François de Coligny comte de Coligny and seigeur de Châtillon-sur-Loing was a French Protestant general of the 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 was the son of Gaspard II de Coligny

Gaspard de Coligny

Gaspard de Coligny , Seigneur de Châtillon, was a French nobleman and admiral, best remembered as a disciplined Huguenot leader in the French Wars of Religion.-Ancestry:...

 (1519–1572), Admiral of France

Admiral of France

The title Admiral of France is one of the Great Officers of the Crown of France, the naval equivalent of Marshal of France.The title was created in 1270 by Louis IX of France, during the Eighth Crusade. At the time it was equivalent to the office of Constable of France. The Admiral was responsible...

 (Amiral de Coligny).

Military career

He first saw action at the defence of Montpellier

Montpellier

-Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council....

 during the Sixth War of Religion (1576–1577). First he razed the citadel, guarded by royal soldiers. Then, when the situation became difficult, he made a sortie across the Cévennes

Cévennes

The Cévennes are a range of mountains in south-central France, covering parts of the départements of Gard, Lozère, Ardèche, and Haute-Loire.The word Cévennes comes from the Gaulish Cebenna, which was Latinized by Julius Caesar to Cevenna...

 to Bergerac

Bergerac, Dordogne

Bergerac is a commune and a sub-prefecture of the Dordogne department in southwestern France.-Population:-Economy:The region is primarily known for wine and tobacco...

 to recruit reinforcements and fought his way back into the town.

At the start of the war of the Catholic League

Catholic League (French)

The Catholic League of France, sometimes referred to by contemporary Roman Catholics as the Holy League, a major player in the French Wars of Religion, was formed by Duke Henry of Guise in 1576...

, when king 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,...

 had practically no other support, he beat the Duke of Mayenne

Charles of Lorraine, Duke of Mayenne

Charles of Lorraine, Duke of Mayenne , or Charles de Guise, was a French nobleman of the house of Guise and a military leader of the Catholic League, which he headed during the French Wars of Religion, following the assassination of his brothers at Blois in 1588...

 near Chartres in 1589..

He distinguished himself at the battle 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...

 (September 1589), where his arrival at the head of 500 arquebusiers allowed the victory of 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....

 to be expanded upon.

Marriage and issue

On 18 May 1581, he married Marguerite d'Ailly (?-1604), daughter of Charles d'Ailly seigneur de Seigneville. They had 4 children:

• • Henri (?-10 September 1601) comte de Coligny (etc.) and seigneur de Châtillon, died in 1601 in the assault on Ostend
    Ostend
    Ostend  is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke , Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the largest on the Belgian coast....
    
    .
  • Gaspard
    Gaspard III de Coligny
    Gaspard III de Coligny, Maréchal de Châtillon, of the House of Coligny , comte de Coligny and seigneur de Châtillon-sur-Loing, then duc de Coligny, marquis d'Andelot, Peer of France, Marshal of France , was a French Protestant general.He was the son of François de Coligny and his wife Marguerite...
    
     (1584–1646) comte then duc de Coligny, 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...
    
    (Maréchal de Chastillon)
  • Charles seigneur de Beaupont
  • Françoise (?-1637), in 1602 married René de Talensac seigneur de Londrières.