EGMONT, Count of Lamoral, Prince of Gene, a descendant of those dukes of Gueldera who had signalised themselves against the house of Austria, was born in 1522 in Amsterdam. The fame of his ancestors is celebrated in the annals of his country, one of whom enjoyed, during the reign of Maximilian, the supreme magistracy of Holland.
Egmont's marriage with Sabina, duchess of Bavaria, reflected additional lustre upon his noble birth, and increased his influence by powerful alliances. In the year 1546 Charles V. conferred upon him the order of the Golden Fleece. Under this emperor he learned the art of war, and, being appointed by Philip IT. commander of the cavalry, he gathered his first laurels in the fields of St. Quentin and Gravelingen (1557, 1558).
The Flemish people, chiefly occupied with commerce, and indebted for the preservation of their prosperity to these victories, were justly proud of their countryman, whose fame was spread through all Europe. The circumstances of Egmont being the father of a numerous family served also to increasers their affection, and they saw with delight the prospect of this illustrious family being perpetuated among them.
Egmont's demeanour was courteous and noble; his open counte nance wae an index of the singleness of his mind ; his life was one of mercy and philanthropy; far from being a bigoted Romanist, or a reckless reformer, he elevated himself above the contending parties, and laboured to bring about a peaceful reconciliation. It was only towards the close of his life, when all attempts to disarm the fury of the Spaniards against his Protestant countrymen had failed, that he showed himself willing to defend them against their oppressors. His motives however do not appear to have been any predilection for the Protestant doctrine, but pure love of justice, peace, and humanity.
A man possessed of such qualities, and enjoying so much popular influence, naturally awoke suspicion and jealousy in the hearts of the Spanish despots whenever the interests of the Flemish came into collision with those of the crown. Philip however, in order to conceal hia dark designs against the supposed protectors of the religion of his rebellious subjects, on visiting Brabant gave to Egmont the govern ment of Artois and Flanders, and exempted his estates from taxation. But upon his return to Madrid the tyrant changed his plans, and sent his favourite, Alva, to Flanders, with instructions to get rid of Egmont and his friend Count Horn.
In order to secure them both, Alva invited them to dinner, under the pretence of wishing to consult them on public affairs, When they had entered his private room, they were seized, and thrown into prison in Ghent, where they remained during nine months. At the
expiration of this time they were carried to Brussels under an escort of ten companies of Spanish soldiers. Hero Alva, invested with the power of captain-general and supreme judge, compelled the criminal court to pronounce Egmont guilty of high treason and rebellion, and to sentence him to be beheaded. This sentence was pronounced on the 4th of June 1568, without any substantial evidence, and was supported only by the depositions of his accusers. His estates were also confiscated. Doring his imprisonment the emperor of Germany, the knights of the Golden Fleece, the electors, the duchess of Parma, and his wife, used every possible exertion to save his life ; but Philip was immovable. The sentence was executed on the 5th of Juno 1568, and both Egmont and Horn fell by the sword of the executioner on a scaffold erected in one of the principal squares of Brussels. Egmont died with courage, after having written a dignified letter to the king and a tender one to Lis wife.
Ile was but forty-six years of age. The people, who assembled In crowds to witness this mournful spectacle, were loud in their lamenta tions; they rushed towards the scaffold and dipped their haelikcrchiefe in the blood of the martyrs of Flemish independence. His friend, Count Horn, was executed immediately after him. Egmont's wife died the 19th of June 1598. It is said that the bishop of Ypres, a moat pious and upright prelate, who had been deputed by Alva to prepare the two prisoners for their execution, after hearing the con fesaion of Egmont, was so persuaded of his innocence that lie went to Alva and beued him on his knees to suspend the execution. But Alva, besides his natural ferocity, bore a mortal enmity to Egmont on account of his military reputation. and rejected the bishop's inter cession with insolent contempt. When Philip II. heard that these two noble horde had been executed ho exclaimed, "I have caused these two heads to fall because the heads of such salmons are worth more than many thousand frog's" But the perfidy of the monarch proved to be an ill policy. The judicial murder of Egmont and Horn exasperated the people beyond all endnrance, and the revolt became general and irrepressible, and the last years of Philip were rendered miserable by the failure of all his efforts to restore his authority in the Netherlands.
The death of Egmont has supplied to G3the an admirable subject for one of the best of his historical tragedies, for which Beethoven composed one of his finest overtures and some beautiful melodies to the songs interspersed through the play.
The latest life of Egmont is that by Clouet, ifiloge historique du Comte &Egmont,' Bruxelles, 1825.