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Charles de Ligne, 2nd Prince of Arenberg


Princely Count Charles of Arenberg, duke of Aarschot (jure uxoris), baron of Zevenbergen, knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece, (Vollenhove, 22 February 1550 – Enghien, 18 January 1616) was the second Princely Count of Arenberg and a leading aristocrat of the Habsburg Netherlands, who served as a courtier, soldier, minister and diplomat.

Charles of Arenberg was the eldest son of Jean de Ligne and Margaretha von der Mark, countess of Arenberg. As his mother was the sister and sole heiress of Robert III von der Marck-Arenberg, the marriage contract of his parents stipulated that he would bear the title, name and arms of Arenberg. On 5 March 1576, Emperor Maximilian II raised his mother and her heirs to the rank of Princely Counts, thereby promoting them to the Council of Princes of the Imperial Diet. Apart from the immediate princely county of Arenberg, the family owned extensive properties in the duchy of Brabant (the lordships of Vorselaar, Loenhout and Humbeek), the duchy of Luxembourg (the lordship of Mirwart and half of Neufchâteau) and the county of Holland (the barony of Zevenbergen and the lordships of Terschelling and Naaldwijk).


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