Blaise de Monluc, also known as Blaise de Lasseran-Massencôme, seigneur de Monluc, (24 July 1577) was a professional soldier whose career began in 1521 and reached the rank of
marshal of France
Marshal of France (, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to General officer, generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished (1793–1804) ...
in 1574. Written between 1570 and 1576, an account of his life titled ''Commentaires de Messire Blaise de Monluc'' was published in 1592, and remains an important historical source for 16th century warfare.
Born into a family of impoverished
Gascon nobility, he rose to prominence during the
Italian Wars
The Italian Wars were a series of conflicts fought between 1494 and 1559, mostly in the Italian Peninsula, but later expanding into Flanders, the Rhineland and Mediterranean Sea. The primary belligerents were the House of Valois, Valois kings o ...
and was appointed Lieutenant-General of
Guyenne
Guyenne or Guienne ( , ; ) was an old French province which corresponded roughly to the Roman province of '' Aquitania Secunda'' and the Catholic archdiocese of Bordeaux.
Name
The name "Guyenne" comes from ''Aguyenne'', a popular transform ...
in January 1562, shortly before the outbreak of the
French Wars of Religion
The French Wars of Religion were a series of civil wars between French Catholic Church, Catholics and Protestantism, Protestants (called Huguenots) from 1562 to 1598. Between two and four million people died from violence, famine or disease di ...
. Fighting for the French crown, he soon gained a reputation as a brutal but effective commander, winning the critical
Battle of Vergt in 1562. He was badly injured in July 1570 and dismissed for alleged corruption soon after, dying at home in
Estillac
Estillac (; ) is a commune in the Lot-et-Garonne department in south-western France.
Population
File:Estillac - Château -3.JPG, Château de Monluc, Estillac
File:Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste d'Estillac 01.jpg, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church
S ...
on 24 July 1577.
Life and background
Blaise de Monluc was born between 1500 and 1502 in
Saint-Puy, eldest son of François de Lasseran-Massencômes, seigneur de Monluc, who held lands in different parts of
Gascony
Gascony (; ) was a province of the southwestern Kingdom of France that succeeded the Duchy of Gascony (602–1453). From the 17th century until the French Revolution (1789–1799), it was part of the combined Province of Guyenne and Gascon ...
, and his first wife, Françoise de Mondenard, Dame d'
Estillac
Estillac (; ) is a commune in the Lot-et-Garonne department in south-western France.
Population
File:Estillac - Château -3.JPG, Château de Monluc, Estillac
File:Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste d'Estillac 01.jpg, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church
S ...
, from whom he inherited the family chateau. Suggestions the Lasseran-Massencômes were a cadet branch of the more significant
Montesquiou family
The de Montesquiou family is a French noble family stemming from Montesquiou in Gascony whose documented filiation traces back to circa 1190. In the 18th century, the family was recognized as coming in the 11th century from the Counts of Fe ...
are disputed.
His younger full brother
Jean de Monluc
Jean de Monluc, 1508 to 12 April 1579, was a French nobleman, clergyman, diplomat and courtier. He was the second son of François de Lasseran de Massencome, a member of the Monluc family; and Françoise d' Estillac. His birthplace is unknow ...
(1508–1579) became a diplomat and subsequently
Bishop of Valence
The Diocese of Valence (–Die–Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux) (Latin: ''Dioecesis Valentinensis (–Diensis–Sancti Pauli Tricastinorum)''; French: ''Diocèse de Valence (–Die–Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux'') is a Latin Church diocese of the Cat ...
; despite his clerical status, he had a natural son, Jean de Monluc de Balagny (1545–1603), who was legitimised in 1563 and became
Marshal of France
Marshal of France (, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to General officer, generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished (1793–1804) ...
in 1594.
Their father's second marriage produced another five half-sisters and five half-brothers, of whom few details survive. One daughter Anne married François de Gélas and their younger son Charles later succeeded his uncle Jean as Bishop of Valence in 1574, while Joachim was another soldier whose pillaging of the
Dordogne
Dordogne ( , or ; ; ) is a large rural departments of France, department in south west France, with its Prefectures in France, prefecture in Périgueux. Located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region roughly half-way between the Loire Valley and ...
in 1537 was still remembered three centuries later.
Monluc also married twice, the first time to Antoinette Ysalguier (1505–1562), daughter of the Baron de Clermont. They had three daughters, Françoise, Marguerite and Marie, along with four sons, all of whom became soldiers. Three of the four died on active service; the eldest, Marc-Antoine, at
Ostia in November 1557, the second, Pierre-Bertrand (1539–1566), on an expedition to
Madeira
Madeira ( ; ), officially the Autonomous Region of Madeira (), is an autonomous Regions of Portugal, autonomous region of Portugal. It is an archipelago situated in the North Atlantic Ocean, in the region of Macaronesia, just under north of ...
, while Fabian, the youngest, died in a skirmish outside
Nogaro
Nogaro (; Gascon: ''Nogaròu'') is a commune in the Gers department, Southwestern France. It is the site of a distillery of Armagnac brandy.
Geography
The commune is bordered by six other communes: Caupenne-d'Armagnac to the northwest, ...
in June 1573. His third son Jean (1548–1581) retired after being badly wounded in 1569 and was appointed
Bishop of Condom
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Condom was a French bishopric based in Condom from 1317 to 1801.
It comprised four archdeaconries: Condom itself, Bruilhois, Villefranche and Nérac. In 1763 these totaled circa 140 parishes.
Abbey of Condom
The d ...
in 1570. Monluc's second marriage to Isabeau de Beauville produced another three daughters, Charlotte-Catherine, Suzanne and Jeanne.
Career
Italian Wars
As was then common for the sons of gentry, in 1512 Monluc entered the service of
Antoine, Duke of Lorraine
Antoine (4 June 148914 June 1544), known as the Good, was Duke of Lorraine from 1508 until his death in 1544. Raised at the French court, Antoine would campaign in Italy twice: once under Louis XII and the other with Francis I. During the G ...
as a
page
Page most commonly refers to:
* Page (paper), one side of a leaf of paper, as in a book
Page, PAGE, pages, or paging may also refer to:
Roles
* Page (assistance occupation), a professional occupation
* Page (servant), traditionally a young m ...
, before joining the ducal army at the age of 14. He later claimed to have served under
Bayard
Bayard may refer to:
People
*Bayard (given name)
* Bayard (surname)
*Pierre Terrail, seigneur de Bayard (1473–1524) French knight
Places
Antarctica
* Bayard Islands, off the coast of Graham Land, Antarctica
Canada
* Bayard, Saskatch ...
in
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
but the dates and his age make this unlikely. At the beginning of the
Four Years War in 1521, he enlisted as an
archer
Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a bow to shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat. In modern ...
in a company raised by
Lescun
Lescun () is a village and a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.
It is at an elevation of approximately in a grand cirque.
Lescun is situated on the GR 10 long-distance footpath traversing the Pyrenees ...
, a distant relative. After four years of minor skirmishes, he was captured at
Pavia
Pavia ( , ; ; ; ; ) is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, in Northern Italy, south of Milan on the lower Ticino (river), Ticino near its confluence with the Po (river), Po. It has a population of c. 73,086.
The city was a major polit ...
in 1525; a decisive French defeat, he was too poor to be worth a
ransom
Ransom refers to the practice of holding a prisoner or item to extort money or property to secure their release. It also refers to the sum of money paid by the other party to secure a captive's freedom.
When ransom means "payment", the word ...
and released. During the
War of the League of Cognac
The War of the League of Cognac (1526–1530) was fought between the Habsburg dominions of Charles V—primarily the Holy Roman Empire and Spain—and the League of Cognac, an alliance including the Kingdom of France, Pope Clement VII, the Re ...
, he fought in
Southern Italy
Southern Italy (, , or , ; ; ), also known as () or (; ; ; ), is a macroregion of Italy consisting of its southern Regions of Italy, regions.
The term "" today mostly refers to the regions that are associated with the people, lands or cultu ...
under
Lautrec, and was badly wounded at the unsuccessful
Siege of Naples in 1528.
Monluc returned home and spent the next three years serving
Henry II of Navarre
Henry II (Spanish: ''Enrique II''; Basque: ''Henrike II''; 18 April 1503 – 25 May 1555), nicknamed ''Sangüesino'' because he was born in Sangüesa, was the King of Navarre from 1517. The kingdom had been reduced to a small territory north of t ...
, before joining the "Legion de
Languedoc
The Province of Languedoc (, , ; ) is a former province of France.
Most of its territory is now contained in the modern-day region of Occitanie in Southern France. Its capital city was Toulouse. It had an area of approximately .
History
...
" in 1534, part of an attempt by
Francis I to create a national army. In the
Italian War of 1536–1538
The Italian war of 15361538 was a conflict between King Francis I of France and Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain. The objective was to achieve control over territories in Northern Italy, in particular the Duchy of Milan. The war ...
, the latest episode of the long-running conflict between Francis and
Emperor Charles V
Charles V (24 February 1500 – 21 September 1558) was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain (as Charles I) from 1516 to 1556, and Lord of the Netherlands as titular Duke of Burgundy (as Charles II) fr ...
, he helped defend
Marseille
Marseille (; ; see #Name, below) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Bouches-du-Rhône and of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region. Situated in the ...
when
Imperial troops invaded
Provence
Provence is a geographical region and historical province of southeastern France, which stretches from the left bank of the lower Rhône to the west to the France–Italy border, Italian border to the east; it is bordered by the Mediterrane ...
in 1536. He spent the next five years on garrison duty in
Piedmont
Piedmont ( ; ; ) is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the northwest Italy, Northwest of the country. It borders the Liguria region to the south, the Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna regions to the east, and the Aosta Valley region to the ...
and when the war started again in
1542
__NOTOC__
Year 1542 ( MDXLII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.
Events
January–March
* January 6 – In the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico, the Spanish colonists create the new town of Mérida.
* Jan ...
took part in the unsuccessful attack on
Perpignan
Perpignan (, , ; ; ) is the prefectures in France, prefecture of the Pyrénées-Orientales departments of France, department in Southern France, in the heart of the plain of Roussillon, at the foot of the Pyrenees a few kilometres from the Me ...
, then part of Spain. In his "Memoires", Monluc claimed it failed because his advice was ignored.
At the French victory of
Ceresole in April 1544, Monluc commanded a unit of French infantry and acted as advisor to the inexperienced
Francis, Count of Enghien. During 1545, he served under the future
Henry II of France
Henry II (; 31 March 1519 – 10 July 1559) was List of French monarchs#House of Valois-Angoulême (1515–1589), King of France from 1547 until his death in 1559. The second son of Francis I of France, Francis I and Claude of France, Claude, Du ...
in an attempt to recapture
Boulogne
Boulogne-sur-Mer (; ; ; or ''Bononia''), often called just Boulogne (, ), is a coastal city in Hauts-de-France, Northern France. It is a Subprefectures in France, sub-prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Pas-de-Calais. Boul ...
from
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...
and was promoted
colonel
Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
by the
Dauphin, then returned home to Gascony in December before the war ended with the June 1546 Treaty of Ardres. Francis died in March 1547 and was succeeded by his son Henry, who appointed Montluc governor of
Moncalieri
Moncalieri (; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) of 56,134 inhabitants (31 January 2022) about directly south of downtown Turin (to whose Metropolitan City of Turin, Metropolitan City it belongs), in Piedmont, Italy. It is the most populous suburb ...
in 1548.
In July 1550, he transferred into the service of
Brissac
Brissac (; Languedocien: ''Briçac'') is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France.
Population
Sights
*Castle (11th century), rebuilt in the early 16th century.
*Parish church of ''Saint-Nazaire et Saint-Celse'' (12th centur ...
, newly appointed French governor of Piedmont, and during the
Italian War of 1551–1559
The Italian War of 1551–1559 began when Henry II of France declared war against Holy Roman Emperor Charles V with the intent of recapturing parts of Italy and ensuring French, rather than Habsburg, domination of European affairs. The war e ...
led a vigorous defence of
Siena
Siena ( , ; traditionally spelled Sienna in English; ) is a city in Tuscany, in central Italy, and the capital of the province of Siena. It is the twelfth most populated city in the region by number of inhabitants, with a population of 52,991 ...
which surrendered in May 1555 after a siege lasting over a year. Monluc moved to the nearby town of
Montalcino
Montalcino is a hill town and ''comune'' in the province of Siena, Tuscany, central Italy.
The town is located to the west of Pienza, close to the Crete Senesi in Val d'Orcia. It is from Siena, from Florence and from Pisa. Monte Amiata is l ...
and remained in Italy until May 1558 when he returned to Flanders and took part in the
capture of Thionville; he was promoted to ''colonel-général'' of infantry and became a client of the powerful
House of Guise
The House of Guise ( , ; ; ) was a prominent French noble family that was involved heavily in the French Wars of Religion. The House of Guise was the founding house of the Principality of Joinville.
Origin
The House of Guise was founded as a c ...
. When the Italian Wars ended in April 1559 with the
Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis
The Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis in April 1559 ended the Italian Wars (1494–1559). It consisted of two separate treaties, one between England and France on 2 April, and another between France and Spain on 3 April. Although he was not a signatory ...
, Monluc was a well connected and respected military figure, while his brother Jean was a prominent diplomat and close to the Queen Mother,
Catherine de' Medici
Catherine de' Medici (, ; , ; 13 April 1519 – 5 January 1589) was an Italian Republic of Florence, Florentine noblewoman of the Medici family and Queen of France from 1547 to 1559 by marriage to Henry II of France, King Henry II. Sh ...
. One reason for signing the treaty was the growth of
Protestantism in France
Protestantism in France has existed in its various forms, starting with Calvinism and Lutheranism since the Protestant Reformation. John Calvin was a Frenchman, as were numerous other Protestant Reformers including William Farel, Pierre Viret ...
, which had exacerbated existing regional differences and factional splits within the nobility. By the 1550s, these tensions had brought France to the verge of civil war.
French Wars of Religion

Henry died in July 1559 at a
tournament
A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:
# One or more competitions held at a single venue and concen ...
held to celebrate the peace and was succeeded by his 16-year-old son
Francis II Francis II may refer to:
* Francis II, Duke of Brittany (1433–1488)
* Francesco II Gonzaga, Marquess of Mantua (1466–1519), ruler of the Italian city of Mantua
* Francis II of France (1544–1560), king of France
* Francis II, Duke of Lorraine ...
, who was dominated by Monluc's patron, the Duke of Guise. His death in December 1560 brought his ten-year-old brother
Charles IX of France
Charles IX (Charles Maximilien; 27 June 1550 – 30 May 1574) was List of French monarchs, King of France from 1560 until his death in 1574. He ascended the French throne upon the death of his brother Francis II of France, Francis II in 1560, an ...
to the throne and initiated a struggle for power between Protestants, commonly known as
Huguenots
The Huguenots ( , ; ) are a Religious denomination, religious group of French people, French Protestants who held to the Reformed (Calvinist) tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, ...
, moderate Catholics led by the Queen Mother who favoured compromise, and a more extreme faction headed by the Guise family. In January 1562, Monluc was appointed Lieutenant-General of
Guyenne
Guyenne or Guienne ( , ; ) was an old French province which corresponded roughly to the Roman province of '' Aquitania Secunda'' and the Catholic archdiocese of Bordeaux.
Name
The name "Guyenne" comes from ''Aguyenne'', a popular transform ...
, charged with restoring Royal authority in the province, and two months later the
massacre of Vassy
The Massacre of Vassy () was the murder of Huguenot worshippers and citizens in an armed action by troops of the Duke of Guise, in Wassy, France on 1 March 1562. The massacre is identified as the first major event in the French Wars of Religion. ...
led to the outbreak of the
French Wars of Religion
The French Wars of Religion were a series of civil wars between French Catholic Church, Catholics and Protestantism, Protestants (called Huguenots) from 1562 to 1598. Between two and four million people died from violence, famine or disease di ...
.
Despite being a Catholic bishop, his brother Jean de Monluc was a friend of
Calvinist
Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Protestantism, Continenta ...
theologian
Theodore Beza
Theodore Beza (; or ''de Besze''; 24 June 1519 – 13 October 1605) was a French Calvinist Protestant theologian, reformer and scholar who played an important role in the Protestant Reformation. He was a disciple of John Calvin and lived most ...
and a Protestant sympathiser who supported Huguenot leader
Condé in his request for freedom of worship. Many of Monluc's Gascon neighbours were Protestant converts but he ultimately rejected the religion. In his "Memoires", he claimed he did so because its emphasis on freedom of conscience over obedience to Royal authority made Protestantism inherently seditious, but he may also have decided his interests were better served by remaining loyal to
Francis, Duke of Guise.
By his own admission, Monluc conducted operations with great brutality, later claiming cruelty was an essential part of warfare. In the early stages of the war, he executed hundreds of Protestants, including the garrisons of
Montségur
Montségur (; Languedocien: ''Montsegur'') is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.
It is famous for its fortification, the Château de Montségur, that was built on the "pog" (mountain) on the ruins of one of the la ...
and
Terraube, and expressed regret lack of money forced him to ransom captured officers, rather than kill them. His victory at Vergt in October 1562 prevented Huguenot forces in southern France from reinforcing their colleagues north of the
Loire
The Loire ( , , ; ; ; ; ) is the longest river in France and the 171st longest in the world. With a length of , it drains , more than a fifth of France's land, while its average discharge is only half that of the Rhône.
It rises in the so ...
.
The first stage of the civil war ended with the March 1563
Edict of Amboise
The Edict of Amboise, also known as the Edict of Pacification, was signed at the Château of Amboise on 19 March 1563 by Catherine de' Medici, acting as regent for her son Charles IX of France. The Edict ended the first war of the French Wars ...
, an agreement arguably made possible by the assassination of Monluc's patron Guise outside
Orléans
Orléans (,["Orleans"](_blank)
(US) and [Confraternities
A confraternity (; ) is generally a Christian voluntary association of laypeople created for the purpose of promoting special works of Christian charity or piety, and approved by the Church hierarchy. They are most common among Catholics, L ...]
of the Holy Ghost". The four years after 1563 have been described as one of "armed peace" and Monluc focused on preparing for the resumption of hostilities, although he was replaced as Governor of Guyenne shortly before fighting began in September 1567.

The Second French War of Religion ended with the March 1568
Peace of Longjumeau
The Peace of Longjumeau (also known as the Treaty of Longjumeau or the Edict of Longjumeau) was signed on 23 March 1568 by Charles IX of France and Catherine de' Medici. The edict brought to an end the brief second war of the French Wars of Relig ...
before a third round of the conflict broke out in September after the
Edict of Saint-Maur revoked official tolerance for Protestants. Soon after, Monluc fell out with the ''
Parlement
Under the French Ancien Régime, a ''parlement'' () was a provincial appellate court of the Kingdom of France. In 1789, France had 13 ''parlements'', the original and most important of which was the ''Parlement'' of Paris. Though both th ...
de Bordeaux'' over a senior Protestant prisoner, the Marquis de la Roche-Chalais; despite a royal order requiring him to exchange the marquis for two
Bordelais councillors held by the Huguenots, Montluc insisted ''Parlement'' pay him a ransom of 10,000
livres
Livre may refer to:
Currency
* French livre, one of a number of obsolete units of currency of France
* Livre tournois, one particular obsolete unit of currency of France
* Livre parisis, another particular obsolete unit of currency of France
* F ...
before he would do so. He then poisoned their relationship further by rejecting requests for help in defending Bordeaux, arguing his troops were needed elsewhere.
Monluc spent most of the Third French War of Religion campaigning on his own in South-West France, a period he later admitted was used to enrich himself. While attacking the Protestant-held town of
Rabastens
Rabastens () is a commune in the Tarn department in southern France. The historian Gustave de Clausade (1815–1888) was born in Rabastens of which he became mayor in 1848.
On 23 July 1570, during the French Wars of Religion, the troops of ...
on 23 July 1570, he was shot in the face by an
arquebus
An arquebus ( ) is a form of long gun that appeared in Europe and the Ottoman Empire during the 15th century. An infantryman armed with an arquebus is called an arquebusier.
The term ''arquebus'' was applied to many different forms of firearms ...
, losing his nose and most of one cheek and forcing him to wear a mask for the rest of his life. On 8 August, the
Peace of Saint-Germain-en-Laye
The Peace of Saint-Germain-en-Laye was signed on 8 August 1570 by Charles IX of France, Gaspard II de Coligny and Jeanne d'Albret, to end the third war (1568-70) of the French Wars of Religion.
The Peace went much further than the March 1568 ...
ended the war.
His wound, combined with accusations of corruption by the Bordeaux ''Parlement'' and opponents like
François de Montmorency
François () is a French masculine given name and surname, equivalent to the English name Francis.
People with the given name
* François Amoudruz (1926–2020), French resistance fighter
* François-Marie Arouet (better known as Voltaire; 1 ...
, led to his removal from office. The next few years were spent compiling his ''Commentaires de Messire Blaise de Monluc'' and in 1574 he was partially rehabilitated when
Henry III of France
Henry III (; ; ; 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 Lithuania from 1573 to 1575.
As the fourth son of King Henry II of France, he ...
made him a
Marshal of France
Marshal of France (, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to General officer, generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished (1793–1804) ...
. He was deeply embittered by his injuries, later writing; "Would to heaven this accursed engine
he arquebus
He or HE may refer to:
Language
* He (letter), the fifth letter of the Semitic abjads
* He (pronoun), a pronoun in Modern English
* He (kana), one of the Japanese kana (へ in hiragana and ヘ in katakana)
* Ge (Cyrillic), a Cyrillic letter call ...
had never been invented, I had not then received those wounds which I now languish under, neither had so many valiant men been slain ...by the most pitiful fellows and the greatest cowards..." He died at his home in Estillac on 24 July 1577.
Works
Monluc's literary fame derives from his ''Commentaires de Messire Blaise de Monluc'', written between 1570 and 1576 and published after his death in 1592, which describes his fifty years of service from 1521 to 1570. Originally written to defend his reputation against accusations of corruption, it gradually expanded into a combined autobiography and military instruction manual. In addition to his experiences in France and Italy, it contains advice on tactics, strategy, building fortifications and leadership, recommendations such as paying pensions to wounded or crippled soldiers and avoiding reliance on foreign mercenaries, as well as observations on topics like the best way to educate the nobility.
Called the "soldier's Bible" by
Henry of Navarre
Henry IV (; 13 December 1553 – 14 May 1610), also known by the epithets Good King Henry (''le Bon Roi Henri'') or Henry the Great (''Henri le Grand''), was King of Navarre (as Henry III) from 1572 and King of France from 1589 to 16 ...
, it is one of many similar memoirs from this period, among them works by Beza,
Tavannes
Tavannes is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the Jura bernois (administrative district), Jura bernois administrative district in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Bern (canton), Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French- ...
and
Jacques Auguste de Thou
Jacques Auguste de Thou (sometimes known by the Latin version of his name Thuanus) (8 October 1553, Paris – 7 May 1617, Paris) was a French historian, book collector and president of the Parlement of Paris.
Life
Jacques Auguste de Thou wa ...
. Divided into seven volumes, the first four relate to the campaigns in Italy, ranging from the early 1530s to the French recovery of Thionville in 1558; the final three deal with his appointment as ''lieutenant du roi'' in Guyenne and his efforts to re-establish Royal authority. His autobiography is "an important source of evidence for these events, an eye-witness account of troubled times". Although his memory of places was more accurate than dates and his ''Commentaires'' were extensively edited over time to place him in a more favourable light, overall they are "full of life and movement" while Montluc displays "a natural gift for clear and expressive speech".
Notes
References
Sources
*
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*
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*
*
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16th-century French writers
Montluc, Blaise de
Monluc, Blaise de
French male writers
16th-century memoirists
People of the War of the League of Cognac