Anthonie Schetz

Anthonie Schetz, Baron of Grobbendonk (1564, Antwerp - 1640 or 1641, Brussels) was a military commander of Spanish and Imperial armies during the Thirty Years' War. He was baron (and from 1637 count) of Grobbendonk, lord of Tilburg and Goirle, Pulle and Pulderbos, and Wezemaal. Until 1629 he was Spain's military governor of 's-Hertogenbosch, captain of a cavalry regiment and a knight of the order of Santiago.

Early life
The son of Gaspar Schetz and Catharina d'Ursel from the noble Ursel family, he was baptised in Antwerp in August 1564. His parents had 21 children in total, of which 8 survived to adulthood. His father was from the Schetzenbergh family, a German patrician family from Schmalkalden, and he was the chief banker in Antwerp, financing several merchants such as his brothers Melchior and Balthazar, who traded to Russia and Brazil. Gaspar was also banker to Philip II of Spain, giving him a political role and making him a leading figure in the Antwerp of the second half of the 16th century.

Marriages
In 1582 Anthonie married Barbara Karremans and after her early death in 1604 he remarried to Maria van Malsen, daughter of Hubert van Malsen and heiress of Tilburg, a lordship in Goirle that through her father Hubert had been made allodial by paying the asking price of 8,000 guilders to outbid a previous lord from the related Van Haestrecht family - a century earlier it had been loaned to Joanna, Duchess of Brabant. This marriage made Antonie lord of Tilburg and Goirlie and after 1629, when 's-Hertogenbosch was handed over to the Dutch Republic, Schetz recognised the Republic as their owner and overlord.

's-Hertogenbosch
As a Catholic, Schetz joined the Catholic side and by 1589 was governor of 's-Hertogenbosch. Under his leadership the city fought off two attempts at capture by Maurice of Nassau.

Leuven
He is best remembered for his command of the Spanish army's successful defence of Leuven against an overwhelmingly superior Franco-Dutch force in 1635.