Louis de Gruuthuse
Louis de Bruges, Lord of Gruuthuse, Prince of Steenhuijs, Earl of Winchester (Dutch: Lodewijk van Brugge; c. 1427 – 24 November 1492), was a Flemish courtier, bibliophile, soldier and nobleman. He was awarded the title of Earl of Winchester by King Edward IV of England in 1472, and was Stadtholder of Holland and Zeeland 1462–77.
Early life[edit]
Born in 1427 as the legitimate son of Lord Jean IV of Bruges of the Gruuthuse family, and Margriet of Steenhuyse, Lady of Avelghem, young Loys (Louis or Ludovicus) was trained in the arts of war and the court in the wealth and luxury of Flanders' Golden Age. Louis de Gruuthuse took part in the Tournament of the White Bear in 1443, 1444, 1447, 1448 and 1450, where he often won one of the prizes. This caught the eye of the Duke of Burgundy and Count of Flanders, Philip the Good (1396–1467), who made Louis his squire and official wine server, an honorary title bestowed on only a few selected men.
As a courtier Louis 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 Louis de Gruuthuse again took part in the Tournament of the White Bear and again he won one of the prizes.
Councillor[edit]
After the war Louis became a trusted Councillor and was sufficiently trusted to arrange the wedding between Charles de Charolais, the duke's son and Margaret of York, sister to the king of England. In 1454 he was present at the Feast of the Pheasant in Lille. In 1455 he himself married Margaretha, lady of Borssele, of the most prominent noble family of Zeeland, related to the Scottish and French royal families and to the dukes of Burgundy. They had several children. Their first son, Jean V, was born in 1458.
In 1461 Loys was made a Knight of the Order 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 territories). During the winter of 1470–1471 Gruuthuse hosted King Edward IV, an exile from the Wars of the Roses. In return Edward later gave Gruuthuse the hereditary title of Earl of Winchester, a very exceptional honor for a non-Englishman.