Charles de Lalaing, baron and later 1st count of Lalaing, lord of Escornaix (1466 – Oudenaarde, July 18, 1525).

Charles was born as the eldest son of Joost de Lalaing, from a family of landowners from Hainaut.

Their children were: Charles was chamberlain to successively Maximilian of Austria, Philip the Fair and Charles V. On 17 November 1505 he was made a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece (17th chapter, Middelburg).

When Charles V spent six weeks at Charles of Lalaing's estates during the Siege of Tournai in 1521, he met Charles' servant Johanna van der Gheynst.

As a consequence of the brief affair that ensued, the future regent Margaret of Parma was born.