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Dromo's Den
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[Up] [Dromo's Den] Anne de Montmorency Biography MONTMORENCY, An old and illustrious French family named from a village near Paris, whose members in 1327 received the title of first baron of France. The mythical founder of the house is LESBIUS (or Lisbius), who is said to have died with the martyr Dionysius; the first authentic lord of Montmorency is BOUCHARD I, who lived in the tenth century. MATTHIEW II (1189-1230) is the most famous member of the family before the sixteenth century. He was called the Great Constable. In the reign of Philip Augustus he captured Château Gaillard, in Normandy, and in 1214 helped to win the battle of Bouvines; in 1226 he defeated the Albigenses; and during the regency of Queen Blanche, the mother of Louis IX, was a powerful upholder of royal power as opposed to that of the great vassals. After Matthieu's death the family divided into two houses-the baronial branch of Montmorency and the younger line of Montmorency-Laval. The former attained the title of duke with ANNE DE MONTMORENCY (1493-1567). He was born at Chantilly and was educated with the princes of the royal blood. Becoming a soldier at an early age, he distinguished himself by his gallantry and military skill in the wars of Francis I, particularly at Melegnano (1515) , at the defense of Mézières (1521), and in the battle of La Bicocca (1522). In 1522 he was made marshal of France and in 1525 was taken prisoner with his sovereign in the battle of Pavia. He then helped to negotiate the Treaty of Madrid, and in 1526 became grand master of the royal household and Governor of Languedoc. In 1536 he repelled Charles V's attack on Marseilles, and in 1536 was made Constable of France. In this capacity he directed the foreign and domestic affairs of France for some years with energy and ability. His brusqueness of manner, however, made him an object of dislike to many; and the suspicions of the King having been aroused against him, he was suddenly banished from court in 1541. The next six years were passed in retirement on his estates, but with the accession of Henry II (q.v.) in 1547 he came again to the head of affairs, though he shared this power with Henry's mistress, Diana of Poitiers, and the family of Guise. In 1557 he commanded the French army which was defeated at Saint-Quentin (q.v.). Here he was taken prisoner, but was liberated by the treaty made at Cateau-Cambrésis between France and Spain in 1559. During the minority of Charles II Montmorency with the Duke of Guise and the Marshal Saint-André composed the famous triumvirate which resisted the influence of Catharine de' Medici in state affairs. He commanded the royal army against the Huguenots, though Coligny was his nephew. He was captured at Dreux (1562), but later gained several victories over them. In 1563 he forced the English to evacuate Havre. At the battle of Saint-Denis against the Huguenots under Condé he received a fatal wound and died in Paris on the following day, Nov. 11, 1567. The New International Encyclopaedia, Vol. XVI (New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1920) 209-210. |