Claude de Ligne, Prince de Ligne

## Claude de Ligne

Prince de Ligne, circa. 1660

**Claude, Prince de Ligne** (Claude Lamoral de Ligne; November 8th, 1618 - present) is the current *Prince de Ligne.* After the death of his elder brother, Albert-Henri, in 1641, he was thrust into the role of the *Prince of Ligne*. He was a key figure in the Burgundian Civil War and served as a Maréchal de Bourgogne on the side of Queen Christine.

## Biography

### Birth

Delivered early in the morning of November 8th, 1618, Claude Lamoral de Ligne was born to Florent, the Prince d'Amblise, and his wife, Louise de Lorraine. The young boy, born at the Ligne family seat, Château de Belœil, was the youngest of two children. The infant third in line to the Principauté de Ligne and was granted the style of *Comte de Nichin and Baron de Belœil*. His grandfather was therefore known as the Prince de Ligne.

From birth, the Comte de Nichin—informally addressed as “Lamoral”—remained at the Château de Belœil. There, he was placed in the charge of Jacqueline Le Val, the governess of the Ligne family.

### Childhood and Education

Lamoral received tutoring from Urbain Goury, a Breton scholar patronized by the Duc de Rohan, a family friend. Educated at Château de Belœil (and briefly the Château de la Ligne), Lamoral was notably proficient in linguistic and grammar studies. From Monsieur Goury, he was additionally taught arithmetic, rhetoric, and history. The artistic sector of Lamoral’s education included music (singing, harpsichord, cello, clavichord, violin, harp, and lute), painting, drawing, and dancing. He had a passion for the hunt and swordsmanship, common hobbies amongst his family.

Eventually Lamoral studied at the Université d’Orléans. It was at the university that he furthered his education in martial and political fields. Demonstrating academic excellence, his efforts in stewardship, diplomacy, and strategy were both rigorous and successful.

### Presentation

Shortly after his fifteenth birthday in 1633, Lamoral arrived in Brussels. He was presented by his elder brother.

### Death of King François

During a feast at [UNKNOWN PALACE], Queen Christine de France announced the death of her son, François de Bourgogne. This news shocked the court and everyone was asked to change into black for the following days. Precisely one week after the death of the King, the funeral took place at [UNKNOWN].

### Death of a Prince

Albert-Henri de Ligne died in battle after a flintlock wound got infected. Lamoral was told just hours after the fatal incident. He was most sad as he was the only child left of Florent de Ligne. A few weeks after mourning the now Prince had visited all his earthly lands and returned from Enghien in Belgium, he returned to the on-going Civil War as Marechal.

### Marriage

On the 17th of January 1642, set before the stark crimson and gold fabric draped Cathédrale St Michel et St Gudule, the 24 year-old Lamoral would be wed to the *Princesse Douairière de Ligne* Claire de Nassau in a grand ceremony. Ever the fashion icons of the court, he would coordinate the two to wear a matching ensemble representative of his noble family. The Prince would present his wife formally to the court of Bourgogne at their wedding reception as the *Princesse de Ligne* and *Comtesse de Clermont-en-Beauvaisis*, where she would be received as a foreign noble of noble origin.

Over the years of their marriage, it was clear that the two had grown to form the better half of each other and established a dependence on one another; the Prince would be publicly affectionate and caring for his wife, and similarly privately. Despite these shows of affection, the two would remain without a pregnancy for a good portion of almost four years; although never confirmed, it had been theorized the Prince was fearful of losing her to childbirth as what almost occurred in her initial pregnancy.

The two would finally be blessed in a child his by the title *Mademoiselle de Ligne*; despite her sex, he would be overjoyed with the birth. The incident, however, would carry various drawbacks in the marriage of the Prince and the Princesse; she would begin showing symptoms of what would be known as bipolar disorder in the modern day, causing a strain not yet seen before between the two. Throughout their marriage, it was shown the two would have a varying relationship as the Princesse became a figure of abuse towards the Prince; there were times when the two would get along, and in these times the relationship was one of passion, however there were equally times where great resentment was harbored between the two. In late 1643 however, The young Mademoiselle would die after being dropped by a servant.

#### Birth of a Son

Only a few months after the birth of the Mademoiselle, the Princesse showed signs of pregnancy. After nine long months of pregnancy, the first child was born. He was baptized as Henri-Louis-Ernest de Ligne. He was given the title [x]. The birth of the son was much celebrated by the Prince.

## Issue

### Legitimate

With his wife, Claire de Nassau, Claude had four children with two only surviving childhood:

* Henri-Louis-Ernest de Ligne (1644-)
* Louise-Marie de Ligne (1645-)
* Jean-Claude Lamoral de Ligne (1648-1652)
* Louise-Claire de Ligne (1650-)

#### Martial Positions

* **June 4th, 1633 - August 29th, 1637:** *Colonel-Général de Bourgogne*
* **August 29th, 1637 - May 1st, 1641:** *Maréchal de Bourgogne*
* **May 1st, 1641 - present:** *Maréchal-Général de Bourgogne*