Lewis de Bruges, lord of Gruuthuse, prince of Steenhuijs (c. 1422 (some authors mention 1427) –
Bruges 24 November 1492), also called
Loys,
Louis de/of Gruuthuse or
Lodewijk van Gruuthuuse, 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
Born in (or about) 1422 as the eldest son of Lord
Jean IV of Bruges, 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. In the
Tournament of the White Bear, held in Bruges every year, Loys took part in 1443, 1444, 1447, 1448 and 1450. 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 Loys his squire and official wine server, an honorary title bestowed on only a few selected men.
As a courtier Loys 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 Loys of Gruuthuse again took part in the Tournament of the White Bear and again he won one of the prizes.
War
This was his last tournament in Bruges, but a real war now came. The crisis with the town of
Ghent about a salt tax reached its zenith and
Ghent declared open war on...
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