The House of Hornes was an old and important European noble family, which became extinct in the male line in 1826. The name refers to Horn, a small village in Limburg, located in the Netherlands.
History.
Lordship.
Originally, the lordship ("Heerlijkheid") of Hornes was a property of the Counts of Looz. The first mentioned is Willaume, Sire of Hornes around 1100, and Arnould, Count of Looz and Lord of Hornes and Corswarem, married to Aleydis van Diest.
Principality.
The Principality of Hornes, an enclave of Liège in the Spanish Netherlands, was created on October 16, 1677, and awarded by Charles II of Spain to Eugene Maximilian of Hornes (1631–1709), son of Count Ambrosius of Hornes. In 1736, Emperor Charles VI made Eugene Maximilian's grandson, Maximilian Emanuel, 3rd Prince of Hornes (1695–1763), an Imperial prince. Founded in the 9th century by Count Conrad I, this family's descendants intermarried with ruling dynasties of Europe. In 1514, Jacob III of Hornes had wed Claudina de Savoy and, in 1530, Anne de Bourgogne, who were extramarital descendants of, respectively, the sovereign Dukes of Savoy and of Burgundy. These titles and kinships enhanced the prestige of the House of Hornes.
The principality was close to the Duchy of Cleves and Thorn, Netherlands. The Princes of Hornes held territory in what is now Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. In addition, in France they possessed the villages of Auchy-au-Bois and Lestrem from 1722 to 1766, and Floringhem from 1774 to 1789. Hornes became allied to France, and thus suffered during the French Revolution.
Lords of Hornes-Bassignies.
A branch of the family became lords and sires of Baucigny, sometimes known since the 12th century as Bassigny, Beaucigny, Baucignies or Bussigny. Cadet descendants of the Lords of Bassignies were known as "Hornes-Bassignies". Both cadets and Lords of Bassignies married into important noble houses. The influence of the family was guaranteed by a unique familial network.
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Philippe I de Hornes, Lord of Bassignies and Gaesbeecq (1421-1488): ;br ;"married to Joanne de Lannoy".
Lords of Gaesbeecq.
Gaesbeecq was one of the most important dominiums, including the famous Gaasbeek Castle, that the family possessed for several generations. Philippe de Hornes, Baron of Bassignies, sold Gaesbeecq in 1565 to Lamoral d'Egmont, Prince of Gavre. In 1615, Sabina d'Egmont sold Gaesbeecq to René de Renesse, 1st Count of Warfusée.
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Arnold II of Hornes, Lord of Gaesbeecq (1460-1505): ;br ;"married to Marguerite de Montmorency"
Princes of Hornes-Bassignies.
Although the agnatic line of the princes of Hornes is extinct today, amongst their cognatic descendants are the current royal family of Belgium and the Duke of Ursel. Other descendants included King Michael of Romania and Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, 18th Duchess of Alba.
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Ambroise de Hornes, 2nd Count of Bassignies (1609-1656): ;br ;"married to Marguerite-Marie de Bailleul de Lesdaing"
References.
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