Lewis de Bruges

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Lewis de Bruges, lord of Gruuthuse (c. 1427–Bruges, 24 November 1492), also called Loys of Gruuthuse, was a Flemish knight, courtier and nobleman. He was awarded the title of Earl of Winchester by king Edward IV of England in 1472.

1 Early life
2 War
3 Councillor
4 Under Charles the Rash
5 Source

[edit] Early life

Born in (or about) 1427 as the eldest son of Lord Jean IV of Bruges, and Margriet of Steenhuyse, Lady of Avelghem, young Loys (Louis or Ludovicus) had a prosperous life ahead. Trained in the art of war and knightly combat, young Loys grew up in the wealth and luxury of Flanders' Golden Age, the fifteenth century. Taking part in the Tournament of the White Bear, held within the town of Bruges in the year 1443, Loys proved to be victorious. This victory caught the eye of the Duke of Burgundy and Count of Flanders, Philip the Good (1396-1467), who made Loys his squire and official wine server, an honorary title bestowed on only a few selected men.

As a courtier Loys followed the Duke around his expanding duchy. Meeting with the highest nobles and princes in Europe he learned the art of diplomacy and secured his place within the Burgundian court. On 19 April 1450 Loys of Gruuthuse again took part in the Tournament of the White Bear and again he gained victory.

[edit] War

Although it was the last time the young nobleman took part in the game, there was no time to get out of the armour because war was at hand. The crisis with the town of Ghent about a salt tax reached its zenith and Ghent declared open war on Philip the Good. During this Salt War Loys was appointed governor of Bruges and he proved to be a brave and loyal ally to the duke. During the winter of 1452-1453 the Salt War laid Flanders' countryside to waste, so when spring came the duke gathered his army and with all its might the Burgundian host thundered towards Ghent, Loys of Gruuthuse being one of its commanders. Loys was knighted on 23 July 1453 on the battlefield of Gavere and he was given command of the rearguard. The battle was a disaster for Ghent. Its army was destroyed and blood coloured the river Scheldt red. Loys feared the devastation of Ghent and asked the duke to spare the city of plunder. The duke's merciful answer was: "If I would destroy this city, who is going to build me one like it?!"

[edit] Councillor

After the war Loys became a trusted councillor and gained enough trust even to arrange the wedding between Charles de Charolais, the duke's son and Margaret of York, sister to the king of England. In 1455 he himself married Margaretha, countess of Borssele. Their first son, Jean V, was born in 1458. In 1461 Loys was made a Knight of the Golden Fleece. He now bore the titles of "Siege (=lord) de Bruges", prince of Steenhuijse, lord of Avelghem, Haamstede, Oostkamp, Beveren, Thielt-ten-Hove and Spiere.

Between 1463 and 1477 he held the position of lieutenant-general (or stadtholder) in The Hague as the duke’s highest official in the provinces of Holland, Zeeland and Frisia (though the latter was at that time not part of the Burgundian empire). During the winter of 1470-1471 Gruuthuse gave shelter to King Edward IV who had to flee his country during the War of the Roses. In return Edward later gave Gruuthuse the hereditary title of Earl of Winchester, a very exceptional honour for a non-Englishman.

[edit] Under Charles the Rash

Charles de Charolais, later to be known as Charles the Bold or the Rash (1433-1477), succeeded his father in 1467. Gruuthuse became his trusted councillor as well. After the duke’s untimely death on the battlefield at the gates of Nancy he also took care of Charles’ daughter Mary of Burgundy, better known as Maria the Rich. Grateful for his support in the difficult times after her father’s death she appointed him chamberlain to her young son Philip. Maria herself however already died at the age of 25 in 1482 after a tragic fall from her horse and her husband, the ambitious Maximilian I of Habsburg (1459-1519), soon clashed with the nobility and cities in Flanders as he tried to increase his power at their cost. Gruuthuse more than once came into serious conflict with the father of his protégé, the boy that was to become Duke Philip I of Castile the Handsome (1478-1506) and this has seriously clouded the last years of his life. Louis of Gruuthuse died on 24 November 1492 in his palace at Bruges. It is said that a great thunderstorm raged over the city at the time of his burial.