Beaumont-le-Roger
Beaumont-le-Roger () is a commune in the department of Eure in Normandy region in northern France.
Geography
The commune is located in the valley of the Risle on the edge of the forest with which it shares its name. It is crossed by the Par ...
, was a French soldier belonging to the family of
Stewart of Darnley
Stewart of Darnley, also known as the Lennox Stewarts, was a notable Scots family. They were a branch of the Clan Stewart, who provided the English Stuart monarchs with their male-line Stuart descent, after the reunion of their branch with the ...
.
Robert was the fourth son of
John Stewart, 1st Earl of Lennox
John Stewart, 1st Earl of Lennox (before 14308 July/11 September 1495) was a Scottish earl. He was known as Lord Darnley and later as the Earl of Lennox.
Family
Stewart was the son of Catherine Seton and Alan Stewart of Darnley, a direct des ...
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
Bernard Stewart, 3rd Seigneur d'Aubigny (French language, French: Bérault Stuart) (c. 1452 – 15 June 1508) was a French soldier, commander of the ''Garde Écossaise'', and diplomat belonging to the Scotland, Scottish family of Stewart of ...
(died 1508). Robert began his military career in 1493 when he joined the ''
Garde Écossaise
The Scottish Guards () was a bodyguard unit founded in 1418 by the Valois Charles VII of France, to be personal bodyguards to the French monarchy. They were assimilated into the ''Maison du Roi'' and later formed the first company of the '' Gar ...
'' of King
Charles VIII of France
Charles VIII, called the Affable (; 30 June 1470 – 7 April 1498), was King of France from 1483 to his death in 1498. He succeeded his father Louis XI at the age of 13. His elder sister Anne acted as regent jointly with her husband Peter II, Du ...
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
The Battle of Marignano, which took place on 13–14 September 1515, near the town now called Melegnano, 16 km southeast of Milan, was the last major engagement of the War of the League of Cambrai. It pitted the French army, composed of t ...
in 1515 his soldiers under Jacques de la Palice surprised and captured the Papal commander
Prospero Colonna
Prospero Colonna (1452–1523), sometimes referred to as Prosper Colonna, was an Italian condottiero. He was active during the Italian wars and served France, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire and various Italian states.
His military career spanned ...
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
La Verrerie (; is a municipality in the district of Veveyse in the canton of Fribourg in Switzerland. It was formed on 1 January 2004 by the union of the municipalities of Le Crêt, Grattavache, and Progens.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
A farthingale is one of several structures used under Western European women's clothing - especially in the 16th and 17th centuries - to support the skirts in the desired shape and to enlarge the lower half of the body. The fashion originated ...
. Tapestry subjects at Aubigny included seven "park" and seven hunting scenes, the
Nine Worthies
The Nine Worthies are nine historical, scriptural, and legendary men of distinction who personify the ideals of chivalry established in the Middle Ages, whose lives were deemed a valuable study for aspirants to chivalric status. All were commonly ...
, 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.
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 ...