Adrianus "Adriaan" Gerhard(us) Van Damme, Prince of Brunant (7 October 1473 in Grijzestad - 22 March 1560 in Grijzestad) was a Brunanter militaryman, son of Leuvis Van Damme, brother of King Leuvis II and uncle to Anders I. He escaped from the 1533 Invasion of Rose Island where his brother died but he returned back to Brunant in 1559 where he would be executed a year later.
Biography[]
Adrianus Van Damme was born in 1473 in Grijzestad. His mother was Caroline Koch and after his father's death in 1503, he became first in the line of succession to the throne because his brother Leuvis II became the new King.
As Prince of Brunant, he was married to Juliana Helder (1477-1508), descendant of Antonio Miguel de Larria. In 1494 he became father of Gerhard, the name of Adriaan's grandfather. More children were born in the family, though Juliana died in 1508 so Adriaan married the daughter of his cousin, Amélie Van Damme. However, she could not give him children so Adrianus likely had some mistresses. With Juliana he had the following children:
- Gerhard Van Damme (1494-1568)
- Maria Van Damme (1495-1495)
- Laurentius Van Damme (1497-1502)
- Elisabeth Van Damme (1501-1542)
- Hubertina Van Damme (1501-1501)
- Eleonora Van Damme (1503-1556)
- Christianus Van Damme (1505-1518)
- Hugo Van Damme (1507-1583)
In 1533 he participated in the Invasion of Rose Island where his brother died against the Spanish troops. He escaped, together with some friends, to the countryside and later to France, moving to England. Until the Spanish activity in Brunant reduced, he stayed in northern parts of France. In 1559, in December, he came back to Brunant and discoverd most of his children died and he was directly arrested by the new King Anders I because he deserted in the Invasion almost thirty years earlier. On the 22th of March in 1560 he was executed.
In 1511 he was made Baron Van Damme by his brother Leuvis II. Even though he was considered a traitor, his son Gerhard obtained the same title. All of his descandants have died out by the 17th century. The last Baron Van Damme was Adriaan's great-great-great-grandchild Martinus Van Damme, and following his death the title passed to the King of Brunant.