Charles II de Cossé, Duke of Brissac
Encyclopedia
Charles II de Cossé was the first Duke of Brissac
from 1611 until his death. He was also a Marshal of France
, a title conferred upon him by King Henry IV
after Charles opened the gates of Paris to him in 1594.
He was the son of Charles de Cossé, comte de Brissac
the Grand Falconer of France
and younger brother of Timoléon de Cossé. After the latter's death he was Grand Falconer. Charles married his first wife Judith in 1579. They had a daughter and two sons, including Francis who succeeded him as Duke of Brissac. Judith died in 1598 and he remarried four years later.
He fought in the French Wars of Religion
on the side of the House of Guise
.
Duke of Brissac
Duke of Brissac is the title of a distinguished noble family of France. The fief of Brissac in Anjou was acquired at the end of the 15th century by a noble French family named Cossé belonging to the same province. René de Cossé married into the Gouffier family, who were at that time very powerful...
from 1611 until his death. He was also 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...
, a title conferred upon him by King Henry IV
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....
after Charles opened the gates of Paris to him in 1594.
He was the son of Charles de Cossé, comte de Brissac
Charles de Cossé, comte de Brissac
Charles de Cossé, comte de Brissac , was a French courtier-soldier, named beau Brissac at court and remembered as the Maréchal Brissac...
the Grand Falconer of France
Grand Falconer of France
The Grand Falconer of France was a position in the King's Household in France from the Middle Ages to the French Revolution. The position first appeared in 1250 as "Master Falconer of the King" ; the title was changed to Grand Falconer in 1406, although the title "First Falconer" was sometimes...
and younger brother of Timoléon de Cossé. After the latter's death he was Grand Falconer. Charles married his first wife Judith in 1579. They had a daughter and two sons, including Francis who succeeded him as Duke of Brissac. Judith died in 1598 and he remarried four years later.
He fought 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...
on the side of the House of Guise
House of Guise
The House of Guise was a French ducal family, partly responsible for the French Wars of Religion.The Guises were Catholic, and Henry Guise wanted to end growing Calvinist influence...
.