The Privy Council or Secret Council (, ) was one of the highest government institutions of the Habsburg Netherlands.Paul F. State, Historical Dictionary of Brussels (2015), p. 393. Based in Brussels, it was particularly charged with legal and administrative questions.Georges Martyn, "How 'Sovereign' were the Southern Netherlands under the Archdukes?", in The Twelve Years Truce (1609): Peace, Truce, War and Law in the Low Countries at the Turn of the 17th Century, edited by Randall Lesaffer (Leiden and Boston, 2014), p. 201.

History The Council was founded on 1 October 1531 by Emperor Charles V, as one of the three "collateral councils" alongside the Council of State and Council of Finances.Geheime Raad (1531-1578), Huygens Institute for the History of the Netherlands. Accessed 3 April 2017. He prescribed a president, eight councillors, and a secretary.

Philip V of Spain abolished the council in 1702, but it was later restored by the archduchess-governess Maria Christina, Duchess of Teschen and finally abolished by the Brabant Revolution.

Personnel Presidents 1531–1540: Jean Carondelet. 1531–1540: Pieter Tayspil 1540–1548: Lodewijk van Schore 1549–1569: Viglius van Aytta 1569–1573: Charles de Tisnacq 1573–1575: Viglius van Aytta 1575–1583: Arnoud Sasbout 1587–1592: Willem van Pamele 1592–1595: Jan van der Burch 1597–1609: Jean Richardot 1614–1630: Engelbert Maes 1632–1653: Pieter Roose 1653–1671: Charles de Hovyne 1672–1684: Léon-Jean de Paepe 1684–1694: Pieter Frans Blondel 1694–1702: Albert de Coxie, baron of Moorsele. 1725–1732: Christophe-Ernest, 1st Count of Baillet 1733–1739: Jean Alphonse, 1st Count de Coloma 1739–1758: Gilles-Augustin de Steenhault

Councillors Ferdinand van Boisschot Jean Grivel Guillaume de Grysperre Antoine Reniers Louis-Alexander Scockart Willem van Steenhuys

Secretary Lodewijk Verreycken Lodewijk Frans Verreycken Albert Rubens (1614–1657)

See also Council of Brabant Council of Flanders Council of Luxembourg Council of Troubles Great Council of Mechelen Supreme Council of Flanders

References