- Count Charles of Limburg Stirum
-
Charles de Limburg Stirum
Count Charles Gaëtan Corneille Marie François-Xavier Ghislain of Limburg Stirum, GCVO, GCSG (September 15, 1906–June 14, 1989), a Count of the Holy Roman Empire and Knight of the Golden Fleece (Austrian branche), was a member of the House of Limburg-Stirum. During his life he was a Belgian Senator and Grand Master of the Royal Households of King Leopold III.
Contents
Life
Charles was born in Huldenberg, Belgium, and was the second son of Evrard Philippe, Count of Limburg Stirum (October 29, 1868 - May 8, 1938) and Louise, Baronne Gericke d'Herwijnen (April 17, 1881 - September 6, 1969). He was later adopted by his aunt, Marie of Limburg Stirum who was without descent, to inherit the castle of Bois Saint Jean in the South of Belgium.
During World War II, he fought as a captain with the Belgian panzer troops and was made prisoner by the Germans. Released, he took an active part to the armed resistance against the occupier. Bois Saint Jean became an important drop point of material and arms to the Belgian resistance. During the Von Rundstedt Offensive in winter 1944, Bois Saint Jean was overtaken by the Germans and later the castle was bombed to the ground by the US air force.
After the war, he rebuilt the castle of Bois Saint Jean, though in a different style than the original building. Charles de Limburg Stirum served as Senator, then was appointed Grand Master of the King Leopold III after King Leopold’s abdication. He held this office until 1971.
He died in Brussels.
Marriage and Descent
He married on June 13, 1932 in Křimice (Bohemia) Marie Kunigunde Princess of Lobkowicz, a daughter of Jaroslav, 11th Prince of Lobkowicz, Duke of Roudnice (March 26, 1877 - October 24, 1953) and Marie-Thérèse Countess of Beaufort-Spontin (August 6, 1885 - February 22, 1942).
They had 8 children:
- Marie, married to Gobert-Leopold Count d'Aspremont Lynden;
- Gabrielle, married to Didier Count Cornet d'Elzius du Chenoy;
- Bernard, married 1st Nathalie Countess de la Boëssiere-Thiennes; 2nd Régine Roberti;
- Emmanuel, married to Nadine Countess d'Ursel;
- Sibylle, married to Pietro del Vaglio Rosati;
- Jacqueline, married to Bonifatius Baron von Twickel;
- Jean;
- Louise, married to Engelbert Count von und zu Westerholt und Gysenberg.
Honours and awards
Belgian honours
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown
- Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold II
- Knight of the Order of Leopold
Belgian awards
- Croix de Guerre with bronze lion
- Volunteer Medal 1940-1945
- Commemorative Medal of the War 1940-1945 with crossed swords
- Prisoner of War Medal 1940-1945
- Resistance Medal 1940-1945
- Honorary Insignia of Work
Foreign honours
- Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece (Austrian Branch)
- Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (United Kingdom) (GCVO)
- Grand Cross of the Pontifical Order of St Gregory the Great (Holy See) (GCSG)
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Oak Crown (Luxembourg)
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Southern Cross (Brazil)
- Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun (Japan)
- Grand Cross of the Order of the House of Orange (Netherlands)
- Grand Cross of the Order of Merit (Austria)
- Grand Cross of the Order of Merit (Senegal)
- Commander Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Polar Star (Sweden)
- Grand Commander of the Order of the Dannebrog (Denmark)
- Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of St Olav
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Thailand
- Grand Officer of the Order of the Yugoslav Flag
Foreign awards
- French Liberation Medal
- Various foreign awards
Honorific eponyms
Ancestry
Charles's ancestors in three generations Charles de Limburg Stirum Father:
Evrard, Count of Limburg StirumPaternal Grandfather:
Thierry, Count of Limburg Stirum, SenatorPaternal Great-grandfather:
Willem Bernard, Count of Limburg StirumPaternal Great-grandmother:
Albertine de Pret Roose de CalesbergPaternal Grandmother:
Marie, Countess de Thiennes Leyenburg et de RumbekePaternal Great-grandfather:
François Joseph, Count de Thiennes Leyenburg et de Rumbeke, Chambellan of King Guillaume of The NetherlandPaternal Great-grandmother:
Asterie, Baroness de DraeckMother:
Louise, Baroness Gericke d'HerwijnenMaternal Grandfather:
Charles, Baron Gericke d'Herwijnen, Ambassador and Chambellan of the Queen of The NetherlandMaternal Great-grandfather:
Joseph (Louis), Baron Gericke d'Herwijnen, Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs and AmbassadorMaternal Great-grandmother:
Lady Elisabeth Huughe de PeutevinMaternal Grandmother:
Marie, Countess du Chastel de la HowarderieMaternal Great-grandfather:
Robert, Count du Chastel de la Howarderie, Chambellan of the King of The NetherlandMaternal Great-grandmother:
Gabrielle, Baroness de Vinck de WestweselExternal links
Categories:- House of Limburg-Stirum
- Counts of Belgium
- Belgian resistance members
- Knights of the Golden Fleece
- Order of the Oak Crown recipients
- Knights of the Order of Leopold (Belgium)
- Grand Crosses of the Order of the Crown (Belgium)
- Grand Crosses of the Order of Leopold II
- Recipients of the Croix de Guerre (Belgium)
- Recipients of the Prisoner of War Medal
- Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
- Knights of St. Gregory the Great
- Grand Crosses of the Order of the Southern Cross
- Grand Cordons of the Order of the Rising Sun
- Grand Crosses of the Order of the House of Orange
- Grand Crosses of the Order of Merit (Austria)
- Grand Crosses of the Order of Merit (Senegal)
- Commanders Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star
- Grand Crosses of the Order of the Dannebrog
- Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Thailand
- Grand Officers of the Order of the Yugoslav Flag
- Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav
- 1906 births
- 1989 deaths
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
