Jean-Baptiste d'Ornano,
Marquis
A marquess (; ) is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German-language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman with the rank of a marquess or the wife (or wido ...
de (1581–1626) was a French nobleman and
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) ...
(1626).
Biography
He was the son of
Alphonse d'Ornano and grandson of
Sampiero Corso. Early in his childhood, he was prepared to come to court and was also trained in strategy. He demonstrated considerable skill in the latter, commanding a company of
Chevau-légers at the
Siege of La Fère in 1596 (after the
Siege of Calais) at the age of 14. He was one of the first to praise
Louis XIII
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.
...
for assassinating
Concino Concini and regarded him as the true ruler. It was him who shouted: "Sire, at this hour you are king, for
Marshal Ancre is dead," marking his political rise. This pleased the insecure fifteen-year-old king, who wished to be remembered as "the Just," justifying his decision as a popular cause. That's also the reason why he put Ornano, along with a captain of the king's guards (
Nicolas de l'Hôpital de Vitry) and the latter's brother in charge of the king's military orders in Paris in order to prohibit riots. After the "Wars of Mother and Son" (1619-1620), he also became governor of the king's brother,
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 . He later acquired the title ...
. The royal heir greatly admired Ornano and followed many of his suggestions. In 1626, this led to the
Chalais conspiracy when Ornano persuaded Gaston not to follow the intentions of his mother and his brother to marry. Louis XIII responded by appointing Ornano as marshal of France and then silently arresting him during one of the king's lute concerts at court. Ornano was imprisoned and died of kidney and bladder ailments without confessing anything in prison that same year.
[A. Lloyd Moote: "Louis XIII, the Just", p.190-191]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:D'Ornano, Jean-Baptiste
1581 births
1626 deaths
People from Corsica
French marquesses
*
Prisoners of the Bastille