Blaise de Lasseran-Massencôme, seigneur de Montluc
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Blaise de Lasseran-Massencôme, seigneur de Montluc (or Blaise de Montluc) (c. 1502 – July 26, 1577) was a marshal of France
.
He was born at the family seat near Condom in the modern département of Gers
. Despite being the eldest son of a good family, he had, like most gentlemen of Gascony
, to rely on his sword. He was the brother of Jean de Montluc
. He served first as a private archer
and man-at-arms in Italy
, with Bayard
for his captain, fought all through the wars of King Francis I of France
, and was knighted at the battle of Ceresole (1544), to which victory he had brilliantly contributed as adviser to the young Duke of Enghien
.
Having apparently enjoyed no patronage, he was already middle-aged. From then on, however, his merits were recognized. His chief feat was the famous defence of Siena
(1555) which he related himself. When the religious wars broke out in France, Montluc, a staunch royalist, held Guyenne
for the king. Henry III
made him in 1574 marshal of France
, an honour which he had earned by nearly half a century of service and by numerous wounds. He died at Estillac
near Agen
.
Montluc's eminence above other soldiers of his day is due to his Commentaires de Messire Blaise de Montluc (Bordeaux, 1592), in which he described his fifty years of service (1521–1574). This book, the "soldier's Bible" (or "breviary," according to others), as Henry IV
called it, is one of the best of many books of memoirs produced by the unlearned gentry of France at that time. It is said to have been dictated, which may account for the unusual vivacity and picturesqueness of the style.
The Commentaires are to be found conveniently in the collection of Michaud
and Poujoulat
, but the standard edition is that of the Société de l'histoire de France
, ed. by M. de Ruble (5 vols, 1865–1872). See Rüstow
, Militarische Biographien, v. i. (Zürich, 1858).
Blaise de Montluc condemned the development of the infantry firearm saying:
Marshal of France
The Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
.
He was born at the family seat near Condom in the modern département of Gers
Gers
The Gers is a department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in the southwest of France named after the Gers River.Inhabitants are called les Gersois or Gersoises.-History:...
. Despite being the eldest son of a good family, he had, like most gentlemen of Gascony
Gascony
Gascony is an area of southwest France that was part of the "Province of Guyenne and Gascony" prior to the French Revolution. The region is vaguely defined and the distinction between Guyenne and Gascony is unclear; sometimes they are considered to overlap, and sometimes Gascony is considered a...
, to rely on his sword. He was the brother of Jean de Montluc
Jean de Montluc
Jean de Montluc was bishop of Valence and brother of Blaise de Montluc. He was sympathetic to the Protestants, attacked the cult of images, and made prayers in French, thereby earning him the opprobe of Rome...
. He served first as a private archer
Archery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
and man-at-arms in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, with Bayard
Pierre Terrail, seigneur de Bayard
Pierre Terrail LeVieux, seigneur de Bayard was a French soldier, generally known as the Chevalier de Bayard. Throughout the centuries since his death, he has been known as "the knight without fear and beyond reproach"...
for his captain, fought all through the wars of King Francis I of France
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
, and was knighted at the battle of Ceresole (1544), to which victory he had brilliantly contributed as adviser to the young Duke of Enghien
Duke of Enghien
The title of Duke of Enghien may, like many noble titles, refer to any of several historical figures.-Dukes of Enghien - first creation :...
.
Having apparently enjoyed no patronage, he was already middle-aged. From then on, however, his merits were recognized. His chief feat was the famous defence of Siena
Siena
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
(1555) which he related himself. When the religious wars broke out in France, Montluc, a staunch royalist, held Guyenne
Guyenne
Guyenne or Guienne , , ; Occitan Guiana ) is a vaguely defined historic region of south-western France. The Province of Guyenne, sometimes called the Province of Guyenne and Gascony, was a large province of pre-revolutionary France....
for the king. Henry III
Henry III of France
Henry III was King of France from 1574 to 1589. As Henry of Valois, he was the first elected monarch of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with the dual titles of King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1573 to 1575.-Childhood:Henry was born at the Royal Château de Fontainebleau,...
made him in 1574 marshal of France
Marshal of France
The Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
, an honour which he had earned by nearly half a century of service and by numerous wounds. He died at Estillac
Estillac
Estillac is a commune in the Lot-et-Garonne department in south-western France....
near Agen
Agen
Agen is a commune in the Lot-et-Garonne department in Aquitaine in south-western France. It lies on the river Garonne southeast of Bordeaux. It is the capital of the department.-Economy:The town has a higher level of unemployment than the national average...
.
Montluc's eminence above other soldiers of his day is due to his Commentaires de Messire Blaise de Montluc (Bordeaux, 1592), in which he described his fifty years of service (1521–1574). This book, the "soldier's Bible" (or "breviary," according to others), as Henry IV
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
called it, is one of the best of many books of memoirs produced by the unlearned gentry of France at that time. It is said to have been dictated, which may account for the unusual vivacity and picturesqueness of the style.
The Commentaires are to be found conveniently in the collection of Michaud
Joseph François Michaud
Joseph François Michaud was a French historian and publicist.He was born at Albens, Savoie, educated at Bourg-en-Bresse, and afterwards engaged in literary work at Lyon, where the French Revolution first aroused the strong dislike of revolutionary principles which manifested itself throughout the...
and Poujoulat
Jean Joseph François Poujoulat
Jean Joseph François Poujoulat , was a French historian and journalist.Poujoulat was co-author with Joseph François Michaud of the Bibliothèque des Croisades, and traveled with him through European and Asiatic Turkey in the study of the scenes of the Crusades...
, but the standard edition is that of the Société de l'histoire de France
Société de l'histoire de France
The Société de l'histoire de France was established on 21 December 1833 at the instigation of the French minister of Public Instruction, François Guizot, in order to contribute to the renewal of historical scholarship fuelled by a widespread interest in national history, typical of the Romantic...
, ed. by M. de Ruble (5 vols, 1865–1872). See Rüstow
Friedrich Wilhelm Rüstow
Friedrich Wilhelm Rüstow was a Prussian-born Swiss soldier and military writer.Rüstow was born in Brandenburg an der Havel in the Province of Brandenburg. He entered the Prussian Army and served for some years, until the publication of Der deutsche Militärstaat vor und während der Revolution...
, Militarische Biographien, v. i. (Zürich, 1858).
Blaise de Montluc condemned the development of the infantry firearm saying:
- "Would to heaven that this accursed engine [the arquebusArquebusThe arquebus , or "hook tube", is an early muzzle-loaded firearm used in the 15th to 17th centuries. The word was originally modeled on the German hakenbüchse; this produced haquebute...
] had never been invented, I had not then received those wounds which I now languish under, neither had so many valiant men been slain for the most part by the most pitiful fellows and the greatest cowards..."