Martin Gouge (c. 1360 – 25 November 1444), surnamed De Charpaigne, was a French chancellor.
He was born at
Bourges
Bourges ( ; ; ''Borges'' in Berrichon) is a commune in central France on the river Yèvre (Cher), Yèvre. It is the capital of the Departments of France, department of Cher (department), Cher, and also was the capital city of the former provin ...
about 1360. A canon of Bourges, in 1402 he became treasurer to
John, duke of Berry
John of Berry or John the Magnificent (French language, French: ''Jean de Berry'', ; 30 November 1340 – 15 June 1416) was Duke of Berry and Rulers of Auvergne, Auvergne and Count of Poitiers and Montpensier. His brothers were King Charles ...
, and in 1406
bishop of Chartres
The oldest known list of bishops of Chartres is found in an 11th-century manuscript of Trinity Abbey, Vendôme. It includes 57 names from Adventus (Saint Aventin) to Aguiertus (Agobert) who died in 1060. The most well-known list is included in the ...
. He was arrested by
John the Fearless
John I (; ; 28 May 1371 – 10 September 1419) was a scion of the French royal family who ruled the Burgundian State from 1404 until his assassination in 1419. He played a key role in French national affairs during the early 15th century, part ...
,
Duke of Burgundy
Duke of Burgundy () was a title used by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, from its establishment in 843 to its annexation by the Crown lands of France, French crown in 1477, and later by members of the House of Habsburg, including Holy Roman E ...
, with the hapless
Jean de Montaigu
Jean de Montagu or Jean de Montaigu (c.1363, Paris – Paris, 17 October 1409), was a royal secretary to Charles V, and subsequently an administrator and advisor to Charles VI of France, who became a leading figure in France during the early 15th ...
(1349-1409) in 1409, but was soon released and then banished. Attaching himself to Louis, the
Dauphin of France
Dauphin of France (, also ; ), originally Dauphin of Viennois (''Dauphin de Viennois''), was the title given to the heir apparent to the throne of France from 1350 to 1791, and from 1824 to 1830. The word ''dauphin'' is French for dolphin and ...
, he became his chancellor, the king's ambassador in
Brittany
Brittany ( ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica in Roman Gaul. It became an Kingdom of Brittany, independent kingdom and then a Duch ...
, and a member of the grand council; and on 13 May 1415 he was transferred from the see of Chartres to the see of Clermont-Ferrand.
In May 1418, when the
Burgundians
The Burgundians were an early Germanic peoples, Germanic tribe or group of tribes. They appeared east in the middle Rhine region in the third century AD, and were later moved west into the Roman Empire, in Roman Gaul, Gaul. In the first and seco ...
re-entered Paris, he only escaped death at their hands by taking refuge in the
Bastille
The Bastille (, ) was a fortress in Paris, known as the Bastille Saint-Antoine. It played an important role in the internal conflicts of France and for most of its history was used as a state prison by the kings of France. It was stormed by a ...
. He then left Paris, but only to fall into the hands of his enemy, the
Georges de la Trémoille
Georges de la Trémoille (c. 1382 –6 May 1446) was Count of Guînes from 1398 to 1446 and Grand Chamberlain of France to King Charles VII of France. He sought reconciliation between Philip, Duke of Burgundy and Charles VII during their ...
, who imprisoned him in the castle of Sully. Rescued by the dauphin Charles, he was appointed chancellor of France on 3 February 1422.
He endeavoured to reconcile Burgundy and France, was a party to the selection of Arthur, earl of Richmond, as constable, but had to resign his chancellorship in favour of Regnault of Chartres; first from 25 March to 6 August 1425, and again when La Trémoille had supplanted Richmond. After the fall of La Trémoille in 1433 he returned to court, and exercised a powerful influence over affairs of state almost till his death, which took place at the castle of Beaulieu (