The Life and Letters of Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, Volumes 1 and 2 — John Shaqi
The Life and Letters of Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, Volumes 1 and 2Busbecq, Ogier Ghislain de
History
The Life and Letters of Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, Volumes 1 and 2
Busbecq, Ogier Ghislain de
Busbecq, Ogier Ghislain de, 1522-1592
With regard to Maximilian’s son Philippe le Beau, Gilles Ghiselin was
in a different position. He was the child not only of Maximilian, but
also of Mary of Burgundy, and the grandson of his old master Charles
the Bold. Moreover, the early education of Philippe had been entrusted
to the neighbour, connection, and doubtless intimate friend and ally of
the Busbecqs, Jeanne de la Clite,[31] of whom mention has already been
made. She probably exercised considerable influence over the selection
of the officers of the young prince’s household, and it is not
surprising to find that Gilles Ghiselin II. filled the post of _écuyer
trenchant_.[32]
It is not probable that Philippe le Beau had like his grandfather fifty
squires to discharge the duties of this office. It is more likely that
Gilles Ghiselin II. was his sole _écuyer trenchant_, though it is
possible that he may have had one or two coadjutors.
On attaining his eighteenth year Philippe was united to Joanna the
second daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain. In its political
issues this marriage was probably the most important event of its kind
in the history of the world. Philippe was already Sovereign of the Low
Countries, as his mother’s heir; through his father he was entitled
to the reversion of the possessions of the house of Hapsburg, and had
practically a claim on the Imperial title. Joanna, on her part, was
destined to become by the death of her brother and her nephew heiress
of Spain, and to transmit not only Spain itself, but vast empires in
the western hemisphere to the descendants of this marriage.
Of Philippe and Joanna were born two sons, Charles V., the famous
Emperor, and Ferdinand, who was born in Spain, and brought up there
by his grandfather Ferdinand of Aragon, to whom his brother resigned
Austria, Styria, and the Tyrol, and who succeeded eventually to the
Imperial title. The last of these two princes specially commands
our notice, for he it was who invited young Ogier Ghiselin into
his service, and sent him first to England, and afterwards to
Constantinople.
In November 1501 Philippe and Joanna left the Netherlands for a visit
to Spain. The Count of Nassau was entrusted with the government of the
country, and with the care of their children whom they left behind
them. Their family then consisted of Charles, the future Emperor, and
his two sisters, Leonora[33] and Elizabeth.[34] Mechlin was appointed
as their residence, and an establishment was created for them, in which
the post of _premier écuyer trenchant_ was assigned to Gilles Ghiselin,
who had been the faithful servant of their father and their great
grandfather.
Gilles Ghiselin did not live to see his young master and mistresses
ascend the thrones, to which they were destined; he died in 1514, full
of years and honours.
The careers of George and Gilles Ghiselin had an important bearing on
the destinies of Ogier; his credentials to Ferdinand were the eminent
services of his grandsire and great uncle.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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