AERSCHOT, PHILIPPE DE CROY, DUKE OF (1526 prince of Chimay, governor-general of Flanders, was born at Valenciennes, and inherited the estates of the ancient and wealthy family of Croy. He was appointed governor of the citadel of Antwerp when the Spanish troops withdrew in 1577. After a period of vacillation he deserted Don John towards the end of that year. Jealous of the prince of Orange, he was then the head of the party which induced the archduke Matthias (afterwards emperor) to undertake the sovereignty of the Nether lands, and soon afterwards was appointed governor of Flanders by the state council. A strong party, including the burghers of Ghent, distrusted the new governor; and Aerschot, who was taken prisoner during a riot at Ghent, was only released on promising to resign his office. He then sought to regain the favour of Philip of Spain, and having been pardoned by the king in 158o shared in the government of the Netherlands; but he refused to serve under the count of Fuentes when he became governor-gen eral in 1594, and retired to Venice, where he died on Dec. ir, 1595.
See J. L. Motley, The Rise of the Dutch Republic.