Odet de Coligny
Encyclopedia
Odet de Coligny was a French cardinal
of Châtillon
, bishop of Beauvais, son of Gaspard I de Coligny
and Louise de Montmorency
, and brother of Gaspard
and François, Seigneur d'Andelot
.
, as his parents' second son, was recorded in his mother's book of hours
.
three days later. Soon afterwards he became Abbot of Saint Bénigne de Dijon, of Fleury
, of Ferrière and of Vaux de Cernay. In 1534 he became a Canon in Paris, participated in a papal conclave, and was made administrator of the metropolitan see of Toulouse on 29 April, despite not yet having been ordained a priest. This he held until his resignation from that role on 20 October 1550. Meanwhile, on 20 October 1535, he had become administrator of the see of Beauvais
, and Abbot of Saint-Lucien de Beauvais from 1537.
He opted for the deaconry of S. Adriano on 25 February 1549 and participated in the papal conclave
of 1549-1550. He was placed in charge of the library of France's Royal Privy Council and, using this and his other offices, he protected his friends Ronsard
and Rabelais
(in 1550 obtaining for the latter a ten year monopoly on book-printing - Rabelais dedicated his Quart Livre to Odet in gratitude).
In 1556 he became abbot of Ferrières
on the recommendation of Pope Pius IV
and Henry II
, and four years later, Pius named him grand inquisitor
of France, though the French parliament's opposition to the inquisition prevented him taking up the post.
Sometime after 1560 he also became abbot of Grandchamps, of Quincy and (from 1560) of Vézelay. In sum, then, he was Abbot of St. Euvertius, of Fontainejean, Ferrières, and St. Benoît, and from 1554 to 1560 prior
(and after 1560 provost
) of St-Pierre de Mâcon
.
However, under his family's influence, he eventually went over to the Protestant camp himself, becoming a Calvinist Huguenot
in April 1561. Indeed, this is said by some to be little surprise since his long church career was more motivated by ambition than piety, though he was not the only French prelate to convert to Calvinism in this period (one other example is Jean de Monluc
, bishop of Valence). Gathering a faction around himself, he greatly helped those of the Huguenot party. He participated with his brother in the religious wars and acted as a mediator between the Protestants and Queen Catherine de' Medici
.
In 1562, he escaped the Inquisition
to Lyon
, relinquished his title of cardinal and called himself the count of Beauvais (comte de Beauvais), after his old bishopric. In the secret consistory
of 31 March 1563, Pope Pius IV
and the French parliament excommunicated him as a heretic and deprived him of all his offices. In December 1564, he married his mistress Isabeau/Isabelle de Hauteville (also known as Elizabeth de Kanteville or Mme. la Cardinale) at Montataire
, without a Catholic ceremony. and wearing, at the Huguenots' request, his cardinal's robe.
He fought at the Battle of Saint-Denis
and in 1568 fled to England. In London, he requested monetary support for the French Protestants from Queen Elizabeth
, who favoured him and his wife. Still wanted by the French government for treason, he remained in England, probably because he had secret orders from the French court to seek Elizabeth's hand in marriage for the prince of Anjou
.
In 1568, his former abbacy of Ferrières was besieged by the troops of Louis de Condé
, friend of the Coligny family and fellow Protestant. The abbey was pillaged and profaned and, although no monks were killed, the reliquaires and treasures of the abbey were dispersed, the tombs of Louis III
, Carloman
and Louis de Blanchefort heavily damaged and the monks' stalls removed. Odet (abroad by then) only intervened to stop this after three days when his own financial interests in the benefice seemed threatened.
to join his brother when he died at the former pilgrims' lodge at Canterbury under mysterious circumstances (possibly poisoned by his servant, possibly - or possibly not - on the orders of the French government) in 1571.
He was therefore buried in a temporary and very plain tomb covered in hessian and plaster in the Trinity Chapel in the east end of Canterbury Cathedral
. Meant to have been a temporary solution pending his body's return to France, this in fact never occurred and he still rests there.
One conspiracy theory
relates that - Coligny not being high-ranking enough for permanent burial in this important part of the cathedral - the tomb in fact contains the hidden relics of Thomas Becket
from his nearby shrine (dissolved 40 years earlier), Coligny's body having been returned to France or never in fact laid to rest here. This theory is not, however, accepted by historians.
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of Châtillon
Châtillon
Châtillon may refer to:*Châtillon ** Hugh I of Châtillon*First Battle of Châtillon during the war in the Vendée .*Battle of Châtillon during the Siege of Paris in the Franco-Prussian War It is the name of several places:...
, bishop of Beauvais, son of Gaspard I de Coligny
Gaspard I de Coligny
Gaspard I de Coligny, seigneur de Châtillon , known as the Marshal of Châtillon, was a French soldier. He served in the Italian Wars from 1495 to 1515, and was created Marshal of France in 1516....
and Louise de Montmorency
Louise de Montmorency
Louise de Montmorency was a French noblewoman from the ancient House of Montmorency. She was the younger sister of Anne de Montmorency, Constable of France, and the mother of Gaspard de Coligny, Admiral of France....
, and brother of Gaspard
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:...
and François, Seigneur d'Andelot
François de Coligny d'Andelot
François d'Andelot de Coligny was one of the leaders of French Protestantism during the French Wars of Religion...
.
Birth
His birth at Châtillon-ColignyChâtillon-Coligny
Châtillon-Coligny is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France.The Loing and the Briare Canal run through the town.-See also:*Communes of the Loiret department*Raynald of Châtillon...
, as his parents' second son, was recorded in his mother's book of hours
Book of Hours
The book of hours was a devotional book popular in the later Middle Ages. It is the most common type of surviving medieval illuminated manuscript. Like every manuscript, each manuscript book of hours is unique in one way or another, but most contain a similar collection of texts, prayers and...
.
Catholic career
He occupied high church offices during this initial part of his career. He became prior of Saint-Stephan in Beaume in 1530. At the papal consistory of 7 November 1533 (at 16 and whilst still a layman) he was created cardinal deacon, receiving the red hat and the titular church of Santi Sergio e BaccoSanti Sergio e Bacco
Santi Sergio e Bacco is a Catholic church of the Byzantine Rite in the rione of Monti in Rome, Italy, located in Piazza Madonna dei Monti. Saints Sergius and Bacchus are said to have been early fourth century Roman military officers and Christian martyrs buried in Syria...
three days later. Soon afterwards he became Abbot of Saint Bénigne de Dijon, of Fleury
Fleury Abbey
Fleury Abbey in Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire, Loiret, France, founded about 640, is one of the most celebrated Benedictine monasteries of Western Europe, which posseses the relics of St. Benedict of Nursia. Its site on the banks of the Loire has always made it easily accessible from Orléans, a center of...
, of Ferrière and of Vaux de Cernay. In 1534 he became a Canon in Paris, participated in a papal conclave, and was made administrator of the metropolitan see of Toulouse on 29 April, despite not yet having been ordained a priest. This he held until his resignation from that role on 20 October 1550. Meanwhile, on 20 October 1535, he had become administrator of the see of Beauvais
Beauvais
Beauvais is a city approximately by highway north of central Paris, in the northern French region of Picardie. It currently has a population of over 60,000 inhabitants.- History :...
, and Abbot of Saint-Lucien de Beauvais from 1537.
He opted for the deaconry of S. Adriano on 25 February 1549 and participated in the papal conclave
Papal conclave
A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals convened to elect a Bishop of Rome, who then becomes the Pope during a period of vacancy in the papal office. The Pope is considered by Roman Catholics to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and earthly head of the Roman Catholic Church...
of 1549-1550. He was placed in charge of the library of France's Royal Privy Council and, using this and his other offices, he protected his friends Ronsard
Pierre de Ronsard
Pierre de Ronsard was a French poet and "prince of poets" .-Early life:...
and Rabelais
François Rabelais
François Rabelais was a major French Renaissance writer, doctor, Renaissance humanist, monk and Greek scholar. He has historically been regarded as a writer of fantasy, satire, the grotesque, bawdy jokes and songs...
(in 1550 obtaining for the latter a ten year monopoly on book-printing - Rabelais dedicated his Quart Livre to Odet in gratitude).
In 1556 he became abbot of Ferrières
Ferrières Abbey
Ferrières Abbey was a Benedictine monastery situated at Ferrières-en-Gâtinais in the arrondissement of Montargis, in the département of Loiret, France.-History:...
on the recommendation of Pope Pius IV
Pope Pius IV
Pope Pius IV , born Giovanni Angelo Medici, was Pope from 1559 to 1565. He is notable for presiding over the culmination of the Council of Trent.-Biography:...
and Henry II
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,...
, and four years later, Pius named him grand inquisitor
Grand Inquisitor
Grand Inquisitor is the lead official of an Inquisition. The most famous Inquisitor General is the Spanish Dominican Tomás de Torquemada, who spearheaded the Spanish Inquisition.-List of Spanish Grand Inquisitors:-Castile:-Aragon:...
of France, though the French parliament's opposition to the inquisition prevented him taking up the post.
Sometime after 1560 he also became abbot of Grandchamps, of Quincy and (from 1560) of Vézelay. In sum, then, he was Abbot of St. Euvertius, of Fontainejean, Ferrières, and St. Benoît, and from 1554 to 1560 prior
Prior
Prior is an ecclesiastical title, derived from the Latin adjective for 'earlier, first', with several notable uses.-Monastic superiors:A Prior is a monastic superior, usually lower in rank than an Abbot. In the Rule of St...
(and after 1560 provost
Provost (religion)
A provost is a senior official in a number of Christian churches.-Historical Development:The word praepositus was originally applied to any ecclesiastical ruler or dignitary...
) of St-Pierre de Mâcon
Bishopric of Mâcon
The former bishopric of Mâcon was located in Burgundy.-History:The city of Mâcon, formerly the capital of the Mâconnais, now of the Department of Saône-et-Loire, became a civitas in the 5th century, when it was separated from the Æduan territory...
.
Protestant career
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...
in April 1561. Indeed, this is said by some to be little surprise since his long church career was more motivated by ambition than piety, though he was not the only French prelate to convert to Calvinism in this period (one other example is Jean de Monluc
Jean de Monluc
See also Jean de Montluc d. 1579 etc.Jean de Monluc was a French nobleman, the brother of Blaise de Lasseran-Massencôme, seigneur de Montluc and a member of the Monluc family....
, bishop of Valence). Gathering a faction around himself, he greatly helped those of the Huguenot party. He participated with his brother in the religious wars and acted as a mediator between the Protestants and Queen Catherine de' Medici
Catherine de' Medici
Catherine de' Medici was an Italian noblewoman who was Queen consort of France from 1547 until 1559, as the wife of King Henry II of France....
.
In 1562, he escaped the Inquisition
Inquisition
The Inquisition, Inquisitio Haereticae Pravitatis , was the "fight against heretics" by several institutions within the justice-system of the Roman Catholic Church. It started in the 12th century, with the introduction of torture in the persecution of heresy...
to Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, relinquished his title of cardinal and called himself the count of Beauvais (comte de Beauvais), after his old bishopric. In the secret consistory
Consistory
-Antiquity:Originally, the Latin word consistorium meant simply 'sitting together', just as the Greek synedrion ....
of 31 March 1563, Pope Pius IV
Pope Pius IV
Pope Pius IV , born Giovanni Angelo Medici, was Pope from 1559 to 1565. He is notable for presiding over the culmination of the Council of Trent.-Biography:...
and the French parliament excommunicated him as a heretic and deprived him of all his offices. In December 1564, he married his mistress Isabeau/Isabelle de Hauteville (also known as Elizabeth de Kanteville or Mme. la Cardinale) at Montataire
Montataire
Montataire is a town in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise....
, without a Catholic ceremony. and wearing, at the Huguenots' request, his cardinal's robe.
He fought at the 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...
and in 1568 fled to England. In London, he requested monetary support for the French Protestants from Queen Elizabeth
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
, who favoured him and his wife. Still wanted by the French government for treason, he remained in England, probably because he had secret orders from the French court to seek Elizabeth's hand in marriage for the prince of Anjou
François, Duke of Anjou
Francis, Duke of Anjou and Alençon was the youngest son of Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici.-Early years:...
.
In 1568, his former abbacy of Ferrières was besieged by the troops of Louis de Condé
Louis I de Bourbon, prince de Condé
Louis de Bourbon was a prominent Huguenot leader and general, the founder of the House of Condé, a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon.-Life:...
, friend of the Coligny family and fellow Protestant. The abbey was pillaged and profaned and, although no monks were killed, the reliquaires and treasures of the abbey were dispersed, the tombs of Louis III
Louis III of France
Louis III was the King of France, still then called West Francia, from 879 until his death. The second son of Louis the Stammerer and his first wife, Ansgarde, he succeeded his father to reign jointly with his younger brother Carloman II, who became sole ruler on Louis's death...
, Carloman
Carloman of France
Carloman II , King of Western Francia, was the youngest son of King Louis the Stammerer and Ansgarde of Burgundy, and became king, jointly with his brother Louis III of France, on his father's death in 879....
and Louis de Blanchefort heavily damaged and the monks' stalls removed. Odet (abroad by then) only intervened to stop this after three days when his own financial interests in the benefice seemed threatened.
Death
He was preparing to go from England to La RochelleLa Rochelle
La Rochelle is a city in western France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department.The city is connected to the Île de Ré by a bridge completed on 19 May 1988...
to join his brother when he died at the former pilgrims' lodge at Canterbury under mysterious circumstances (possibly poisoned by his servant, possibly - or possibly not - on the orders of the French government) in 1571.
He was therefore buried in a temporary and very plain tomb covered in hessian and plaster in the Trinity Chapel in the east end of Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site....
. Meant to have been a temporary solution pending his body's return to France, this in fact never occurred and he still rests there.
One conspiracy theory
Conspiracy theory
A conspiracy theory explains an event as being the result of an alleged plot by a covert group or organization or, more broadly, the idea that important political, social or economic events are the products of secret plots that are largely unknown to the general public.-Usage:The term "conspiracy...
relates that - Coligny not being high-ranking enough for permanent burial in this important part of the cathedral - the tomb in fact contains the hidden relics of Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his murder in 1170. He is venerated as a saint and martyr by both the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion...
from his nearby shrine (dissolved 40 years earlier), Coligny's body having been returned to France or never in fact laid to rest here. This theory is not, however, accepted by historians.