Prince Charles-Joseph De Ligne in Brussels, Belgium

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Prince Charles Joseph de Ligne was a highly respected field marshal and celebrated Belgian writer of the 18th century. A spirited soldier who traveled extensively throughout Europe, he visited Catherine the Great in St. Petersburg and was warmly received by many crowned heads of Europe. Known for his refined taste, intelligence, and wit, de Ligne charmed people all over the Western world with his charismatic personality. Describing himself as "half-Germanic, Batavian, Belgian, Teutonic, and barbaric," he embodied a true European spirit, reflecting roots in both Beloeil and Paris, Vienna, and Moscow. During his many journeys, de Ligne not only indulged in pleasures but also developed a deep interest in the people he met, particularly minorities and women, who were among his great passions. While admired by brilliant contemporaries like Voltaire and Rousseau, de Ligne despised encyclopedists and revolutionaries. He was said to have one foot in the Old Regime and the other in the New. De Ligne passed away in Vienna.