Born: 1545, France
Died: 1582
Country most active: Belgium
Also known as: Philippe-Christine de Lalaing
The following is excerpted from “400 Outstanding Women of the World and the Costumology of Their Time” by Minna Moscherosch Schmidt, published in 1933.
She was the daughter of Charles Count de Lalaing, Knight of the Golden Fleece, Captain General of Hainaut, and of Marie de Montmorency. In 1571 she married Pierre de Meleun, Prince of Espinoy, Marquis de Richebourg, Baron of Antoind and .of Werchin, hereditary Seneschal of Hainaut, one of the most zealous partisans of the General States in their fight to free the Netherlands from the oppression of Spain. While the Prince of Espinoy was absent from Tournai, the Spaniards besieged the town in 1581. Taking the place of her husband, Christine de Lelaing organized the resistance. Dressed in a cuirass and with battle-ax in hand, she took part in the battles on the ramparts.
Although wounded in the arm she continued, nevertheless, to sustain by her example and by her exhortations the courage of the defenders. The fight was terrible: the besieged defended themselves with fury, even the women and children worked without stopping to fill the gaps made by the attackers. For two months the garrison fought twenty-three battles and made twelve sorties, but the promised help did not come, the food and ammunition supplies became depleted and Tournai had to surrender. Full of admiration for her heroic defense, the Prince de Parme rendered all the honors of war to his defeated opponent. The Princess d’Espinoy came out of Tournai on her horse, at the head of the armed garrison, flag flying, while the conquerors shouted as though she were the triumphant one. Christine de Lalaing did not survive the loss of Tournai. Retiring to Antwerp, she died there and was buried near the chancel of the abbatial church of St. Michel. Her memory still lives in the city which she defended so valiantly; a boulevard has her name, her statue is on the Main Place and a painting in the city hall shows her on the fortifications during the worst of the battle.
The following is excerpted from “Female Warriors: Memorials of Female Valour and Heroism, from the Mythological Ages to the Present Era,” by Ellen C. Clayton (Mrs. Needham), published in 1879 and shared online by Project Gutenberg.
On the 26th July, 1581, the United Netherlands declared their independence, and invited the Duke of Anjou to rule over them. But, although the prince entered the country with five thousand horse and twelve thousand foot, the military genius of Alexander Farnese, the Spanish governor, together with the vacillating conduct of the Dutch themselves, frustrated all his efforts, and he was compelled to disband his forces and leave the country. The greater number of his soldiers joined the standard of the Prince d’Espinoy, governor of Tournai.
Alexander Farnese laid siege, on the 1st of October, to the important city of Tournai. In the absence of the Prince d’Espinoy, the Princess, Christine de Lalaing, took the command, and conducted the defence in a manner worthy of her distinguished relatives Count Horn and Admiral de Montmorency. The Prince of Parma summoned Tournai to surrender, but Christine gave him a defiant refusal, and set so courageous an example to the soldiers that they made a resolute defence. The princess superintended all the defences in person, and directed all the officers. She appeared daily on the walls; and in one of the assaults was wounded in the arm, though, despite this, she refused to retire till the Spaniards had been repulsed.
After a siege of two months’ duration, it became impossible to hold the place any longer. The walls were gradually undermined from without, and the fidelity of the garrison was tampered with by Father Géry, a Dominican friar. The Protestants in the city, not knowing what moment an insurrection would break out amongst the Catholic inhabitants, insisted upon surrendering the place. Christine finding herself[190] deserted by both Protestants and Catholics, obtained honourable terms, and left the city with all the honours of war, carrying all her personal property with her. Farnese, moreover, accepted one hundred thousand crowns in place of sacking the city.
As the princess passed through the gates she was received with an outburst of applause from the Spanish army, with whom she had acquired a high reputation through her courage. Parma entered the city on November 30th.
In September, 1863, a statue was raised to Christine de Lalaing in the city, which, nearly three centuries before, she had so nobly defended.