Armand de Gontaut, baron de Biron
Encyclopedia
Armand de Gontaut, baron de Biron (1524 – July 26, 1592) was a celebrated French
soldier of the 16th century.
in Périgord
, where on a hill between the Dropt
and the Lide still stands the magnificent Château de Biron
begun by the lords of Biron in the 11th century.
As a page of Queen Marguerite de Navarre
, Biron attracted the notice of the marshal de Brissac, with whom he saw active service in Italy
. A wound he received in his early years made him lame for life, and gave him the nickname Armand Le Boiteux (the limper). But he did not withdraw from the military career, and he held a command in Guise
's regiment of light horse in 1557. A little later he became chief of a cavalry
regiment, and in the French Wars of Religion
he repeatedly distinguished himself.
His great services to the royal cause at the Battle of Dreux
, Battle of Saint-Denis
, Battle of Jarnac
and Battle of Moncontour
were rewarded in 1569 by his appointment as a privy council
lor of the king and Grand Master of Artillery
. He commanded the royal forces at the siege of La Rochelle
in 1572, and four years later was made a marshal of France
. From 1576 to 1588 he was almost continuously employed in high command.
After the assassination of Henry III
in 1589, he was among the first to support the cause of Henry of Navarre
, but he was suspected of prolonging the civil wars in his own interest. He brought a part of Normandy
under subjection, and dissuaded Henry from going into England
. He distinguished himself in the battles of Arques
and Ivry
against the Catholic League
. Armand was killed by a cannon ball at the siege of Épernay
on July 26, 1592.
In 1585 he was chosen a godfather
for Armand-Jean du Plessis
, future cardinal Richelieu.
He was a man of considerable literary attainments, and used to carry a pocketbook
, in which he noted everything that appeared remarkable. Some of his letters are preserved in the Bibliothèque nationale
and in the British Museum
; these include a treatise on the art of war. His son, Charles de Gontaut, duc de Biron
(1562-1602), also became Marshal of France
in 1594. A grandson of his second son, Henry, was Charles-Armand de Gontaut
, another Marshal of France.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
soldier of the 16th century.
Biography
His family, one of the numerous branches of the House of Gontaut, took its title from the territory of BironBiron, Dordogne
Biron is a commune in the Dordogne department in southwestern France.-Geography:Biron lies between the Dropt and Lède rivers between the towns of Monpazier, Villeréal and Villefranche-du-Périgord.-Population:-Sights:...
in Périgord
Périgord
The Périgord is a former province of France, which corresponds roughly to the current Dordogne département, now forming the northern part of the Aquitaine région. It is divided into four regions, the Périgord Noir , the Périgord Blanc , the Périgord Vert and the Périgord Pourpre...
, where on a hill between the Dropt
Dropt
The Dropt is a river in Aquitaine, France. It is a right tributary to the Garonne.- Geography :The source of the Dropt is located near Capdrot in the Dordogne. The drainage basin covers the area between the valleys of the Lot River and the Dordogne River....
and the Lide still stands the magnificent Château de Biron
Château de Biron
The Château de Biron is a castle in the French commune of Biron in the valley of the Lède, a tributary of the Lot River in the département of Dordogne in Périgord, part of the region of Aquitaine.-History:...
begun by the lords of Biron in the 11th century.
As a page of Queen Marguerite de Navarre
Marguerite de Navarre
Marguerite de Navarre , also known as Marguerite of Angoulême and Margaret of Navarre, was the queen consort of Henry II of Navarre...
, Biron attracted the notice of the marshal de Brissac, with whom he saw active service in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. A wound he received in his early years made him lame for life, and gave him the nickname Armand Le Boiteux (the limper). But he did not withdraw from the military career, and he held a command in Guise
Henry I, Duke of Guise
Henry I, Prince of Joinville, Duke of Guise, Count of Eu , sometimes called Le Balafré, "the scarred", was the eldest son of Francis, Duke of Guise, and Anna d'Este...
's regiment of light horse in 1557. A little later he became chief of a cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
regiment, and in the French Wars of Religion
French Wars of Religion
The French Wars of Religion is the name given to a period of civil infighting and military operations, primarily fought between French Catholics and Protestants . The conflict involved the factional disputes between the aristocratic houses of France, such as the House of Bourbon and House of Guise...
he repeatedly distinguished himself.
His great services to the royal cause at the Battle of Dreux
Battle of Dreux
The Battle of Dreux was fought on 19 December 1562 between Catholics and Huguenots. The Catholics were led by Anne de Montmorency while Louis I, Prince of Condé led the Huguenots....
, Battle of Saint-Denis
Battle of Saint-Denis (1567)
The Battle of Saint-Denis was fought on November 10, 1567 between Catholics and Protestants during the French Wars of Religion in Saint-Denis near Paris, France.Anne de Montmorency with 16,000 Royalists fell on Condé's 3,500 Huguenots...
, Battle of Jarnac
Battle of Jarnac
The Battle of Jarnac on 13 March 1569 was an encounter during the French Wars of Religion between the Catholic forces of Marshal Gaspard de Saulx, sieur de Tavannes, and the Huguenots, near the nadir of their fortunes, financed by Reinhold von Krockow and led by Louis I de Bourbon, prince de...
and Battle of Moncontour
Battle of Moncontour
The Battle of Moncontour occurred on 3 October 1569 between the Catholic forces of King Charles IX of France and the Huguenots during the "Third War" of the French Wars of Religion.-The battle:...
were rewarded in 1569 by his appointment as a privy council
Conseil du Roi
The Conseil du Roi or King's Council is a general term for the administrative and governmental apparatus around the king of France during the Ancien Régime designed to prepare his decisions and give him advice...
lor of the king and Grand Master of Artillery
Grand Master of Artillery
The Grand Master of Artillery or Grand Maître de l'artillerie was one of the Great Officers of the Crown of France during the Ancien Régime....
. He commanded the royal forces at the siege of La Rochelle
Siege of La Rochelle (1572-1573)
The Siege of La Rochelle of 1572–1573 was a massive military assault on the Huguenot-held city of La Rochelle by Catholic troops during the fourth phase of the French Wars of Religion, following the August 1572 St. Bartholomew's Day massacre. The conflict began in November 1572 when inhabitants of...
in 1572, and four years later was made a marshal of France
Marshal of France
The Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
. From 1576 to 1588 he was almost continuously employed in high command.
After the assassination of Henry III
Henry III of France
Henry III was King of France from 1574 to 1589. As Henry of Valois, he was the first elected monarch of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with the dual titles of King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1573 to 1575.-Childhood:Henry was born at the Royal Château de Fontainebleau,...
in 1589, he was among the first to support the cause of Henry of Navarre
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
, but he was suspected of prolonging the civil wars in his own interest. He brought a part of Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
under subjection, and dissuaded Henry from going into England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He distinguished himself in the battles of Arques
Battle of Arques
This article is about the 1589 battle. For the Battle of 1303 see Battle of Arques .The Battle of Arques occurred on 15–18 September 1589 between the French royal forces of King Henry IV of France and troops of the Catholic League commanded by Charles of Lorraine, Duke of Mayenne during the eighth...
and Ivry
Battle of Ivry
The Battle of Ivry was fought on 14 March 1590, during the French Wars of Religion. The battle was a decisive victory for Henry of Navarre, the future Henry IV of France, leading Huguenot forces against the Catholic League forces led by the Duc de Mayenne...
against the Catholic League
Catholic League
Catholic League may refer to:*Catholic League , created by Henry of Guise, in 1576 during the French Wars of Religion*Catholic League , a confederation of Catholic German states formed to counteract the Protestant Union...
. Armand was killed by a cannon ball at the siege of Épernay
Épernay
Épernay is a commune in the Marne department in northern France. Épernay is located some 130 km north-east of Paris on the main line of the Eastern railway to Strasbourg...
on July 26, 1592.
In 1585 he was chosen a godfather
Godparent
A godparent, in many denominations of Christianity, is someone who sponsors a child's baptism. A male godparent is a godfather, and a female godparent is a godmother...
for Armand-Jean du Plessis
Armand Jean du Plessis, Cardinal Richelieu
Armand Jean du Plessis, Cardinal-Duc de Richelieu et de Fronsac was a French clergyman, noble, and statesman.Consecrated as a bishop in 1608, he later entered politics, becoming a Secretary of State in 1616. Richelieu soon rose in both the Catholic Church and the French government, becoming a...
, future cardinal Richelieu.
He was a man of considerable literary attainments, and used to carry a pocketbook
Pocketbook
Pocketbook may refer to:* Handbag, a bag for carrying possessions or money, sometimes known in American English as a pocketbook* "Pocketbook" , a 2009 single by Jennifer Hudson* PocketBook , electronic book reader...
, in which he noted everything that appeared remarkable. Some of his letters are preserved in the Bibliothèque nationale
Bibliothèque nationale de France
The is the National Library of France, located in Paris. It is intended to be the repository of all that is published in France. The current president of the library is Bruno Racine.-History:...
and in the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
; these include a treatise on the art of war. His son, Charles de Gontaut, duc de Biron
Charles de Gontaut, duc de Biron
Charles de Gontaut, duc de Biron was a French soldier.-Biography:He was the son of Armand de Gontaut, baron de Biron, under whose command he fought for the royal party against the Catholic League in the later stages of the Wars of Religion in France. His efforts won him the name “Thunderbolt of...
(1562-1602), also became Marshal of France
Marshal of France
The Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
in 1594. A grandson of his second son, Henry, was Charles-Armand de Gontaut
Charles-Armand de Gontaut, duc de Biron
Charles Armand de Gontaut, duc de Biron , great-grandson of Armand de Gontout-Biron, was a French military leader who served with distinction under Louis XIV and Louis XV, and was made a Marshal of France by the latter....
, another Marshal of France.