Marie Joseph Charles, 6th Duke d'Ursel

Charles Joseph Marie,^[1] 6th Duke d'Ursel (Brussels, July 3, 1848 – Strombeek-Bever November 15, 1903), was a Belgian politician.

Family

Joseph, Count d'Ursel was the second son of Leo, 5th Duke d'Ursel (1805–1878), and his second wife Henriette d'Harcourt. Joseph's elder brother died before inheriting the title, Joseph became then the 6th Duke on the death of his father.

Antonine de Mun, Duchess d'Ursel

Antonine, dowager Duchess d'Ursel, painted by Philip Alexius de Laszlo

In 1872 the Duke married his own niece Antonine de Mun (1849–1931), daughter of the Marquess de Mun. She was a sister of Count Albert de Mun and born in Paris. In Belgium she became a respected artist in aristocratic circles: she did study in the atelier of Charles Joshua Chaplin and painted lots of portraits of family members and members of the Royal family. A year before her death she was honoured in own right by the Belgian King: she was rewarded and became Knight in the Order of Leopold. Recently, She was honoured with the production of an exclusive beer: the Cuvee Antonine, the artworks on the bottle are of the duchess.^[2][3]

Children

• Robert, 7th Duke d'Ursel, (1873-1955)
• Henriette d´Ursel, (1875-1934): Marr. count Henri de Boissieu.
• Pauline d´Ursel, (1880-1915)
• Wolfgang d´Ursel, (1882-1914):Luitenat of the Guides, died in Battle, Budingen 18/08/1914.^[4]

Career

He was provincial councilor, then governor of the province of Hainaut (1878) and mayor of Hingene (1878–1903). He was Governor of Hainaut during the strikes of 1886. Impressed by these events, he became like his brother-in-law Albert de Mun, more aware of social issues. He wrote a pamphlet in 1895 basing his ideas of Frederic Le Play.

When he reached the required age, he entered the Belgian Senate. He was the president of the Senate when he died prematurely.

Styles and Honours

Styles

• 1848 - 1878 : Marie Joseph Charles, Count d´Ursel.
• 1878 - 1903: His grace, the 6th Duke of Ursel and Hoboken, Prince of Arches and Charleville. Count of the Holy Empire and of Grobbendonk.

Honours

•  Belgium: Grand Officer in the Order of Leopold.^[5]
•   Vatican: Knight Grand cross in the Order of Pope Pius IX.
•  Spain: Knight Grand cross in the Order of Charles III.
•  France: Commander in the Legion of Honour.
• Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion.

See also

• Duke of Ursel

References

Further reading

• The late Duc d'Ursel.(2); Although Head of an Ancient House, He Was a Statesman of Progres- sive Ideas, The New York Times, 28 November 1903