François, Duke of Beaufort
Encyclopedia
François de Vendôme, Duc de Beaufort (16 January 1616 – 25 June 1669) was the illegitimate grandson of Henry IV of France
. He was also cousin to Louis XIV. He was a prominent figure in the Fronde
, and later went on to fight in the Mediterranean. His mother was the heiress Françoise de Lorraine
. He is sometimes called François de Vendôme, though he was born into the House of Bourbon
, Vendôme coming from his fathers title of Duke of Vendôme.
In March 1665, he led a small fleet which defeated a small Algerian fleet near the Goletta, Tunisia (Action of March 1665
). In 1669 he led the newly arrived French troops defending Candia
against the Ottoman Turks
, and was presumed to be killed in a night sortie
, on June 25, 1669. His body was brought back to France for a state funeral.
by his mistress, Gabrielle d'Estrées
. He began his career in the army and served in the first campaigns of the Thirty Years' War
, but his ambitions and unscrupulous character soon found a more congenial field in the intrigues of the court. In 1642 he joined in the conspiracy of Cinq Mars against Cardinal Richelieu, and upon its failure was obliged to live in exile in England until Richelieu's death.
Returning to France, Beaufort became the centre of a group, known as the "Importants", in which court ladies predominated, especially the Duchess of Chevreuse and the Duchess of Montbazon. For an instant after the king's death, this group seemed likely to prevail, and Beaufort to be the head of the new government. But Cardinal Mazarin gained the office, and Beaufort, accused of a plot to murder Mazarin, was imprisoned in Vincennes, in September 1643.
Beaufort escaped from prison on 31 May 1648, just in time to join the Fronde, which began in August 1648. He was then with Parliament and the princes, against Mazarin. His personal appearance, his affectation of popular manners, his quality of grandson (legitimized), of Henry IV, rendered him a favourite of the Parisians, who acclaimed him everywhere. He was known as the Roi des Halles ("king of the markets"), and popular subscriptions were opened to pay his debts. He had hopes of becoming prime minister. But among the members of Parliament and the other leaders of the Fronde, he was regarded as merely a tool. His intelligence was but mediocre, and he showed no talent during the war.
Mazarin, on his return to Paris, exiled Beaufort in October 1652; and he was only allowed to return in 1654, when the cardinal had no longer any reason to fear him. Henceforth Beaufort no longer intrigued. In 1658 he was named general superintendent of navigation, or chief of the naval army, and faithfully served the king in naval wars from that on. In 1664 he directed the expedition against the pirates
of Algiers. In 1669, during the siege of Candia
he led a the French troops defending Candia against the Turks, and was killed in a night sortie, on 15 June 1669. His body was brought back to France with great pomp, and official honours rendered it.
' Twenty Years After
which chronicles his escape on Whitsunday and humorously uses his famous malapropism
s, and reappeared in the Man in the Iron Mask
, the final installment of the d'Artagnan Romances. Ironically, Vendôme was one of the suspects to be the Man in the Iron Mask. He also made his first musical appearance in Le Roi Soleil
, a French musical which opened in Paris in 2005 where he was played by Merwan Rim
.
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....
. He was also cousin to Louis XIV. He was a prominent figure in the Fronde
Fronde
The Fronde was a civil war in France, occurring in the midst of the Franco-Spanish War, which had begun in 1635. The word fronde means sling, which Parisian mobs used to smash the windows of supporters of Cardinal Mazarin....
, and later went on to fight in the Mediterranean. His mother was the heiress Françoise de Lorraine
Françoise de Lorraine (1592–1669)
Françoise de Lorraine was a French noblewoman and the daughter-in-law of King Henry IV of France; sometimes known as Françoise de Mercœur, she was the niece of Louise of Lorraine, wife of the previous king, Henry III of France...
. He is sometimes called François de Vendôme, though he was born into the House of Bourbon
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
, Vendôme coming from his fathers title of Duke of Vendôme.
In March 1665, he led a small fleet which defeated a small Algerian fleet near the Goletta, Tunisia (Action of March 1665
Action of March 1665
This naval battle took place in March 1665 near Goletta, Tunisia, and was a victory for a small French force under the Duc de Beaufort over an Algerine force. All the Algerines were sunk.Ships involved:-References:...
). In 1669 he led the newly arrived French troops defending Candia
Siege of Candia
The Siege of Candia was a military conflict in which Ottoman forces besieged the Venetian-ruled city and were ultimately victorious. Lasting from 1648 to 1669, it was the longest siege in history.-Background:...
against the Ottoman Turks
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
, and was presumed to be killed in a night sortie
Sortie
Sortie is a term for deployment or dispatch of one military unit, be it an aircraft, ship, or troops from a strongpoint. The sortie, whether by one or more aircraft or vessels, usually has a specific mission....
, on June 25, 1669. His body was brought back to France for a state funeral.
Biography
Beaufort is a picturesque figure in French history of the 17th century. He was the second son of César de Vendôme, an illegitimate son of King Henry IV of FranceHenry 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....
by his mistress, Gabrielle d'Estrées
Gabrielle d'Estrées
Gabrielle d'Estrées, Duchess of Beaufort and Verneuil, Marchioness of Monceaux was a French mistress of King Henry IV of France, born at either the Château de la Bourdaisière in Montlouis-sur-Loire, in Touraine, or at the château de Cœuvres, in Picardy....
. He began his career in the army and served in the first campaigns of the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
, but his ambitions and unscrupulous character soon found a more congenial field in the intrigues of the court. In 1642 he joined in the conspiracy of Cinq Mars against Cardinal Richelieu, and upon its failure was obliged to live in exile in England until Richelieu's death.
Returning to France, Beaufort became the centre of a group, known as the "Importants", in which court ladies predominated, especially the Duchess of Chevreuse and the Duchess of Montbazon. For an instant after the king's death, this group seemed likely to prevail, and Beaufort to be the head of the new government. But Cardinal Mazarin gained the office, and Beaufort, accused of a plot to murder Mazarin, was imprisoned in Vincennes, in September 1643.
Beaufort escaped from prison on 31 May 1648, just in time to join the Fronde, which began in August 1648. He was then with Parliament and the princes, against Mazarin. His personal appearance, his affectation of popular manners, his quality of grandson (legitimized), of Henry IV, rendered him a favourite of the Parisians, who acclaimed him everywhere. He was known as the Roi des Halles ("king of the markets"), and popular subscriptions were opened to pay his debts. He had hopes of becoming prime minister. But among the members of Parliament and the other leaders of the Fronde, he was regarded as merely a tool. His intelligence was but mediocre, and he showed no talent during the war.
Mazarin, on his return to Paris, exiled Beaufort in October 1652; and he was only allowed to return in 1654, when the cardinal had no longer any reason to fear him. Henceforth Beaufort no longer intrigued. In 1658 he was named general superintendent of navigation, or chief of the naval army, and faithfully served the king in naval wars from that on. In 1664 he directed the expedition against the pirates
Action of March 1665
This naval battle took place in March 1665 near Goletta, Tunisia, and was a victory for a small French force under the Duc de Beaufort over an Algerine force. All the Algerines were sunk.Ships involved:-References:...
of Algiers. In 1669, during the siege of Candia
Siege of Candia
The Siege of Candia was a military conflict in which Ottoman forces besieged the Venetian-ruled city and were ultimately victorious. Lasting from 1648 to 1669, it was the longest siege in history.-Background:...
he led a the French troops defending Candia against the Turks, and was killed in a night sortie, on 15 June 1669. His body was brought back to France with great pomp, and official honours rendered it.
Cultural influence
A fictional portrayal of Beaufort was a main character in Alexandre DumasAlexandre Dumas, père
Alexandre Dumas, , born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie was a French writer, best known for his historical novels of high adventure which have made him one of the most widely read French authors in the world...
' Twenty Years After
Twenty Years After
Twenty Years After is a novel by Alexandre Dumas, père, first serialized from January to August, 1845. A book of the D'Artagnan Romances, it is a sequel to The Three Musketeers and precedes The Vicomte de Bragelonne .The novel follows events in France during La Fronde, during the childhood reign...
which chronicles his escape on Whitsunday and humorously uses his famous malapropism
Malapropism
A malapropism is an act of misusing or the habitual misuse of similar sounding words, especially with humorous results. An example is Yogi Berra's statement: "Texas has a lot of electrical votes," rather than "electoral votes".-Etymology:...
s, and reappeared in the Man in the Iron Mask
Man in the Iron Mask
The Man in the Iron Mask is a name given to a prisoner arrested as Eustache Dauger in 1669 or 1670, and held in a number of jails, including the Bastille and the Fortress of Pignerol . He was held in the custody of the same jailer, Bénigne Dauvergne de Saint-Mars, for a period of 34 years...
, the final installment of the d'Artagnan Romances. Ironically, Vendôme was one of the suspects to be the Man in the Iron Mask. He also made his first musical appearance in Le Roi Soleil
Le Roi Soleil (musical)
Le Roi Soleil is a successful French musical about the life of Louis XIV . It premiered on 22 September 2005 at the Palais des Sports in Paris.-Plot:...
, a French musical which opened in Paris in 2005 where he was played by Merwan Rim
Merwan Rim
Mourad Merwan Rim , best known as Merwan Rim, is a French actor and singer-songwriter.-Biography:At the age of 17, Merwan Rim started to learn and instruments as an autodidact. Realizing his gift in musical arts, Merwan decided to become a full time musician...
.