Politician
Born: La Hamaide 18-11-1522
Died: Brussel 5-06-1568

Earl Lamoral of Egmont was a Flemish general and statesman. He was Fillips II's supreme commander and achieved important victories on the French. Therefore he became appointed by Fillips II as governor of Flanders and Artesia, as a member of the State Council and commander of the Spanish army in the Netherlands.

With the resistance of the aristocracy against the policy of Fillips II he formed a triumvirate with Willem van Oranje and Fillips de Montmorancy, Earl of Horne against cardinal Antoine Perrenot Granvelle. . In 1565 he made a trip to Spain to inform Philip of the great resentment felt toward his policies. After his return, when insurrections arose, Egmont took action against heretics in Flanders, indicating his submission to Philip's policies. With the arrival of Alva in the Netherlands he was caught in dubious circumstances. He was condemned to death by the Blood Council and beheaded in Brussels; this event was used to date the beginning of the revolt of the Netherlands against Spanish rule.