List of people from Mechelen

This is a list of Notable people from Mechelen, who were either born in Mechelen, or spent part of their life there.

Born in Mechelen

Before 17th century

Rembert Dodoens

• Henry Bate of Malines (1246 – after 1310) philosopher, theologian, astronomer-astrologer, poet, and musician.
• Keldermans family of sculptors and architects, including Rombout II Keldermans (14th to 16th century)
• Jan Standonck, priest and reformer, Master of the Collège de Montaigu in Paris (1454–1504)
• Johannes Varennius (1462–1536), teacher at Collegium Trilingue, wrote: SYNTAXIS LINGVUAE GRAECAE… COLONIAE Martinus Gymnicus excudebat ANNO M.D.L. ^[1]
• Gommaert van der Gracht, painter (c. 1590-1639)
• Ferry Carondelet, diplomat and abbot (1473–1528)
• Michiel Coxie, Renaissance painter and designer of engravings and tapestries (1499–1592)
• Rembert Dodoens, botanist, herbalist, and physician (1517–1585)
• Philippe de Monte, Renaissance composer (1521–1603)
• Crispin van den Broeck, painter (1523–1591)
• Alexandre Colin, sculptor (1526–1612)
• Gerhard Dorn, philosopher, translator, alchemist, physician, and bibliophile (c. 1530–1584)
• Philips van der Aa, statesman (d. 1586)
• Francis Coster, Jesuit and religious writer (1532–1619)
• Johan van der Veeken (1549-1616), wealthy shipowner, merchant, banker and cofounder of the VOC Rotterdam.
• Rinaldo del Mel, Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance (1554-c. 1598)
• François Stella (1563-1605), was a French Baroque painter ^[2]
• David Vinckboons, painter (1576–1629)
• Diego de Astor, Spanish engraver and medalist (1587–1650)

17th century until now

• Faydherbe family of mostly sculptors, including Lucas Faydherbe (16th and 17th century)
• Abraham van den Kerckhoven, organist and composer (c. 1618-c. 1701)
• Theodoor Verhaegen, sculptor (1701–1759)
• Lodewijk van Beethoven (1712–1770), Kapellmeister and grandfather of his namesake Ludwig van Beethoven
• Thomas de Paep, painter (ca. 1628-1630 – 1670)
• Jan Coxie, painter (1629 - 1670)
• Peter Franchoys, painter (1606 – 1654)
• Lucas Franchoys the Younger, painter (1616 – 1681)
• Jan Philip van Thielen, painter (1618 – 1667)
• Jean-Baptiste Debay, sculptor (1779-1863)
• Goswin de Stassart, politician (1780–1854)
• Msgr. Victor Scheppers (1802–1877), founder of the Brothers of Mercy of Mechelen and the Scheppersinstituut Mechelen.
• Egide Walschaerts, mechanical engineer (1820–1901)
• Jef Denyn, musician and founder of the Royal Carillon School (1862–1941)
• Rik Wouters, fauvist painter and sculptor (1882–1916)
• Jean-Baptiste Janssens, Superior General of the Society of Jesus (1889–1964)
• Adèle Colson, musician and first woman graduate of the Royal Carillon School (1905-1997)
• Gaston Relens, painter (1909-2011)
• Karel Verleye, co-founder of the College of Europe in Bruges (1920–2002)
• Philibert Mees, composer and pianist (1929–2006)
• Herman De Coninck, poet, essayist, journalist, and publisher (1944–1997)
• Luc Van den Brande, politician (b. 1945)
• Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, choreographer (b. 1960)
• Bart Somers, politician and mayor (b. 1964)
• Steven Defour, football player playing for Royal Antwerp F.C.
• Dirk Van de Put, businessman, incoming CEO of Mondelez International

Lived in Mechelen

Margaret of York

Viglius

• Margaret of York, Duchess of Burgundy (1446–1503)
• Pierre Alamire, music copyist, composer, instrumentalist, mining engineer, merchant, diplomat, and spy (c. 1470–1536)
• Philip the Handsome (also called "the Fair") (1478 – 1506), Duke of Burgundy and the first Habsburg King of Castile.
• Margaret of Austria, regent of the Belgium Austriacum, daughter of Maximilian I and guardian of Charles V (1480–1530)
• Mary, Eleanor and Isabella of Austria, nieces of Margaret of Austria
• John Heywood, English poet (1497-c. 1575)
• Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, born in Ghent, and brought up in Mechelen until age 17 (1500–1558)
• Anne Boleyn, future wife of English King Henry VIII (1504–1536). _^[3]
• John Clement, English humanist, tutor of Thomas More's children (16th century) ^{[4] [5]}
• Viglius, statesman and jurist (1507–1577)
• Johannes Secundus, Neo-Latin poet (1511–1536)
• Igram van Achelen, statesman (1528–1604)
• Franciscus Monachus, geographer and cosmographer (c. 1490-1565)
• François René Mallarmé, French politician in exile (1755–1835)
• Pierre François Xavier de Ram, churchman and historian (1804–1865)
• Florent Joseph Marie Willems, painter (1823–1905)
• Jean Baptiste Abbeloos, orientalist (1836–1906)
• Jules Van Nuffel, musicologist, composer, and expert on religious music (1883–1953)
• Alice Nahon, poet (1896–1933)
• Flor Peeters, composer, organist, and teacher (1903–1986)
• Alexander Rubens, Lord of Vremdyck, grandson of the painter Peter Paul.
• Maurits Sabbe, writer (1873–1938)

References

1. Wissenschaftliche Stadtbibliothek Mainz: Sign. I b 34
2. François Stella in the RKD
3. The birth date of Anne Boleyn is uncertain. From the spring of 1513 to the autumn of 1514, as daughter of a high ranked diplomat she lived either in Margarete's palace, as the later Charles Quint, if she would have been nearly his age; or just across the street in Margaret of York's palace if significantly younger. Margarete of Austria affectionately referred to Anne as "la Petite Boleyn" during a formative stage in her upbringing at the court.
4. Catholic Encyclopedia – John Clement
5. (in Dutch) De Britse eilanden in Zuidnederlandse kranten. De Mechelse ‘Courier de l’Escaut’ en het Britse culturele leven, 1790 – 1796. (Dave De Ryck). This source also mentions John Rastell, lawyer; and John Clement as Thomas More's son-in-law – confounding their relationships with More: see ref above & Wikipedia's John Rastell as son-in-law of *More + "The Jesuit, John Rastell (1532–1577), who has been frequently confounded with him, was no relation". For assuming Rastell to have lived in Mechelen, further references would be required.