Gaspard III de Coligny, duc de Châtillon, (26 July 1584 – 4 January 1646) was a French

Huguenot The Huguenots ( , ; ) are a Religious denomination, religious group of French people, French Protestants who held to the Reformed (Calvinist) tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, ...

, who served under

Louis XIII Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crown. ...

, and was appointed

Marshal of France Marshal of France (, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to General officer, generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished (1793–1804) ...

in 1622. He was described as "a mediocre general, but absolutely loyal".

Early life

Châtillon was born 26 July 1584, in

Montpellier Montpellier (; ) is a city in southern France near the Mediterranean Sea. One of the largest urban centres in the region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania, Montpellier is the prefecture of the Departments of France, department of ...

. He was the son of

François de Coligny François de Coligny, Count of Coligny and Lord of Châtillon (28 April 1557 – 8 October 1591) was a French Protestant general of the Wars of Religion. Early life Coligny was born on 28 April 1557 at Châtillon-Coligny. He was the son of Admi ...

(1557–1591) and Marguerite d'Ailly of the Château de Châtillon-Coligny. Among his siblings were Henri, Count of Coligny, who died in 1601 in the assault on

Ostend Ostend ( ; ; ; ) is a coastal city and municipality in the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke, Raversijde, Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the la ...

, and Françoise (who married René de Talensac, Lord of Londrières). His paternal grandparents were Huguenot leader Admiral

Gaspard de Coligny Gaspard de Coligny may refer to: * Gaspard I de Coligny (c. 1465 - 1522) *Gaspard II de Coligny (1519 – 1572) *Gaspard III de Coligny Gaspard III de Coligny, duc de Châtillon, (26 July 1584 – 4 January 1646) was a French Huguenot, who serv ...

, and his first wife,

Charlotte de Laval Charlotte de Laval, Dame de Châtillon (1530 – 3 March 1568), was a French noblewoman from one of the most powerful families in Brittany. She was the first wife of Gaspard de Coligny, Seigneur de Châtillon, Admiral of France and a prominent H ...

(a daughter of Count

Guy XVI de Laval Guy XVI, Count of Laval, Mayenne (1 October 1476 – 20 May 1531) was a member of the House of Laval. He was christened Nicolas, but upon inheriting the title, he took the required name of Guy, as his predecessors had done. He was the son of Je ...

). His maternal grandparents were Charles d'Ailly, Lord of Seigneville, and Françoise de Warty.

Career

He served during the

Franco-Spanish War (1635–1659) The Franco-Spanish War , May 1635 to November 1659, was fought between Kingdom of France, France and Habsburg Spain, Spain, each supported by various allies at different points. The first phase, beginning in May 1635 and ending with the 1648 Peac ...

at Les Avins in 1635, and commanded the Army of Champagne at the

Battle of La Marfée The Battle of La Marfée, also known as the Battle of Sedan, took place on 6 July 1641, during the 1635 to 1659 Franco-Spanish War, a related conflict of the Thirty Years War. It was fought near Sedan, France, on 6 July 1641, between a French ...

on 6 July 1641, where he was defeated. He retired to Châtillon, where he died in 1646.

Personal life

On 13 August 1615, he married Anne de Polignac (1598–1651), the daughter of Gabriel de Polignac, Lord of Saint-Germain, and Anne d'Albin de Valzergues. Together, they had four children: * Henriette de Coligny (1618–1673), who married Thomas Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Haddington, eldest son of

Thomas Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Haddington Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the ...

and Lady Catherine Erskine (daughter of the

Earl of Mar There are currently two earldoms of Mar in the Peerage of Scotland, and the title has been created seven times. The first creation of the earldom is currently held by Margaret of Mar, 31st Countess of Mar, who is also clan chief of Clan Mar. Th ...

), in 1643. After his death in 1645, she married Gaspard de Champagne, Count of La Suze, in 1647. Their marriage was annulled in 1661. * Maurice de Coligny (1618–1644), who died unmarried. * (1620–1649), who married , daughter of

François de Montmorency-Bouteville François () is a French language, French masculine given name and surname, equivalent to the English name Francis (given name), Francis. People with the given name * François Amoudruz (1926–2020), French resistance fighter * Voltaire, Fran ...

. After his death, she married

Christian Louis I, Duke of Mecklenburg Christian Louis I (1 December 1623 in Schwerin – 21 June 1692 in The Hague) was a reigning duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Life Christian Louis I was born as Christian I, the son of the Duke Adolf Frederick I and his wife, Anna Maria (160 ...

. * Anne de Coligny (1624–1680), who married

George II, Duke of Württemberg-Montbéliard Duke George II of Württemberg-Montbéliard (5 October 1626 – 1 June 1699) was Duke of Württemberg-Montbéliard from 1662 until his death. Early life George II was a son of the Duke Louis Frederick of Württemberg-Montbéliard (1586–1 ...

, son of

Louis Frederick, Duke of Württemberg-Montbéliard Louis Frederick of Württemberg-Montbéliard (29 January 1586 in Montbéliard – 26 January 1631 in Montbéliard) was the founder of a cadet line of the House of Württemberg known as the Dukes of Württemberg-Montbéliard. Louis Frederick of W� ...

, in 1648. The Duke died at Châtillon on 4 January 1646.

Descendants

Through his son Gaspard, he was a grandfather of Henri-Gaspard de Coligny (1649–1657), who was born after his father died and succeeded as Duke of Châtillon before he died young. Through his daughter Anne, he was a grandfather of, among others,

Eleonore Charlotte of Württemberg-Montbéliard Eleonore Charlotte of Württemberg-Montbéliard (20 November 1656 – April 1743) was by marriage Duchess of Oels-Württemberg. Life Charlotte Eleanor was a daughter of the Duke George II of Württemberg-Montbéliard (1626-1699) from his m ...

(wife of

Silvius II Frederick, Duke of Württemberg-Oels Duke Silvius II Frederick of Wurttemberg-Oels (February 21st, 1651 in Oleśnica – June 3rd 1697 in Olesnica) was the Duke of Duchy of Oels, Württemberg-Oels from 1668 until his death in 1697. Life Silvius Frederick was second son of th ...

), Elizabeth of Württemberg-Montbéliard (wife of Frederick Ferdinand, Duke of Württemberg-Weiltingen), and Leopold Eberhard, Duke of Württemberg-Montbéliard.

Family tree

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Coligny, Gaspard De 1584 births 1646 deaths Military personnel from Montpellier Dukes of Coligny French military personnel of the Thirty Years' War Military personnel of the Franco-Spanish War (1635–1659) French generals Marshals of France Peers of France Gaspard III