François de Beaumont, baron des Adrets
Encyclopedia
François de Beaumont, baron des Adrets (c. 1512/1513-1587) was a Huguenot
leader, notorious for his cruelty; he died a Catholic.
He was born in 1512 or 1513 at the château of La Frette (Isère
). During the reign of Henry II of France
he served with distinction in the royal army and became colonel of the legions of Dauphiné
, Provence
and Languedoc
. In 1562, however, he joined the Huguenots, not from religious conviction but probably from motives of ambition and personal dislike of the house of Guise
.
His campaign against the Catholics in 1562 was eminently successful. In June of that year Des Adrets was master of the greater part of Dauphiné. But his brilliant military qualities were marred by his revolting atrocities. The reprisals he exacted from the Catholics after their massacres of the Huguenots at Orange
have left a dark stain upon his name. The garrisons that resisted him were butchered with every circumstance of brutality, and at Montbrison
, in Forez
, he forced eighteen prisoners to precipitate themselves from the top of the keep. Having alienated the affections of the Huguenots by his pride and violence, he entered into communication with the Catholics, and declared himself openly in favor of conciliation.
On 10 January 1563 he was arrested on suspicion by some Huguenot officers and confined in the citadel of Nîmes
. He was liberated at the edict of Amboise
in the following March, and, distrusted alike by Huguenots and Catholics, retired to the château of La Frette. In 1585,in league with the Englishman Richard Topcliffe,he attacked and ransacked he Abbey of Our Lady of Aiguebelle,Provence, and attempted to destroy it. Unable to do so, he buried all entrances to the Abbey beneath tons of earth and rubble. He died a Catholic at La Frette, on 2 February 1587.
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
leader, notorious for his cruelty; he died a Catholic.
He was born in 1512 or 1513 at the château of La Frette (Isère
Isère
Isère is a department in the Rhône-Alpes region in the east of France named after the river Isère.- History :Isère is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Dauphiné...
). During the reign of Henry II of France
Henry II of France
Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
he served with distinction in the royal army and became colonel of the legions of Dauphiné
Dauphiné
The Dauphiné or Dauphiné Viennois is a former province in southeastern France, whose area roughly corresponded to that of the present departments of :Isère, :Drôme, and :Hautes-Alpes....
, Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
and Languedoc
Languedoc
Languedoc is a former province of France, now continued in the modern-day régions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées in the south of France, and whose capital city was Toulouse, now in Midi-Pyrénées. It had an area of approximately 42,700 km² .-Geographical Extent:The traditional...
. In 1562, however, he joined the Huguenots, not from religious conviction but probably from motives of ambition and personal dislike of the house of Guise
Guise
Guise is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-Population:-Sights:The ruins of the medieval castle of Guise, seat of the Dukes of Guise, are located in the commune.-Miscellaneous:...
.
His campaign against the Catholics in 1562 was eminently successful. In June of that year Des Adrets was master of the greater part of Dauphiné. But his brilliant military qualities were marred by his revolting atrocities. The reprisals he exacted from the Catholics after their massacres of the Huguenots at Orange
Orange, Vaucluse
Orange is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It has a primarily agricultural economy...
have left a dark stain upon his name. The garrisons that resisted him were butchered with every circumstance of brutality, and at Montbrison
Montbrison
Montbrison is the name of several communes of France:* Montbrison, in the Loire département* Montbrison-sur-Lez, in the Drôme département...
, in Forez
Forez
Forez is a former province of France, corresponding approximately to the central part of the modern Loire département and a part of the Haute-Loire and Puy-de-Dôme départements....
, he forced eighteen prisoners to precipitate themselves from the top of the keep. Having alienated the affections of the Huguenots by his pride and violence, he entered into communication with the Catholics, and declared himself openly in favor of conciliation.
On 10 January 1563 he was arrested on suspicion by some Huguenot officers and confined in the citadel of Nîmes
Nîmes
Nîmes is the capital of the Gard department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France. Nîmes has a rich history, dating back to the Roman Empire, and is a popular tourist destination.-History:...
. He was liberated at the edict of Amboise
Edict of Amboise
The Edict of Amboise was signed at the Château of Amboise on March 19, 1563 by Catherine de' Medici, acting as regent for her son Charles IX of France. The treaty officially ended the first phase of the French Wars of Religion...
in the following March, and, distrusted alike by Huguenots and Catholics, retired to the château of La Frette. In 1585,in league with the Englishman Richard Topcliffe,he attacked and ransacked he Abbey of Our Lady of Aiguebelle,Provence, and attempted to destroy it. Unable to do so, he buried all entrances to the Abbey beneath tons of earth and rubble. He died a Catholic at La Frette, on 2 February 1587.