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Auxbrebis, originally also written as A Brebis thereafter as aux Brebis, is an old noble family name. The name has been attested as early as in the thirteenth century. They are illustrated as originating from the city of Dinant as merchants and copper beaters.

History
Auxbrebis is an old noble family, whom since the beginning of the fifteenth century and more than two hundred years was a territorial district ruling family and dynasty ironmasters. They were made members of nobility with the title of viscount. The family was based in Anseremme, a submunicipality of Dinant. During that time, Dinant as well as Liège were part of the Southern Netherlands. Dinant was also know to be an important town included in the Prince-Bishopric of Liège. Before gaining ennoblement the Auxbrebis ancestors will have contributed to their uprising status; several family members held key positions within the magistrate or were mayor of Dinant. The family was formerly known to be wealthy and powerful, although the precise role of the Auxbrebis is not well known. The family is presumed to have participated actively in the economic development of the region. Dinant was renowned for its coppersmiths known as the dinanderie industry and according to writer H. Pirenne's writings they probably covenanted with rich coppersmiths and traders with names from Dinant such as Salmier, Waudrechees and Charpentier being mentioned. Traders were known to have started their activities at several fairs such as at Champagne, Foire du Lendit (Lendit in Paris), Cologne, in the harbour of Dinant and in England.

The growing power of kings and princes in the fifteenth century is characterized by the constitution of the states. On the 26th of august 1466, after an uprising in Dinant, Charles the Bold and his father, Duke Philip the Good attacked the city to plunder and destroy it, a sad defeat for the Auxbrebis family. Subsequently, some moved to nearby villages and returned in trades such as blacksmithing, others through marriage or purchase got into higher ranking positions in the nearby villages such as Aubrives, Neuville, Wartet, Weillen and others. A few also moved as far as Antwerpen whom eventually moved to the Netherlands. Some later generations had the title of baron.

The Auxbrebis branch at Aubrives
An Auxbrebis descendants branch also left it's mark in the commune of Aubrives, due to a marriage alliance with locally known Jacques Mestallart, receveur (recipient) and Prévôt of the Barony of Hierges in the seventeenth century.

Lamoral d'Auxbrebis was known to be sieur (chief magistrate) in Aubrives.

Jehan d'Aubrebis financed the church (Saint-Maurice) of Aubrives to have it rebuild in 1642 after it had been destroyed during one of the sieges from the ford of Charlemont (Givet) in 1640. An Auxbrebis coat of arms is still visible inside the church on the ceiling.

The commune's current coat of arms contains two sheep which is representative of the Auxbrebis coat of arms which has three sheep. The name of the town Aubrives probably also derives from the name Auxbrebis.

Castles
Since the fifteenth century, castle names known to be occupied by the family are Fineval (Finnevaux), Sommière, Chaleux and Mazechal. These castles are no longer known to be in existence. From the sixteenth century, a castle-farm still partly existant known as Ferme-château d'Auxbrebis. In 1505 occupation of Château-Ferme de Samart. In the seventeenth century several generations occupied Ferme-Château de Wartet and thereafter a castle also gets built in Weillen.

Name variations
The name Auxbrebis has been written in various ways throughout the centuries, such as Brebis, a Brebis, al Brebis, aux Brebis, Auxbrebis, Aubrebis, Aubreby, d'Aubreby, d'Auxbrebis.

Litrature

 * Abbé Auguste SOUPART - Auxbrebis, famille dinantaise et mosane d'Aubrives à Liège, XIIIe-XIXe siècle. Familles notables d'Aubrives au XVIIE siècle, 2002
 * LÉON LAHAYE - Le Livre des fiefs de la prévoté de Poilvache
 * Decq - ANNUAIRE DE LA NOBLESSE DE BELGIQUE, Volume 22, 1871
 * H. PIRENNE - Universiteit Gent, Histoire de la constitution de la ville de Dinant
 * Liège et Bourgogne: actes du Colloque tenu à Liège les 28, 29 et 30 octobre 1968
 * Société Royale Sambre et Meuse - Le Guetteur Wallon p.89
 * Pierre Mardaga - Le Patrimoine monumental de la Belgique: Wallonie. Province de Namur Arrondissement de Dinant
 * Annales de la Société archéologique De Namur - Tome trente-huitieme (1927) - p.267(288), p277(298)
 * Jean Le Carpentier - Histoire généalogique des Païs-Bas ou histoire de Cambray et du Cambresis (1664) p.901
 * Archives départementales des Ardennes p.301
 * Paul Laurent - Revue historique ardennaise, Volume 2 - p.241, p247, p248
 * Inventaire sommaire des Archives départementales antérieures à 1790 - p.258

External link

 * Historical heritage - Dinant (Dutch)
 * Les maires se suivent, mais ne se ressemblent pas!
 * Robert Paris - Révolte et écrasement de la ville de Dinant rapportée par un historien tout ce qu’il y a de moins révolutionnaire ...
 * Belgian surnames: origin and meaning
 * Houyet - Tour Romane à Finnevaux
 * FINNEVAUX - Cadre historique civil
 * PHILIPPEVILLE SAMART
 * Le château-ferme et la chapelle Sainte Apolline de Wartet
 * Commune de Haybes - Madame de Cormont, entre légende et réalité....
 * Église paroissiale Saint-Maurice
 * Commemorative Auxbrebis plate (1642)
 * The descendance of "a Brebis" of Dinant