And with her, the illustrious house of Egmond enters into the history of the castles of Lahamaide and Zottegem (the latter is now known as the Egmontkasteel).
They are named after the Dutch town of Egmond, province of North Holland, where their ancestral castle was located.
In 1516, Francisca of Luxembourg, countess of Gavere, marries John IV of Egmont, knight in the Order of the Golden Fleece.
It was not until 1593 that the youngest son of Lamoral, count Charles II of Egmont, was able to recover part of his father's possessions, including the castles in Zottegem and Lahamaide.
In 1600, he starts to renovate the château, enriching with a double moat, gardens with fountains and a park for hunting.
The castles in Zottegem and Lahamaide fall into disrepair due to a lack of money and inadequate renovations.
On the Villaret map from 1745 to 1748, the castle with its outer bailey and surrounding moats is clearly recognizable.
On the south side, the gardens and park are geometrically strictly subdivided using continuous axes and transverse lanes.