Hij was onder meer soevereinbaljuw van het graafschap Vlaanderen in de beginperiode van de Bourgondische hertogen

Freely translated from Flemish, the explanatory text about Jacob van Lichtervelde says:

"Tomb of Jacob van Lichtervelde, knight, lord of Coolscamp (Koolskamp), Ardoie (Ardooie), Assembrouck (Assebroek) and Zwevezeele (Zwevezele), Chamberlain of the Counts of Flanders and Dukes of Burgundy.
Successively he was Bailiff of Kortrijk (1391-1394), Schout (a kind of sheriff) and Kastelein (a kind of steward of the castle) of Antwerp (1395-1397), Sovereign bailiff of Flanders (1397-1404), Councillor of Anton of Burgundy, Duke of Brabant (1404-1408), resident councillor of the Council of Flanders (1411-1421), Ambassador in England in 1416 to negotiate the trade treaties; he was councillor of the Duchess-regent Michelle de Valois (first wife of Philip the Good of Burgundy), and after her death one of the regents of the Council of Flanders (1420-1425).
Died March the 31st 1431."