Leonard du Bus de Gisignies


Leonard Pierre Joseph, Viscount du Bus de Gisignies was a soldier and politician in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Early life

He was born in Mouscron, Province of Hainaut, Belgium in 1 March 1770. He was born as Leonard Pierre Joseph Dubus, but on 14 June 1822, de Gisignies was added to his name.
He probably started to study law at Douai, but did not finish his education, because universities closed for some time during the French Revolution.

Career

He served in the French Royal Army from 1802 until 1815. On 21 September 1815, in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, he became a member of the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands for the province of West Flanders and on 20 September 1816, he was raised to Dutch nobility and was knighted in 24 November 1816, he later became its President during the meeting year from 1818 to 1819.
On 22 May 1819 he became a Viscount. He was made a commander in 20 July 1823 in the order of the Dutch Lion, and would received later on 6 July 1830 the cross in the same order.
Afterwards he had several administrative functions, first of all as Governor of the province of Antwerp in 3 April 1820 - March 1823, and from 25 March 1823 up to 9 May 1828 of the province of Zuid-Brabant.
From 4 February 1826 up to 16 January 1830 he was Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies of the Dutch East Indies, for which he received an annual wages of 200,000 Guilders, with the condition that he also retained his function of governor of Zuid-Brabant. On 9 May 1828 he was appointed as Minister of State, but after the Belgian Revolution he was removed from this office on 18 October 1830. On 6 October 1830, he bought Renesse Castle in Oostmalle from Count Clement-Wenceslas de Renesse-Breidbach and renovated the castle in Empire style.

Personal life

In 20 July 1802, he married his first wife, Marie-Catherine de Deurwaerder, who died on 23 June 1836, He had 1 daughter and 5 sons from his first marriage:
He married his second wife Marie-Antoinette van der Gracht de Fretin on 20 November 1839.

Death

He died in Oostmalle, Belgium in 31 May 1849.