The Principality of Sedan ( French: ''Principauté de Sedan'') was an independent

Protestant Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...

state centered on the

Château de Sedan Sedan Castle (french: Château de Sedan) is a castle situated in Sedan, France, Sedan, France, near the river Meuse. Covering an area of in its seven floors. History Around 1424, Eberhard II von der Mark built a manor with two towers around a ...

(now the city of Sedan) in the

Ardennes The Ardennes (french: Ardenne ; nl, Ardennen ; german: Ardennen; wa, Årdene ; lb, Ardennen ), also known as the Ardennes Forest or Forest of Ardennes, is a region of extensive forests, rough terrain, rolling hills and ridges primarily in Be ...

. It was ruled by the Prince of Sedan (''prince de Sedan''), who belonged to the noble La Marck and

La Tour d'Auvergne La Tour d'Auvergne () was a noble French dynasty. Its senior branch, extinct in 1501, held two of the last large fiefs acquired by the French crown, the counties of Auvergne and Boulogne, for about half a century. Its cadet branch, extinct in 1802 ...

families. The Princes of Sedan asserted and acquired recognition of their sovereignty gradually between the 1520s and 1580s by means of adopting the princely title, minting coin, legislating and signing treaties. In 1641, during the

Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (80 ...

, the Prince submitted to France and his principality was occupied the following year. In 1651 the reduced principality was exchanged for other lands in France and was annexed to the crown.

Geography

The following villages were located in the Principality of Sedan:

Illy Illycaffè S.p.A. (branded and stylised as illy) is an Italian coffee company specializing in espresso, headquartered in Trieste. Illy markets its coffee globally in silver and red pressurized, oxygen-free cans; operates a network of cafes on s ...

, Givonne,

Douzy Douzy () is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France. In September 2015 it absorbed the former commune of Mairy. Population See also *Communes of the Ardennes department The following is a list of the 449 communes of the Ar ...

Pouru-Saint-Remy Pouru-Saint-Remy () is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France. Population See also *Communes of the Ardennes department The following is a list of the 449 communes of the Ardennes department of France. The communes ...

Rubécourt-et-Lamécourt Rubécourt-et-Lamécourt () is a former commune in the Ardennes department in northern France. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the commune Bazeilles.Balan,

Fleigneux Fleigneux is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France. Population See also *Communes of the Ardennes department The following is a list of the 449 communes of the Ardennes department of France. The communes cooperate ...

, Bazeilles, La Chapelle,

La Moncelle La Moncelle () is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France. Population See also *Communes of the Ardennes department The following is a list of the 449 communes of the Ardennes department of France. The communes cooper ...

Villers-Cernay Villers-Cernay () is a former commune in the Ardennes department in northern France. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the commune Bazeilles.Raucourt-et-Flaba Raucourt-et-Flaba () is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France. Population See also *Communes of the Ardennes department The following is a list of the 449 communes of the Ardennes department of France. The communes ...

Noyers-Pont-Maugis Noyers-Pont-Maugis is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France. Population See also *Communes of the Ardennes department The following is a list of the 449 communes of the Ardennes department of France. The communes co ...

, Wadelincourt, Haraucourt, Thelonne,

Bulson Bulson () is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France. Population See also *Communes of the Ardennes department The following is a list of the 449 communes of the Ardennes department of France. The communes cooperate ...

, and Angecourt.

History

The history of Sedan begins in 1424, when Eberhard II von der Mark (1364–1440) (son of Eberhard I von der Mark and grandson of

Engelbert II of the Mark Engelbert II of the Mark (1275 – July 18, 1328) was Count of the Mark and through marriage, Count of Arenberg. Family He was the son and heir of Count Eberhard II and his wife, Irmgard of Berg. On January 25, 1299, he married Mechtilde of Are ...

, ruler of the

County of Mark The County of Mark (german: Grafschaft Mark, links=no, french: Comté de La Marck, links=no colloquially known as ) was a county and state of the Holy Roman Empire in the Lower Rhenish–Westphalian Circle. It lay on both sides of the Ruhr River ...

) began construction of the

in the vicinity of the

Benedictine Abbey , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...

of Mouzon. Erard II von der Mark was the first ruler to style himself Lord of Sedan (Fr.: ''seigneur de Sedan''). In the following years, the town of Sedan grew up in the area between the Château de Sedan and the

Meuse The Meuse ( , , , ; wa, Moûze ) or Maas ( , ; li, Maos or ) is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea from the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. It has a t ...

. In the wake of the

Protestant Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...

, Henri Robert de la Marck and his wife Françoise de Bourbon-Vendôme were attracted to the

Huguenot The Huguenots ( , also , ) were a religious group of French Protestants who held to the Reformed, or Calvinist, tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, the Genevan burgomaster Be ...

movement. In 1560, they declared Sedan's independence from the

Kingdom of France The Kingdom of France ( fro, Reaume de France; frm, Royaulme de France; french: link=yes, Royaume de France) is the historiographical name or umbrella term given to various political entities of France in the medieval and early modern period. ...

. Particularly in the wake of the 1562

Massacre of Vassy The massacre of Vassy (french: link=no, massacre de Wassy) was the murder of Huguenot worshippers and citizens in an armed action by troops of Francis, Duke of Guise, in Wassy, France, on 1 March 1562. The massacre is identified as the first maj ...

, Sedan became one of the leading refuges for French speaking Protestants. The Academy of Sedan, founded in 1579, became one of the chief Huguenot academies. With the death of Guillaume Robert de la Marck in 1588, the principality passed to his daughter,

Charlotte de La Marck Charlotte de La Marck (5 November 1574 – 15 May 1594) was a ruling Princess of Sedan and a Duchess of Bouillon in her own right between 1588 and 1594.Pierre Congar, Jean Lecaillon et Jacques Rousseau, Sedan et le pays sedanais, vingt siè ...

. In 1591, she married

Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne, vicomte de Turenne (11 September 161127 July 1675), commonly known as Turenne , was a French general and one of only six Marshals to have been promoted Marshal General of France. The most illustrious member of the ...

, who thereupon assumed her titles, becoming Prince of Sedan and Duke of

Bouillon Bouillon can refer to: Food * Bouillon (broth), a simple broth ** Court-bouillon, a quick broth * Bouillon (soup), a Haitian soup * Bouillon (restaurant), a traditional type of French restaurant **Bouillon Chartier, a bouillon restaurant foun ...

. As such, the principality passed from the

House of La Marck The House of La Marck (german: von der Mar(c)k) was a noble family, which from about 1200 appeared as the counts of Mark. History The family history started with Count Adolf I, scion of a cadet branch of the Rhenish Berg dynasty residing at A ...

to the

House of La Tour d'Auvergne La Tour d'Auvergne () was a noble French dynasty. Its senior branch, extinct in 1501, held two of the last large fiefs acquired by the French crown, the counties of Auvergne and Boulogne, for about half a century. Its cadet branch, extinct in 1802, ...

. Charlotte died childless in 1594, and the principality was ultimately inherited by Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne's son by his second marriage. Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne was accused of participating in the 1602 plot to assassinate

Henry IV of France Henry IV (french: Henri IV; 13 December 1553 – 14 May 1610), also known by the epithets Good King Henry or Henry the Great, was King of Navarre (as Henry III) from 1572 and King of France from 1589 to 1610. He was the first monarc ...

led by

Charles de Gontaut, duc de Biron Charles de Gontaut, duc de Biron (, 156231 July 1602) was a French soldier whose military achievements were accompanied by plotting to dismember France and setting himself up as ruler of an independent Burgundy. Biography He was born in Saint-Blan ...

and the 1604 intrigues involving Henry IV's former mistress,

Catherine Henriette de Balzac d'Entragues Catherine Henriette de Balzac d'Entragues, Marquise de Verneuil (1579–1633) was the favourite mistress of Henry IV of France after Gabrielle d'Estrées died: her sister Marie-Charlotte de Balzac d’Entragues was also a mistress of the king. ...

. In 1604, Henry IV declared Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne's lands forfeit to the crown of France and led an expedition to Sedan in 1606. He also participated in a 1613 noble revolt against the king. Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne's son,

Frédéric Maurice de La Tour d'Auvergne Frédéric and Frédérick are the French versions of the common male given name Frederick. They may refer to: In artistry: * Frédéric Back, Canadian award-winning animator * Frédéric Bartholdi, French sculptor * Frédéric Bazille, Impress ...

, shared his father's antipathy to royal power. In 1630, he participated in a revolt led by

Gaston, Duke of Orléans '' Monsieur'' Gaston, Duke of Orléans (Gaston Jean Baptiste; 24 April 1608 – 2 February 1660), was the third son of King Henry IV of France and his second wife, Marie de' Medici. As a son of the king, he was born a '' Fils de France''. He lat ...

. Sedan finally lost its independence during the

. In spite of a victory over French royal forces at the Battle of La Marfée, held 6 July 1641, it soon became obvious that Sedan could no longer resist the forces of

Louis XIII of France Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crown ...

. In 1642, Frédéric Maurice de La Tour d'Auvergne participated in the failed conspiracy led by

Henri Coiffier de Ruzé, Marquis of Cinq-Mars Henri Coiffier de Ruzé, Marquis of Cinq-Mars (1620 – 12 September 1642) was a favourite of King Louis XIII of France, who led the last and most nearly successful of many conspiracies against the Cardinal Richelieu, the king's powerful f ...

; in the wake of Cinq-Mars' execution, Frédéric Maurice de La Tour d'Auvergne struck a deal with Louis XIII, who agreed to spare his life and give him a commission in the French army in Italy in exchange for the relinquishment of Sedan's sovereignty. Sedan was thus annexed to the French crown in 1642. Frédéric Maurice de La Tour d'Auvergne's younger brother,

Henri de la Tour d'Auvergne, Vicomte de Turenne Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne, vicomte de Turenne (11 September 161127 July 1675), commonly known as Turenne , was a French general and one of only six Marshal of France, Marshals to have been promoted Marshal General of France. The most illustr ...

would go on to achieve fame as France's leading general. In 1709, at the request of

Lord Chancellor of France In France, under the ''Ancien Régime'', the officer of state responsible for the judiciary was the Chancellor of Francesometimes called Grand Chancellor or Lord Chancellor (french: Chancelier de France). The Chancellor was responsible for seei ...

Henri François d'Aguesseau Henri François d'Aguesseau (; 27 November 16685 February 1751) was Chancellor of France three times between 1717 and 1750 and pronounced by Voltaire to be "the most learned magistrate France ever possessed". Early life He was born in Limoges, ...

, the

Parlement of Paris The Parliament of Paris (french: Parlement de Paris) was the oldest ''parlement'' in the Kingdom of France, formed in the 14th century. It was fixed in Paris by Philip IV of France in 1302. The Parliament of Paris would hold sessions inside the ...

passed a decree reaffirming the French crown's sovereignty over Sedan.

List of rulers

Lords of Sedan, 1424–1560

Princes of Sedan, 1560–1642

Religious leaders

Protestant pastors

Guido de Bres Guido de Bres (also known as Guido de Bray,L.A. van Langeraad, ''Guido de Bray Zijn Leven en Werken'', Zierikzee: S.Ochtman en Zoon 1884 p.9, 13 Guy de Bray and Guido de Brès, 1522 – 31 May 1567) was a Walloon pastor, Protestant reformer and ...

, 1562 *

Pierre Du Moulin Pierre Du Moulin ( Latinized as Petrus Molinaeus; 16 October 1568 – 10 March 1658) was a Huguenot minister in France who also resided in England for some years. Life Born in Buhy in 1568, he was the son of Joachim Du Moulin, a Protestant minis ...

, 1621–58 *

Pierre Jurieu Pierre Jurieu (24 December 1637 – 11 January 1713) was a French Protestant leader. Life He was born at Mer, in Orléanais, where his father was a Protestant pastor. He studied at the Academy of Saumur and the Academy of Sedan under his gra ...

, 1675–81 The Princes of Sedan founded the Academy of Sedan for the training of Protestant pastors.

Protestant refugees

Nicasius le Febure Nicasius le Febure, a.k.a. Nicolas le Febure or Nicasius le Fevre or Nicolas le Fèvre (1615 - 1669), was a French chemist and alchemist who was appointed to positions by both French and English royalty. Early life Le Febure was born and educate ...

Philippe de Mornay Philippe de Mornay (5 November 1549 – 11 November 1623), seigneur du Plessis Marly, usually known as Du-Plessis-Mornay or Mornay Du Plessis, was a French Protestant writer and member of the anti-monarchist '' Monarchomaques''. Biography H ...

* Anne d'Alègre and her son

Guy XX de Laval Guy XX de Laval, François de Coligny (May 6, 1585 – December 3, 1605) was the Count of Laval (Mayenne) and Baron of Quintin. He was son of Guy XIX de Laval and Anne d'Algère. In 1588, Anne d'Algère took him to Sedan, France, Sedan so that he ...

* Elisabeth de Hauteville, wife of Odet de Coligny * the daughters of

Maximilien de Béthune, Duke of Sully Maximilien de Béthune, 1st Duke of Sully, Marquis of Rosny and Nogent, Count of Muret and Villebon, Viscount of Meaux (13 December 156022 December 1641) was a nobleman, soldier, statesman, and counselor of King Henry IV of France. Historians emp ...

* Jean Errard *

Pierre Pithou Pierre Pithou (1 November 1539 – 1 November 1596) was a French lawyer and scholar. He is also known as Petrus Pithoeus. Life He was born at Troyes. From childhood he loved literature, and his father Pierre encouraged this interest. Young ...

Louis, Count of Soissons Louis de Bourbon, Comte de Soissons (May 1604 – 6 July 1641) was the son of Charles de Bourbon, Count of Soissons and Anne de Montafié. A second cousin of Louis XIII of France he was a '' prince du Sang'', those considered part of the Roy ...

Frederick V, Elector Palatine Frederick V (german: link=no, Friedrich; 26 August 1596 – 29 November 1632) was the Elector Palatine of the Rhine in the Holy Roman Empire from 1610 to 1623, and reigned as King of Bohemia from 1619 to 1620. He was forced to abdicate both r ...

Famous burials in the Protestant church

The Protestant Princes of Sedan were buried in the Protestant church in Sedan. Burials in the church include: *

(1623) * Louis Hanau (1627) son of

Countess Catharina Belgica of Nassau Catharina Belgica of Nassau (31 July 1578 – 12 April 1648) was a countess of Hanau-Münzenberg by marriage to Philip Louis II, Count of Hanau-Münzenberg. She was regent of Hanau-Münzenberg during the minority of her son from 1612 until 1 ...

* Julienne Catherine de la Tour d'Auvergne (1637) *

Countess Elisabeth of Nassau Countess Elisabeth of Nassau (''Elisabeth Flandrika'') ( Middelburg, 26 April 1577 – Sedan, 3 September 1642) was the second daughter of prince William of Orange and his third spouse Charlotte of Bourbon, and Duchess of Bouillon by marriage t ...

(1642) * John Philip Frederick of the Palatinate (1650), son of

* Henri de Roye de La Rochefoucauld (1656),

vidame Vidame () was a feudal title in France, a term descended from mediaeval Latin . Like the ''avoué'' or ''advocatus'', the ''vidame'' was originally a secular official chosen by the bishop of the diocese—with the consent of the count—to pe ...

of Laon, son of Julienne Catherine de la Tour d'Auvergne * Guy de Roye de La Rochefoucauld (1684),

of Laon, younger son of Julienne Catherine de la Tour

Other famous residents

Bernard Palissy Bernard Palissy (c. 1510c. 1589) was a French Huguenot potter, hydraulics engineer and craftsman, famous for having struggled for sixteen years to imitate Chinese porcelain. He is best known for his so-called "rusticware", typically highly decor ...

, famous

potter A potter is someone who makes pottery. Potter may also refer to: Places United States *Potter, originally a section on the Alaska Railroad, currently a neighborhood of Anchorage, Alaska, US * Potter, Arkansas *Potter, Nebraska * Potters, New Je ...

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Prince of Sedan Former countries in Europe Geography of Ardennes (department) History of Grand Est History of Ardennes (department) States and territories established in 1560 States and territories disestablished in the 1650s Sedan, Ardennes