Montmorency, Anne, duc de

Montmorency, Anne, duc de (mont"muren'sē, Fr. än dük du môNmôräNsē') [key], 1493?–1567, constable of France. He was made a marshal (1522) by Francis I, was captured with Francis at Pavia (1525), helped negotiate (1526) Francis's release, and soon after the king's return received the governorship of Languedoc, which remained in his family until 1632. He was made constable in 1538. Montmorency's enemies at court and his policy of peace with Holy Roman Emperor Charles V finally led to his disgrace (1541), which lasted until Francis's death (1547). King Henry II restored him to a degree of favor limited by the countervailing influence of François and Charles de Guise. He took Metz from the Spanish (1552) and was captured (1557) by Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy at Saint-Quentin, but was soon released. Dismissed by Francis II, he was restored to office by Catherine de' Medici. He joined the Guises in the Wars of Religion, was captured at Dreux (1562), and was killed in the siege of St. Denis, near Paris.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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