Charles de Marillac
Encyclopedia
Charles de MarillacCharles de Marillac (born circa 1510, died 2 December 1560 at Melun
, France
) was a French
prelate
and diplomat
.
. Suspected, however, of sympathizing with the reformers, he deemed it prudent to leave Paris, and in 1535 went to the East with his cousin Jean de La Forest, the first French ambassador at Constantinople
. Cunning and ambitious, he soon made his mark, and his cousin having died during his embassy, Marillac was appointed his successor.
He did not return from the East until 1538, when he was sent almost immediately to England
, to replace Louis de Perreau, Sieur de Castillon
at the court of Henry VIII
where he remained until 1543. He is known to have sent dispatches back to France detailing events such as the king's first meeting with Anne of Cleves
and the demise of Thomas Cromwell
. He retained his influence during the reign of Henry II
, fulfilling important missions in Switzerland
and later at the imperial court (1547-1551), and at the courts of the German
princes (1553-1554).
In 1555 he was one of the French deputies at the conferences held at Mark near Ardres
to discuss peace with England. His two last missions were at Rome
(1557) and at the Diet of Augsburg
(1559). In 1550 he was given the bishopric of Vannes, and in 1557 the archbishopric of Vienne
; he also became a member of the privy council. He distinguished himself as a statesman at the Assembly of Notables
at Fontainebleau
in 1560, when he delivered an exceedingly brilliant discourse, in which he opposed the policy of violence and demanded a national council and the assembly of the states general. Irritated by his opposition, the Guise
s compelled him to leave the court, and he died on the 2nd of December of the same year.
His works include: (Paris, 1556), and published in Ranke's Deutsche Geschichte im Zeitalter der Reformation, vol. vi. (Leipzig
, 1882). See J. Kaulek, (Paris, 1885); P. de Vassiere, Charles de Marillac (Paris, 1896).
Melun
Melun is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. Located in the south-eastern suburbs of Paris, Melun is the capital of the department, as the seat of an arrondissement...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) was a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
and diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
.
Career
De Marillac was, by the age of twenty-two, an advocate in parliament in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Suspected, however, of sympathizing with the reformers, he deemed it prudent to leave Paris, and in 1535 went to the East with his cousin Jean de La Forest, the first French ambassador at Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
. Cunning and ambitious, he soon made his mark, and his cousin having died during his embassy, Marillac was appointed his successor.
He did not return from the East until 1538, when he was sent almost immediately to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, to replace Louis de Perreau, Sieur de Castillon
Louis de Perreau, Sieur de Castillon
Louis de Perreau, Sieur de Castillon was the French ambassador to England during the reign of Henry VIII. He served at the English court from November 1537 to December 1538 and was replaced by Charles de Marillac.-References:...
at the court of Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
where he remained until 1543. He is known to have sent dispatches back to France detailing events such as the king's first meeting with Anne of Cleves
Anne of Cleves
Anne of Cleves was a German noblewoman and the fourth wife of Henry VIII of England and as such she was Queen of England from 6 January 1540 to 9 July 1540. The marriage was never consummated, and she was not crowned queen consort...
and the demise of Thomas Cromwell
Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex
Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex, , was an English statesman who served as chief minister of King Henry VIII of England from 1532 to 1540....
. He retained his influence during the reign of Henry II
Henry II of France
Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
, fulfilling important missions in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and later at the imperial court (1547-1551), and at the courts of the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
princes (1553-1554).
In 1555 he was one of the French deputies at the conferences held at Mark near Ardres
Ardres
Ardres is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France.Population : 4,198 inhabitants for the commune and 17,610 inhabitants for the canton.-Geography:...
to discuss peace with England. His two last missions were at Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
(1557) and at the Diet of Augsburg
Diet of Augsburg
The Diet of Augsburg were the meetings of the Imperial Diet of the Holy Roman Empire in the German city of Augsburg. There were many such sessions, but the three meetings during the Reformation and the ensuing religious wars between the Roman Catholic emperor Charles V and the Protestant...
(1559). In 1550 he was given the bishopric of Vannes, and in 1557 the archbishopric of Vienne
Archbishopric of Vienne
The Archbishopric of Vienne, named after its episcopal see Vienne in the Isère département of southern France, was a metropolitan Roman Catholic archdiocese...
; he also became a member of the privy council. He distinguished himself as a statesman at the Assembly of Notables
Assembly of Notables
The Assembly of Notables was a group of notables invited by the King of France to consult on matters of state.-History:Assemblies of Notables had met in 1583, 1596–97, 1617, 1626, 1787, and 1788. Like the Estates General, they served a consultative purpose only...
at Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the arrondissement of Fontainebleau...
in 1560, when he delivered an exceedingly brilliant discourse, in which he opposed the policy of violence and demanded a national council and the assembly of the states general. Irritated by his opposition, the Guise
Guise
Guise is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-Population:-Sights:The ruins of the medieval castle of Guise, seat of the Dukes of Guise, are located in the commune.-Miscellaneous:...
s compelled him to leave the court, and he died on the 2nd of December of the same year.
His works include: (Paris, 1556), and published in Ranke's Deutsche Geschichte im Zeitalter der Reformation, vol. vi. (Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, 1882). See J. Kaulek, (Paris, 1885); P. de Vassiere, Charles de Marillac (Paris, 1896).