Simon Fizes, baron de Sauves (1535? - 27 November 1579) was a Secretary of State under

Charles IX of France Charles IX (Charles Maximilien; 27 June 1550 – 30 May 1574) was King of France from 1560 until his death in 1574. He ascended the French throne upon the death of his brother Francis II in 1560, and as such was the penultimate monarch of the ...

, and

Henry III of France Henry III (french: Henri III, né Alexandre Édouard; pl, Henryk Walezy; lt, Henrikas Valua; 19 September 1551 – 2 August 1589) was King of France from 1574 until his assassination in 1589, as well as King of Poland and Grand Duke of ...

Life

Originally from the region of

Pézenas Pézenas (; Languedocien: ''Pesenàs'') is a commune in the Hérault department in the Occitanie region in southern France. Name The name "Pézenas" is derived from the older name ''Piscenae'', probably from the Latin word ''piscenis'', meanin ...

, he was the son of peasants taught by the church clerk, Jean de Rocoles; he became secretary to the Keeper, Jean Bertrand. In 1553, he became a Secretary of State. In 1559, he became Principal Private Secretary to Queen

Catherine de Medici Catherine de' Medici ( it, Caterina de' Medici, ; french: Catherine de Médicis, ; 13 April 1519 – 5 January 1589) was an Florentine noblewoman born into the Medici family. She was Queen of France from 1547 to 1559 by marriage to King H ...

. In 1562-1563, he accompanied the

Charles, Cardinal of Lorraine Charles de Lorraine (c. 1525 – 26 December 1574), Duke of Chevreuse, was a French Cardinal, a member of the powerful House of Guise. He was known at first as the Cardinal of Guise, and then as the second Cardinal of Lorraine, after the death o ...

at the

Council of Trent The Council of Trent ( la, Concilium Tridentinum), held between 1545 and 1563 in Trento, Trent (or Trento), now in northern Italian Peninsula, Italy, was the 19th ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. Prompted by the Protestant Reformation ...

. In 1563, he bought the land and the title of Baron de Sauve, from the bishop of

Montpellier Montpellier (, , ; oc, Montpelhièr ) is a city in southern France near the Mediterranean Sea. One of the largest urban centres in the region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania, Montpellier is the prefecture of the Departments of ...

. From 2 October 1567 to November 1579, he was Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in charge of Denmark, Sweden and Poland, where he succeeded

Florimond II Robertet, seigneur de Fresnes Florimond II Robertet de Fresne (1531–1567) was a Secretary of State to Francis II of France, and Charles IX of France. Family He was the son of Francis Robertet Bullion Secretary to Pierre de Beaujeu, Duc de Bourbon and Drill, husband of Anne ...

. In 1569, he married

Charlotte de Sauve Charlotte de Beaune Semblançay, Viscountess of Tours, Baroness de Sauve, Marquise de Noirmoutier (26 October 1551 – 30 September 1617) was a French noblewoman and a mistress of King Henry of Navarre, who later ruled as King Henry IV of France ...

, Viscountess of Tours (c. 1551 – 1617), daughter of Jacques de Beaune, Chevalier of the order of the king, gentleman of the bedchamber and chamberlain to the Duke of Anjou. On 2 January 1573, he was appointed governor of

. In 1573, Charles IX gave him all his designs on St. Bartholomew's Day massacre, charging only that he keep all the news secret for that infamous day. In August 1574, he was an envoy by

to negotiate about Piedmont, and restore contact between the new king, and queen mother. He was buried in the Church of the Celestines in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

, in a small chapel on the right side of the great altar.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sauves, Simon Fizes, baron de 1530s births 1579 deaths French Foreign Ministers 16th-century French diplomats