Louis Engelbert, 6th Duke of Arenberg

Louis Engelbert, 6th Duke of Arenberg, c.1815; byPierre Joseph Célestin François

Louis Engelbert of Arenberg(3 August 1750 inBrussels– 7 March 1820 in Brussels), nicknamedthe blind duke,was between 1778 and 1801 the sixthDuke of Arenbergand 12thDuke of Aarschot.Between 1803 and 1810 he ruled a Duchy in North-western Germany also calledDuchy of Arenberg.

He was born in Brussels as son ofCharles Marie Raymond of Arenberg,one of the most prominent nobles in theAustrian Netherlands,and Louise Margaret von der Mark und Schleide.

At the age of 24, during a hunting party, he was hit in the face by a shotgun and remained blind for the rest of his life. Unable to pursue the usual military career, he turned to science, art and music.
Under his patronage, the first manned gas-filled balloon flight in history took off from the front lawn of theArenberg Castleon 21 November 1783; the balloonist was professorJan Pieter Minckeleers.[Citation needed]

At the beginning of theFrench Revolution,he succeeded in keeping his possessions, but when Bonaparte annexed the Rhineland, he lost most of his territories. In theReichsdeputationshauptschlussof 1803 though, he was compensated withRecklinghausenandMeppen,together also named theDuchy of Arenberg.In 1810 he abdicated in favor of his sonProsper Louis.

Louis Engelbert was named senator by Napoleon and a count of theFirst French Empire.After 1815, he returned to Belgium, where the Duchy of Arenberg was restored to the family by theCongress of Vienna,be it without the sovereignty of before.

Marriage and children

Ludwig Engelbert married Louise Antoinette de Brancas-Villars, Countess ofLauragais,daughter ofLouis-Léon de Brancas, Duke of Villarsand Elisabeth-Pauline de Gand, Princess d'Isenghien. They had six children:

• Pauline (1774–1810), marriedPrince Josef Johann of Schwarzenberg(1769–1833)
• Louis Engelbert (1777)
• Prosper Louis7th Duke of Arenberg (1785–1861), his successor
• Philemon Paul Maria (1788–1844), Bishop ofNamur
• Pierre d'Alcantara Charles(1790–1877), since 1828 French Duke and Peer, married Alix Marie Charlotte ofTalleyrand-Périgord(1808–1842)
• Philipp Joseph (1794–1815)

External links

• Arenberg Foundation