Ethnicity Belgian Place of origin Ligne in Belgium | Current region Belgium Estate Château de Belœil | |
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Prince of Ligne is a title of Belgian nobility that belongs to the House of Ligne, which goes back to the eleventh century. It owes its name to the village in which it originated, between Ath and Tournai. The lords of Ligne belonged to the entourage of the Count of Hainaut at the time of the Crusades.
The Ligne family began a progressive rise in the nobility, first as barons in the twelfth century, then counts of Fauquemberg and princes of Épinoy in the sixteenth century. Lamoral I received the titles of Prince of Ligne and Prince of the Holy Roman Empire in the early seventeenth century from Emperor Rudolf II.
Knight of the Golden Fleece
Many of the Princes de Ligne have also been Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece. The following list is of those Princes, along with their year of investiture: