Louis des Balbes de Berton de Crillon

Louis des Balbes de Berton de Crillon (c. 1541, Murs, Provence - December 2 1615, Avignon) was a French soldier, called the "man without fear" and, by Henry IV the "brave of the brave".

Trained in Avignon and later under Guise of Lorraine, Crillon became officer in 1557 and distinguished himself in the siege of Calais and the capture of Guînes through his courage. He suppressed the conspiracy of Amboise in 1560 and fought against the Huguenots and excelled at Dreux, St. Denis, Jarnac and Moncontour.

After the peace of St. Germain (1570), he fought as a Maltese under John of Austria against the Turks and participated in the battle of Lepanto. Openly condemning the Paris blood wedding, he fought at the Siege of La Rochelle (1572-1573). Henry III, whom he accompanied to Poland named him governor of Lyon.

In the war with the League, he forced La Fère to surrender and was made captain of a regiment of the guard, member of the royal council and general lieutenant of the infantry and took the Provence in 1586. He spoke out against Henry III's plan to assassinate Guise. Later, he was the only support of the weak Henry III and became friend and conseil of Henry IV under whom he took part in the battle of Ivry and the siege of Paris. In his war against Spain, he again excelled and commanded an army in Savoy. After the peace, he retired to Avignon, where he died.

The name Crillon passed to his third brother, Thomas des Balbes de Berton de Crillon, and to whose descandands in the fourth generation, Francois Felix des Balbes de Berton de Crillon, the title of duke was bestowed.

The village Crillon-le-Brave in the Vaucluse "département" of Provence was named in his honour.