This book tells the intriguing history of how Margaretha von der Marck, ancestor of the noble house of Arenberg, succeeded in 1576 in obtaining the princely title for her county, Arenberg, in spite of the rebellion in the Spanish Netherlands. What is more, we get to know her as an entrepreneur far ahead of her time.

As a widow (!), she initiated trade relations with the most important Northern European cities in order to sell precious textiles and other treasured goods to noble families. This is why we can situate her on the demarcation between the medieval feudal regimes and the nascent capitalism of early modern Europe.