Enghien
Encyclopedia
Enghien is a Walloon municipality
located in the Belgian
province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006 Enghien had a total population of 11,980. The total area is 40.59 km² which gives a population density
of 295 inhabitants per km².
The municipality comprises the city of Enghien, and the towns Marcq
(Dutch: Mark) and Petit-Enghien. (Dutch: Lettelingen). It is situated on the language border in the country, and restricted language rights are granted to the Dutch speaking minority (so-called language facilities).
Enghien gave its name to a French duchy
and to the commune of Enghien-les-Bains
, a suburb of Paris, due to a complex series of family successions: in 1487, Mary of Luxembourg
(d. 1547), the only heir of Peter II of Luxembourg (d. 1482), Count
of Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise
and member of one of the branches of the House of Luxembourg
, married François de Bourbon-Vendôme
(d. 1495), the great-grandfather of King Henry IV of France
. Mary of Luxembourg brought as her dowry
the fief of Condé-en-Brie
(Aisne
département
, France) and the county
of Enghien, among others. These fiefs passed to her grandson Louis I de Bourbon, Prince de Condé
, uncle of King Henry IV of France, who started the line of the Princes of Condé
, the famous cadet branch of the French royal family.
In 1566, the county of Enghien was elevated to a duchy
-peerage
. However, the necessary registration process was not completed, so the title became extinct at the death of Louis I de Bourbon in 1569. In 1633, Henry II, Prince of Condé, grandson of Louis I de Bourbon, inherited the duchy of Montmorency
, near Paris, after the execution of Henri II de Montmorency
, brother of his wife Charlotte-Marguerite de Montmorency
. In 1689, King Louis XIV allowed Henry III, Prince of Condé, grandson of Henry II, Prince of Condé, to rename the duchy of Montmorency as "duchy of Enghien
", in memory of the duchy of Enghien which the Princes of Condé had lost in 1569 at the death of Louis I de Bourbon.
The city of Montmorency
, at the heart of the duchy, continued to be known as "Montmorency", despite the official name change, but the name "Enghien" stuck to the nearby lake and marshland that developed later as a spa resort and was incorporated as the commune of Enghien-les-Bains
in the 19th century.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
located in the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006 Enghien had a total population of 11,980. The total area is 40.59 km² which gives a population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 295 inhabitants per km².
The municipality comprises the city of Enghien, and the towns Marcq
Marcq
Marcq may refer to:In Belgium:* Mark , a river tributary of the Dender* Marcq, village and former municipality in Enghien, BelgiumIn France:* Marcq, Ardennes* Marcq, Yvelines* Marcq-en-Barœul, Nord* Marcq-en-Ostrevent, Nord...
(Dutch: Mark) and Petit-Enghien. (Dutch: Lettelingen). It is situated on the language border in the country, and restricted language rights are granted to the Dutch speaking minority (so-called language facilities).
Enghien gave its name to a French duchy
Duchy
A duchy is a territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess.Some duchies were sovereign in areas that would become unified realms only during the Modern era . In contrast, others were subordinate districts of those kingdoms that unified either partially or completely during the Medieval era...
and to the commune of Enghien-les-Bains
Enghien-les-Bains
Enghien-les-Bains is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the département of Val-d'Oise....
, a suburb of Paris, due to a complex series of family successions: in 1487, Mary of Luxembourg
Marie de Luxembourg
Marie of Luxembourg was a French noblewoman, the elder daughter and principal heiress of Pierre II de Luxembourg, Count of Saint-Pol, by Margaret, a daughter of Louis, Duke of Savoy...
(d. 1547), the only heir of Peter II of Luxembourg (d. 1482), Count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
of Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise
Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise
Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. The population of the canton is 14,939.-History:The county of Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise, usually referred to as just Saint-Pol, was originally a stronghold of the Counts of Flanders and was established as a county...
and member of one of the branches of the House of Luxembourg
House of Luxembourg
The House of Luxembourg was a late medieval German dynasty, which between 1308 and 1437 ruled the Holy Roman Empire, twice interrupted by the rivaling House of Wittelsbach.-History:...
, married François de Bourbon-Vendôme
François, Count of Vendôme
François de Bourbon was a French nobleman. He was the Count of Vendôme.He was the son of Jean VIII, Count of Vendôme, and Isabelle de Beauveau. At his father's death when he was 7, he became Count of Vendôme...
(d. 1495), the great-grandfather of King Henry IV of France
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
. Mary of Luxembourg brought as her dowry
Dowry
A dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings forth to the marriage. It contrasts with bride price, which is paid to the bride's parents, and dower, which is property settled on the bride herself by the groom at the time of marriage. The same culture may simultaneously practice both...
the fief of Condé-en-Brie
Condé-en-Brie
Condé-en-Brie is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-Population:-References:*...
(Aisne
Aisne
Aisne is a department in the northern part of France named after the Aisne River.- History :Aisne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Île-de-France, Picardie, and Champagne.Most of the old...
département
Départements of France
The departments of France are French administrative divisions. The 101 departments form one of the three levels of local government, together with the 22 metropolitan and 5 overseas regions above them and more than 36 000 communes beneath them...
, France) and the county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
of Enghien, among others. These fiefs passed to her grandson Louis I de Bourbon, Prince de Condé
Louis I de Bourbon, prince de Condé
Louis de Bourbon was a prominent Huguenot leader and general, the founder of the House of Condé, a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon.-Life:...
, uncle of King Henry IV of France, who started the line of the Princes of Condé
Prince of Condé
The Most Serene House of Condé is a historical French house, a noble lineage of descent from a single ancestor...
, the famous cadet branch of the French royal family.
In 1566, the county of Enghien was elevated to a duchy
Duchy
A duchy is a territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess.Some duchies were sovereign in areas that would become unified realms only during the Modern era . In contrast, others were subordinate districts of those kingdoms that unified either partially or completely during the Medieval era...
-peerage
Peerage of France
The Peerage of France was a distinction within the French nobility which appeared in the Middle Ages. It was abolished in 1789 during the French Revolution, but it reappeared in 1814 at the time of the Bourbon Restoration which followed the fall of the First French Empire...
. However, the necessary registration process was not completed, so the title became extinct at the death of Louis I de Bourbon in 1569. In 1633, Henry II, Prince of Condé, grandson of Louis I de Bourbon, inherited the duchy of Montmorency
Duke of Montmorency
The title of Duke of Montmorency was created several times for members of the Montmorency family, who were lords of Montmorency, near Paris.The first creation was in 1551 for Anne of Montmorency, Constable of France...
, near Paris, after the execution of Henri II de Montmorency
Henri II de Montmorency
Henri II de Montmorency was a French nobleman and military commander.Born at Chantilly, Oise, he was the son of duke Henry I, whom he succeeded in 1614, having previously been made grand admiral...
, brother of his wife Charlotte-Marguerite de Montmorency
Charlotte-Marguerite de Montmorency
Charlotte Marguerite de Montmorency was an heiress of one of France's leading ducal families, and Princess of Condé by her marriage to Henry de Bourbon. She almost became a mistress of Henry IV of France, but her husband escaped with her after the wedding.-Life:She was the daughter of Henry de...
. In 1689, King Louis XIV allowed Henry III, Prince of Condé, grandson of Henry II, Prince of Condé, to rename the duchy of Montmorency as "duchy of Enghien
Duke of Enghien
The title of Duke of Enghien may, like many noble titles, refer to any of several historical figures.-Dukes of Enghien - first creation :...
", in memory of the duchy of Enghien which the Princes of Condé had lost in 1569 at the death of Louis I de Bourbon.
The city of Montmorency
Montmorency, Val-d'Oise
Montmorency is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.Montmorency was the fief of the Montmorency family, one of the oldest and most distinguished families of the French nobility...
, at the heart of the duchy, continued to be known as "Montmorency", despite the official name change, but the name "Enghien" stuck to the nearby lake and marshland that developed later as a spa resort and was incorporated as the commune of Enghien-les-Bains
Enghien-les-Bains
Enghien-les-Bains is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the département of Val-d'Oise....
in the 19th century.