Robert III de La Marck (1491,
Sedan, Ardennes
Sedan () is a commune in the Ardennes department and Grand Est region of north-eastern France. It is also the chef-lieu (administrative centre) of the arrondissement of the same name.
Location
The town is situated about 200 km from Paris, ...
– 1537), ''Seigneur'' of
Fleuranges Fleuranges may refer to:
* Robert III de La Marck, son of the seigneur of Fleuranges
* Florange
Florange (; Lorraine Franconian: ''Fléischengen''/''Fléschéngen''; ) is a commune in the Moselle department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. ...
, was a
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 (1 ...
and
historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the stu ...
. Self-styled "The Young Adventurer," he was one of Francis I's close companions in the last years of Louis XII's life, and remained close after Francis ascended the throne. Robert campaigned with Francis' Italian campaigns being captured at Pavia. During his imprisonment he wrote a personal history. Upon being freed, and hearing of his father's death, he set out for Amboise, but was stricken by illness and died at
Longjumeau in 1537.
Biography
Born in 1491, Robert was the son of
Robert II de la Marck;
Duke of Bouillon
The Duchy of Bouillon (french: Duché de Bouillon) was a duchy comprising Bouillon and adjacent towns and villages in present-day Belgium.
The state originated in the 10th century as property of the Lords of Bouillon, owners of Bouillon Cast ...
,
''Seigneur'' of Sedan and Fleuranges, and Catherine de Croÿ.
A fondness for military exercises displayed itself in his earliest years, and at the age of ten, Robert was sent to the court of
Louis XII
Louis XII (27 June 14621 January 1515), was King of France from 1498 to 1515 and King of Naples from 1501 to 1504. The son of Charles, Duke of Orléans, and Maria of Cleves, he succeeded his 2nd cousin once removed and brother in law at the time ...
, and placed in charge of the count of
Angoulême
Angoulême (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Engoulaeme''; oc, Engoleime) is a commune, the prefecture of the Charente department, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of southwestern France.
The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Angoumoisins'' ...
, afterwards King
Francis I. In 1510 he married a niece of the
cardinal d'Amboise,
Guillemette de Sarrebruck, but after three months he quit his home to join the French army in the Milanese. With a handful of troops Robert threw himself into
Verona, then besieged by the
Venetians; but the siege was protracted, and being impatient for more active service, he rejoined the army. He then took part in the
relief of Mirandola, besieged by the troops of
Pope Julius II
Pope Julius II ( la, Iulius II; it, Giulio II; born Giuliano della Rovere; 5 December 144321 February 1513) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1503 to his death in February 1513. Nicknamed the Warrior Pope or the ...
, and in other actions of the campaign.
In 1512 the French being driven from Italy, Robert was sent into
Flanders
Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture ...
to levy a body of 10,000 men, in command of which, under his father, he returned to
Italy in 1513, seized
Alessandria
Alessandria (; pms, Lissandria ) is a city and '' comune'' in Piedmont, Italy, and the capital of the Province of Alessandria. The city is sited on the alluvial plain between the Tanaro and the Bormida rivers, about east of Turin.
Alessandria ...
, and vigorously assailed
Novara
Novara (, Novarese: ) is the capital city of the province of Novara in the Piedmont region in northwest Italy, to the west of Milan. With 101,916 inhabitants (on 1 January 2021), it is the second most populous city in Piedmont after Turin. It is ...
. But the French were defeated, and Robert narrowly escaped with his life, having received more than forty wounds. He was rescued by his father and sent to
Vercelli
Vercelli (; pms, Vërsèj ), is a city and ''comune'' of 46,552 inhabitants (January 1, 2017) in the Province of Vercelli, Piedmont, northern Italy. One of the oldest urban sites in northern Italy, it was founded, according to most historians, a ...
, and thence to
Lyon
Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of th ...
.
Returning to Italy with Francis in 1515, Robert distinguished himself in various affairs, and especially at
Marignano
The Battle of Marignano was the last major engagement of the War of the League of Cambrai and took place on 13–14 September 1515, near the town now called Melegnano, 16 km southeast of Milan. It pitted the French army, composed of the b ...
, where he had a horse shot under him, and contributed so powerfully to the victory of the French that the king knighted him with his own hand. He next took
Cremona
Cremona (, also ; ; lmo, label=Cremunés, Cremùna; egl, Carmona) is a city and ''comune'' in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left bank of the Po (river), Po river in the middle of the ''Pianura Padana'' (Po Valley). It is the capi ...
, and was there called home by the news of his father's illness. In 1519 Robert was sent into
Germany on the difficult errand of inducing the
electors to give their votes in favor of Francis; but in this he failed. The war in Italy being rekindled, he accompanied the king there, fought at
Pavia
Pavia (, , , ; la, Ticinum; Medieval Latin: ) is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy in northern Italy, south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It has a population of c. 73,086. The city was the capit ...
(1525), and was taken prisoner with his royal master. The emperor, irritated by the defection of his father, Robert II, sent him into confinement in
Flanders
Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture ...
, where he remained for some years.
During this imprisonment he was created
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 (1 ...
. He employed his enforced leisure in writing his ''Histoire des choses mémorables advenues du règne de Louis XII et de François I, depuis 1499 jusqu'en l'an 1521''. In this work he designates himself ''Jeune Adventureux''. Within a small compass he gives many curious and interesting details of the time, writing only of what he had seen, and in a very simple but vivid style. The book was first published in 1735, by Abbé Lambert, who added historical and critical notes; and it has been reprinted in several collections.
The last occasion in which Robert was engaged in active service was at the defence of
Péronne, besieged by the
count of Nassau
The County of Nassau was a German state within the Holy Roman Empire and later part of the German Confederation. Its ruling dynasty, the male line of which is now extinct, was the House of Nassau.
Origins
Nassau, originally a county, developed ...
in 1536. In the following year he heard of his father's death, and set out from
Amboise for his estate of
La Marck; but he was seized with illness at
Longjumeau, and died there in December 1537.
Marriage
Robert married
Guillemette de Sarrebruck and had:
*
Robert IV de La Marck (1512–1556), Duke of Bouillon, Prince of Sedan and Marshal of France.
References
Sources
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Marck, Robert 03 De La
1491 births
1537 deaths
People from Sedan, Ardennes
Military leaders of the Italian Wars
Marshals of France
Dukes of Bouillon
Robert 03