Jacques Eléonor Rouxel de Grancey, Comte de Médavy (31 May 1655 – 6 November 1725) was a French military officer and
Marshal of France
Marshal of France (french: Maréchal de France, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished ( ...
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict that took place from 1701 to 1714. The death of childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700 led to a struggle for control of the Spanish Empire between his heirs, Phil ...
.
Early life
Jacques Eléonor Rouxel de Grancey, born on 31 May 1655 at
Chalancey
Chalancey () is a commune in the Haute-Marne department in north-eastern France.
See also
*Communes of the Haute-Marne department
The following is a list of the 426 communes in the French department of Haute-Marne.
The communes cooperate in ...
, was the son of Pierre Rouxel (1626-1704), Comte de Grancey and de Médavy and Henriette de La Palud. In June 1685, he married Marie-Thérèse Colbert, a niece of Jean-Baptiste Colbert; they had three daughters, all of whom died before their father. He also had an illegitimate son Claude Rouxel de Blanchelande, who served in the French military.
Between 1705 and 1725, he built the Château de Grancey-le-Château-Neuvelle on the site of an existing medieval fortress, which is still used.
Career
In 1673, at the age of 18 Médavy was enrolled in the prestigious
Garde du Corps
A ''Garde du Corps'' (French for lifeguard) is a military unit, formed of guards. A '' Garde du Corps'' was first established in France in 1445. From the 17th century onwards, the term was used in several German states and also, for example, in th ...
; he took part in numerous actions during the Nine Years' War and
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict that took place from 1701 to 1714. The death of childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700 led to a struggle for control of the Spanish Empire between his heirs, Phil ...
. He was promoted Lieutenant-General in 1702 and made
Marshal of France
Marshal of France (french: Maréchal de France, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished ( ...
in 1724, just before his death.
During the War of the Spanish Succession, he served mainly in Italy under the duc de Vendôme, taking part in most of the battles in that theatre. When Vendôme returned to France in July 1706, Médavy was left in command of Lombardy and defeated a Hessian corps at Castiglione in September.
When French forces were withdrawn from Italy under the Convention of Milan in March 1707, Médavy was given command of French forces in the occupied
County of Savoy
The County of Savoy (, ) was a State of the Holy Roman Empire which emerged, along with the free communes of Switzerland, from the collapse of the Burgundian Kingdom in the 11th century. It was the cradle of the future Savoyard state.
Histor ...
and took part in the successful defence of
Toulon
Toulon (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Tolon , , ) is a city on the French Riviera and a large port on the Mediterranean coast, with a major naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, and the Provence province, Toulon is th ...
.
In 1704, he was appointed Governor General of Argentan, a position previously held by his father; as a reward for his service in Italy, in 1707 he was also made Governor General for
Nivernais
Nivernais (, ) was a province of France, around the city of Nevers, which forms the modern department of Nièvre. It roughly coincides with the former Duchy of Nevers.Donzois and in 1714, Governor of the
Dauphiné
The Dauphiné (, ) is a former province in Southeastern France, whose area roughly corresponded to that of the present departments of Isère, Drôme and Hautes-Alpes. The Dauphiné was originally the Dauphiné of Viennois.
In the 12th centu ...
and
Provence
Provence (, , , , ; oc, Provença or ''Prouvènço'' , ) is a geographical region and historical province of southeastern France, which extends from the left bank of the lower Rhône to the west to the Italian border to the east; it is bor ...