Charles de Berlaymont (Namur, 1510 – Namur, 1578) was a noble who sided with the Spanish during the Eighty years war, and was a member of the Council of Troubles. He was the son of Michiel de Berlaymont and Maria de Berault. He was lord of Floyon and Haultpenne, and baron of Hierges. He was married to Adriana de Ligne Barbançon.
Their children were:
In 1553 he became stadtholder of Namur.
He was elevated to Count of Berlaymont, Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece, senior hunting master of Brabant, Flanders and Namur, member of the Council of State, Hereditary Chamberlain of finances and Bailiff of the county of Namur.
He is best known for his reply to the Compromise of Nobles in 1566. The nobles handed their petition to Regent Margaret of Parma, hoping to stop the protestant persecution. When Margaret asked who these people who offered the petition were, he supposedly answered with Ce ne sont que des geux (they are but beggars), after which the Dutch Rebels promptly adopted the name Geuzen as their own.
In 1577, he was one of the signees of the Union of Brussels, which he immediately repudiated.