Prosper Louis, 7th Duke of Arenberg

Who was Prosper Louis, 7th Duke of Arenberg?

Prosper Louis, 7th Duke of Arenberg was the Duke of Arenberg, a principality of the Holy Roman Empire. He was also the 13th Duke of Aarschot, 2nd Duke of Meppen and 2nd prince of Recklinghausen.

In 1801, Louis Engelbert, Duke of Arenberg, Prosper's father, lost the former Duchy of Arenberg on the left bank of the Rhine but received a larger duchy on the right bank in 1803.

In 1808 Arenberg married Stéphanie Tascher de La Pagerie a niece of Joséphine de Beauharnais.

His wife was given the present Hôtel de Chimay, known as the Hôtel de La Pagerie in Paris in 1808.

He was granted new lands by her husband Napoleon Bonaparte and gained the additional titles of Duke of Meppen and Prince of Recklinghausen. He lost his sovereignty over his lands in 1810 when Arenberg was mediatised into France but retain the style of HSH, which is still used by his descendant.

Arenberg was colonel of the Belgian Chevau-Légers d'Arenberg which fought in the Peninsular War and was wounded captured by the British at the Battle of Arroyo dos Molinos on 28 October 1811.