Louis de Luxembourg, Count of Saint-Pol

Louis de Luxembourg, Count of Saint-Pol

Louis de Luxembourg, Count of Saint-Pol (1418 – 12 December 1475) belonged to the Ligny branch of the House of Luxemburg and was Constable of France.

Saint-Pol was the eldest son of Peter of Luxembourg and Margueritte des Baux. His older sister Jacqueline, better known as Jacquetta of Luxembourg, married John of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Bedford, and Louis was initially a supporter of the Lancastrian cause in the Hundred Years' War.

He was brought up by his uncle, John II of Luxembourg, Count of Ligny, who named Louis as heir to his estates. However, King Charles VII of France sequestrated the estates on John's death in 1441. As a result, Saint-Pol sought a rapprochement with the French king and duly had his inheritance restored to him. However, the county of Guise was claimed by Charles, Count of Maine. The affair was settled by an agreement that Saint-Pol's sister Isabelle would marry the Count of Maine and receive the disputed lands as her dowry.

Saint-Pol became a close friend of the Dauphin Louis, the future King Louis XI of France and fought with him in Flanders and in Normandy. However, in 1465 Saint-Pol broke with his friend, now King, to join with Charles, Count of Charolais, the King's brother, Charles, Duke of Berry, and many other great noblemen, in the League of the Public Weal and the war that followed. In the Treaty of Conflans which ended the war, Saint-Pol was appointed Constable of France and received the hand of the King's sister-in-law, Maria of Savoy.

After this, he was persistently disloyal to the King, conspiring with Charles, Count of Charolais, and with Edward IV of England, his nephew by marriage. The final treason came in 1474 when Saint-Pol approached Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, who had already entered into a compact with Edward IV of England to dismember France in a renewal of the Hundred Years War. The scheme envisaged the murder of Louis and the sub-division of France between Saint-Pol, the Dukes of Burgundy, Brittany, Bourbon and Namours, the Count of Maine and King Edward. Saint-Pol then proceeded to draw other magnates into the conspiracy.

The whole thing started to unravel after Louis and Edward concluded the Treaty of Picquigny in August 1475. Angered by this, Saint-Pol was imprudent enough to write to Edward, upbraiding him as a "cowardly, dishonoured and beggarly king". Edward promptly forwarded the letter to Louis, who now had all the proof he needed. A messenger was sent to the conspirator, in which he was informed that the King had 'need of a head such as his.' He was arrested in September 1475, and later imprisoned in the Bastille. Execution followed in December. Philippe de Commynes, the chief chronicler of Louis' reign, was to write that Saint-Pol had been "abandoned by God because he had tried with all his might to prolong the hostilities between the King and the Duke of Burgunday."

Louis de Luxembourg married twice, first to Jeanne de Marle, Countess of Marle and Soissons (died 1462), and secondly to Maria of Savoy. He left at least nine legitimate children. From 1468-1472 his chaplain was the well-known translator, author and scribe Jean Miélot.

References

*The writings of Philippe de Commines are a major source on the life of Louis de Luxembourg, Count of Saint-Pol.

External links

* [http://www.r3.org/bookcase/de_commynes/ Philippe de Commynes: The Reign of Louis XI 1461-83] (Richard III Society)


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Louis de Luxembourg — might refer to:* Louis II de Luxembourg (died 1443), Archbishop of Rouen and Bishop of Ely * Louis de Luxembourg, Count of Saint Pol (1418 ndash;1475) * Louis de Luxembourg, Duke of Andria (died 1503) * Louis de Luxembourg (born 1986), third son… …   Wikipedia

  • Margaret of Savoy, Countess of Saint-Pol — For other uses, see Margaret of Savoy. Margaret of Savoy Margravine of Montferrat Countess of Saint Pol, of Brienne, de Ligny, Marle and Soissons Tenure December 1458 19 January 1464 19 December 1475 – 25 October 1482 Spouse John IV of Montferrat …   Wikipedia

  • Marie of Savoy, Countess of Saint-Pol — For other people of the same name, see Marie of Savoy. Marie of Savoy Countess of Saint Pol, de Brienne, de Ligny, and Conversano Spouse(s) Louis de Luxembourg, Count of Saint Pol, de Brienne, de Ligny, and Conversano Issue Louis of Luxembourg,… …   Wikipedia

  • Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise — French commune nomcommune=Saint Pol sur Ternoise région=Nord Pas de Calais département=Pas de Calais arrondissement=Arras canton=Canton of Saint Pol sur Ternoise(chef lieu) insee=62767 cp=62130 maire= Maurice Louf mandat=2001 2008… …   Wikipedia

  • Marie of Luxembourg, Countess of Vendôme — For the French queen, see Marie of Luxembourg, Queen of France. Marie of Luxembourg (died 1 April 1547) was a French noblewoman, the elder daughter and principal heiress of Pierre II de Luxembourg, Count of Saint Pol, by Margaret, a daughter of… …   Wikipedia

  • Marie de Luxembourg — (d. April 1, 1547) was a French noblewoman, the elder daughter and principal heiress of Pierre II de Luxembourg, Count of St. Pol, by Margaret, a daughter of Louis, Duke of Savoy. She belonged to the French, cadet branch of a dynasty whose senior …   Wikipedia

  • Charles, Count of Maine — Tomb of Charles, Count of Maine. Charles du Maine (Château de Montils lez Tours, 1414 – 1472, Neufvy en Touraine) was the third son of Louis II of Anjou and Yolande of Aragon. In 1434, he married Cobella Ruffo (d. 1442), Countess of Montalto and… …   Wikipedia

  • Louis I de Valois, Duke of Orléans — Louis of Valois (March 13 1372 ndash; November 23 1407) was Duke of Orléans from 1392 to his death. He was also Count of Valois, Duke of Touraine (1386 ndash;1392), Count of Blois (1397 ndash;1407), Angoulême (1404 ndash;1407), Périgord, Dreux… …   Wikipedia

  • Count of Soissons — This is a list of those who bore the title Count of Soissons (French: Comte de Soissons) and ruled Soissons and its civitas or diocese as a county in the Middle Ages. The title continued in use into modern times, but without ties to the actual… …   Wikipedia

  • Jacques of Savoy, Count of Romont — Jacques of Savoy (November 12 1450 ndash; January 30 1486), was Count of Romont and Lord of Vaud. He was the son of Louis, Duke of Savoy and Anne de Lusignan. In 1484, he married Marie de Luxembourg (1462 1546). They had one child, Françoise… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”