Robert Stewart (or Stuart) (c. 1470–1544),
4th Lord of Aubigny, Count of
Beaumont-le-Roger, was a French soldier belonging to the family of
Stewart of Darnley.
Robert was the fourth son of
John Stewart, 1st Earl of Lennox and Margaret Montgomerie.
[Elizabeth Bonner, 'Stewart , Robert (c.1470–1544)’, ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2005.] He inherited the Lordship of Aubigny through his marriage to his cousin Anne Stewart, daughter of
Bernard Stewart, Lord of Aubigny[ (died 1508). Robert began his military career in 1493 when he joined the '' Garde Écossaise'' of King Charles VIII of France. He served with Bernard in Italy in Charles VIII's Italian War and later in that of Louis XII under Trémoille.
He was made ]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 1514, reconfirmed by Francis I the following year. During the skirmishing leading to the Battle of Marignano in 1515 his soldiers under Jacques de la Palice surprised and captured the Papal commander Prospero Colonna in a daring cavalry raid behind enemy lines. He also fought at the Battle of Pavia
The Battle of Pavia, fought on the morning of 24 February 1525, was the decisive engagement of the Italian War of 1521–1526 between the Kingdom of France and the Habsburg Empire of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, Holy Roman Empero ...
in 1525. He died in March or April 1544.[
]
Robert at home
Robert's estate was inherited by his great nephew John Stewart and an inventory was made of Robert's goods in the Châteaux of Aubigny, La Verrerie and du Crotet in 1544, including Robert's tapestries, books, silver and weapons. Robert had two silk and leather purses made in the Scottish fashion, a Spanish guitar, and Turkish carpets. The inventory also includes a scarlet and a shot satin farthingale. Tapestry subjects at Aubigny included seven "park" and seven hunting scenes, the Nine Worthies, Nebuchadnezzar in nine scenes, seven Sibyl
The sibyls were prophetesses or oracles in Ancient Greece.
The sibyls prophet, prophesied at holy sites.
A sibyl at Delphi has been dated to as early as the eleventh century BC by Pausanias (geographer), PausaniasPausanias 10.12.1 when he desc ...
s, single pieces of verdure and Hercules
Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.
The Romans adapted the Gr ...
, and a set of seven new tapestries of birds and wild beasts. There were three old sets tapestries. Famous people were embroidered on six hangings of green damask, two of these had a single figure, another pair showed a couple, while two showed four characters. These hangings were augmented with more green damask to complete a room. There were several other hangings worked with a needle. The inventory is significant because it details in which rooms these tapestries and other furnishings were used.[Elizabeth Bonner, ''Documents sur Robert Stuart Seigneur d'Aubigny (1508-1544) Guerrier et courtisan au service de Louis XII et de François Ier'' (Paris, 2011), 1-26.]
References
* Elizabeth Bonner, ''Documents sur Robert Stuart Seigneur d'Aubigny (1508-1544) Guerrier et courtisan au service de Louis XII et de François Ier'' (Paris, 2011).
Bryony Coombs, 'Drawing Blood: The Visual Patronage of Robert Stuart d’Aubigny, Maréchal of France, in relation to James V’s French Sojourn in 1536.' Etudes Epistemè, 2020.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aubigny, Robert Stewart, Lord Of
Marshals of France
1470s births
1544 deaths
Military leaders of the Italian Wars
French people of Scottish descent
Robert
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, prais ...
Garde Écossaise officers
Younger sons of earls