Lodewijk Verreycken (in French language sources referred to as Louis Verreycken) (1552 - 23 October 1621), Lord of Impden, Sart, Ruart, Hamme was secretary of the

Council of State A council of state is a governmental body in a country, or a subdivision of a country, with a function that varies by jurisdiction. It may be the formal name for the cabinet or it may refer to a non-executive advisory body associated with a head ...

of the Habsburg Netherlands and audiencier of the

Privy Council of the Habsburg Netherlands The Privy Council or Secret Council (, ) was one of the three "collateral councils" (along with the Council of Finance and Council of State) that together formed the highest government institutions of the Habsburg Netherlands. Based in Brussels, i ...

. He played an important role as a diplomat and emissary of the Spanish crown and the Habsburg Netherlands in various peace negotiations in Europe, including the Peace of Vervins with France and the

Twelve Years' Truce The Twelve Years' Truce was a ceasefire during the Eighty Years' War between Habsburg Spain, Spain and the Dutch Republic, agreed in Antwerp on 9 April 1609 and ended on 9 April 1621. While European powers like Kingdom of France, France began tre ...

between Spain and the

Dutch Republic The United Provinces of the Netherlands, commonly referred to in historiography as the Dutch Republic, was a confederation that existed from 1579 until the Batavian Revolution in 1795. It was a predecessor state of the present-day Netherlands ...

.Hugo de Schepper. ''Verreycken, Lodewijk / Louis ?, 1552 - Brussel, 23 oktober 1621''
at Dutch Revolt, Universiteit Leiden

Career

He was born in 1552 as the son of Pieter Verreycken and Catharina van den Daele.Lodewijk Verreycken, heer van Hamme en Impden
at geni The Verreyckens family were of humble origin, originating from the Meierij van 's-Hertogenbosch. They had climbed the social ladder, bought lordships and acquired

letters of nobility The patent of nobility, also letters of nobility (always ), or diploma of nobility documented the legal act of ennoblement (granting rights of a nobleman to a "new man" and his family). The ennoblement was an event of ultimate importance in a feuda ...

. Lodewijk's father was the former audiencier of the

. His brother-in-law Pieter dOverloepe, who had succeeded his father-in-law Pieter Verreycken had taken over from Pieter Verreycken in 1552 and remained in office until 1578. Since Lodewijk's father, Pieter Verreycken, had been appointed audiencier by

Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (24 February 1500 – 21 September 1558) was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain (as Charles I) from 1516 to 1556, and Lord of the Netherlands as titular Duke of Burgundy (as Charles II) ...

in 1538, the position would remain in the Verreycken family for more than a century and a half until 1680, a clear example of nepotism common in the government bureaucracy. Lodewijk was first appointed by

Philip II of Spain Philip II (21 May 152713 September 1598), sometimes known in Spain as Philip the Prudent (), was King of Spain from 1556, King of Portugal from 1580, and King of Naples and List of Sicilian monarchs, Sicily from 1554 until his death in 1598. He ...

on 4 May 1583, but rose to pre-eminence under Archduke Albert. Together with

Jean Richardot Jean Grusset dict Richardot, knight (1540 – 3 September 1609) was a statesman and diplomat from the Franche-Comté, who held high political office during the Dutch Revolt and played an important role in restoring Habsburg rule in the South ...

he took part in the negotiations leading to the Peace of Vervins between France and the Habsburgs. In early 1600 he undertook a peace mission to England, but without immediate result.

Rowland Whyte Rowland Whyte (died after 1626) was an Elizabethan official and businessman, whose letters provide important evidence about the latter stages of the life of Queen Elizabeth I and the transition to the rule of James I. The letters were first publis ...

described his reception at court by

Queen Elizabeth Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elisabeth or Elizabeth the Queen may refer to: Queens regnant * Elizabeth I (1533–1603; ), Queen of England and Ireland * Elizabeth II (1926–2022; ), Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms * Queen B ...

in detail. He was also a member of the delegation that negotiated the

of 1609–1621 between the Dutch Republic and the Habsburgs. He was named treasurer of the Order of the Golden Fleece in 1611, and was knighted in 1596. His son Lodewijk Frans Verreycken became 1st Baron of Bonlez.Le theatre de la noblesse du Brabant representant les erections des terres, seigneuries, & noms des personnes, & des familles titrées, les creations des chevaleries, & octroys des Marques d'Honneur & de Noblesse... / Jean François Broncaert His will is dated 12 May 1620. He died in Brussels on 23 October 1621. His tomb is in the Chapel Church.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Verreycken, Lodewijk 1552 births 1621 deaths People of the Eighty Years' War Diplomats for Spain Diplomats of the Spanish Netherlands Officers of the Order of Golden Fleece Politicians from the Habsburg Netherlands