Mathieu de Grailly or Mathieu de Foix (died 1453) was Count of Comminges between 1419 and 1443. He was the fourth son of Archambaud de Grailly, captal de Buch and Isabella, Countess of Foix.

Biography

He was knighted in 1413 and became a member of the entourage of

John the Fearless John I (french: Jean sans Peur; nl, Jan zonder Vrees; 28 May 137110 September 1419) was a scion of the French royal family who ruled the Burgundian State from 1404 until his death in 1419. He played a key role in French national affairs during ...

Duke of Burgundy Duke of Burgundy (french: duc de Bourgogne) was a title used by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, from its establishment in 843 to its annexation by France in 1477, and later by Holy Roman Emperors and Kings of Spain from the House of Habsbu ...

. For his loyalty, King

Charles VI of France Charles VI (3 December 136821 October 1422), nicknamed the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé) and later the Mad (french: le Fol or ''le Fou''), was King of France from 1380 until his death in 1422. He is known for his mental illness and psychotic ...

, allied with

Philip the Good Philip III (french: Philippe le Bon; nl, Filips de Goede; 31 July 1396 – 15 June 1467) was Duke of Burgundy from 1419 until his death. He was a member of a cadet line of the Valois dynasty, to which all 15th-century kings of France belon ...

Duke of Burgundy, gave him Narbonne, of which he couldn't take possession, because it was under control of Dauphin

Charles Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was ...

, then at war with his father and Burgundy. At that time, he married

Marguerite de Comminges Margaret, Countess of Comminges (1366-1443), was a Countess regnant suo jure of Comminges in 1375-1443. Daughter of her predecessor. She was the Co-ruler of her husbands, John III, Count of Armagnac, John of Armagnac (son of Geraud, Viscount of ...

, twenty years older than him, an authoritarian woman who allegedly had her second husband killed in prison. Fearing a similar fate, Mathieu had his wife locked up a few months later in the castle of Bramevaque and governed Comminges alone. Following his brother, he defected from the Burgundian camp to King

Charles VII of France Charles VII (22 February 1403 – 22 July 1461), called the Victorious (french: le Victorieux) or the Well-Served (), was King of France from 1422 to his death in 1461. In the midst of the Hundred Years' War, Charles VII inherited the throne of F ...

, who rewarded him by making him governor of the Dauphiné between 1426 and 1428. After the death of his brother

John I, Count of Foix John I, Count of Foix also known as Jean de Foix-Grailly (1382 – 4 May 1436) was Count of Foix from 1428 until his death in 1436. He succeeded his mother Isabella, Countess of Foix. His father was Archambaud de Grailly. Life Early life A ...

, Matthieu became regent of his nephew Gaston IV and in 1439 he bought off

Rodrigo de Villandrando Rodrigo de Villandrando (died c. 1457) was a Spanish routier from Castile and mercenary military leader in Gascony during the final phase of the Hundred Years' War. He was famous for his pillaging and was consequently known as the Emperor of Pil ...

and his raiders to leave the

County of Foix The County of Foix (french: Comté de Foix, ; oc, Comtat de Fois) was an independent medieval fief in southern France, and later a province of France, whose territory corresponded roughly the eastern part of the modern '' département'' of Ar ...

.
Meanwhile, the unsatisfied people of Comminges petitioned the return of their Countess Marguerite from King Charles VII, who ordered her release. Mathieu refused and transferred his wife to Foix. Again allied with Burgundy, he became a Knight in the

Order of the Golden Fleece The Distinguished Order of the Golden Fleece ( es, Insigne Orden del Toisón de Oro, german: Orden vom Goldenen Vlies) is a Catholic order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in 1430, to celebrate his marriag ...

in 1440. Charles VII put the County of Comminges under guardianship of

John IV, Count of Armagnac John IV (15 October 1396 – 5 November 1450) was a Count of Armagnac, Fézensac, and Rodez from 1418 to 1450. He was involved in the intrigues related to the Hundred Years' War and in conflicts against the King of France. Biography Born 15 ...

and in 1441 war broke out between Foix and Armagnac, only interrupted in 1442 by a campaign against the English. After this campaign, Charles VII again ordered the liberation of Marguerite on 17 January 1443 and now, Mathieu was forced to obey. Marguerite was released on 9 March but died shortly after, leaving Comminges to the Crown. In 1449 Mathieu accompanied Gaston IV to besiege Mauléon. He died 4 years later.

Marriage and children

On 16 July 1419 he married

(died 1443), no issue. He remarried, in 1446, Catherine de Coarraze, and had two daughters Jeanne and Marguerite. Mathieu had also two illegitimate children by unknown mistresses: * Jean de Foix,

Bishop of Dax The Diocese of Dax or Acqs was a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory in Gascony in south-west France. According to tradition it was established in the 5th century. It was suppressed after the French Revolution, by the Concordat of 1801 betwee ...

and Comminges. * Jeanne Catherine de Foix, married Jean de Château-Verdun

Sources

Foundation for Medieval Genealogy : Archambault de Grailly
{{DEFAULTSORT:Foix-Comminges, Mathieu de Mathieu Knights of the Golden Fleece Counts of France 1453 deaths Year of birth unknown Counts of Comminges Place of birth unknown