François-Charles de Velbrück

In 1759 he became grand master of the household and prime minister to Johann Theodor of Bavaria, the prince-bishop of Liège and the head of a sumptuous court.

Velbrück, who had been a conduit of French influence in Liège, lost his position at court after Johann Theodor's death in 1763 and the election of his rival, Charles-Nicolas d'Oultremont, as prince-bishop.

He tried to make changes in several areas, such as public health by setting up the Hôpital général Saint-Léonard as a place where the needy would be welcomed and assisted, a free midwifery course and establishments to combat disease.

Put in charge of executing the decree for the suppression of the Jesuits in Liège in 1773, he handed over their Collège en Isle over to his clergy in 1786 to use as a seminary.

It was later claimed that he was also a freemason, effectively a member of a Liège lodge, the Parfaite Intelligence et l'Etoile Réunies, but proof has never been produced.

The Master of this lodge, Dwelshauwers-Dery, wrote in his history of freemasonry in Liège: Après avoir fouillé nombre d'archives inconnues jusqu'ici, je n'ai trouvé aucune preuve que le Prince de Velbrück ait été franc-maçon.