count of Megen (* around 1474, † 1547/48 ) and Barbara van Hille. From his father he inherited the county as well as the gentlemen Humbercourt, Querrieu and Houdain, from his mother Éperlecques ( Sperleke ).

In services of the Spanish monarchy, he was inducted into the Order of the Golden Fleece in 1555. After that, he was Governor of Luxembourg (1556-1558) and Vermandois, Captain-General of Hainaut (1558-1560), funds and Zutphen (1560-1572), and Friesland, Groningen, Drenthe, Overijssel and Lingen ( 1568-1572 ).

He opposed the centralist policy of King Philip II as well as William of Orange and Lamoraal of Egmond, but only until the iconoclasm of 1566. During the subsequent Geusenaufstands he was loyal to the Spanish Crown. In 1568 he successfully defended Groningen against Louis of Nassau- Dillenburg, after he had beaten the Count of Arenberg in the Battle of Heiligerlee and now wanted to take Groningen as the basis for further actions.

Charles de Brimeu died unmarried and without issue, however, was the uncle of Maria de Brimeu (* 1550, † April 18, 1605 in Liège ), successively the wife of Lancelot de Berlaymont and (from 1580) Charles III. de Croy was on it exerted a decisive influence until 1584, he left her and went over to the Catholic faith.