Egmont, Lamoral, Graaf von (1522-1568)

Flemish nobleman, born in Hainault. As a servant of the Spanish crown, he defeated the French first at St Quentin in 1557 and then at Gravelines in 1558, and became stadholder (chief magistrate) of Flanders and Artois. From 1561 he opposed Philip II's religious policy in the Netherlands of persecuting Protestants, but in 1567 the Duke of Alva was sent to crush the resistance, and Egmont was beheaded. He succeeded as Count in 1541.