Claude Gouffier
Encyclopedia
Claude Gouffier was a French
nobleman and book collector. He was the model for the "Marquis de Carabas" from the story Puss in Boots
by Charles Perrault
.
He was the son of Artus Gouffier
, tutor to the count of Angoulême who eventually rose to the throne as Francis I
. Under Francis I, the Gouffier family prospered and were important patrons of both art and literature. This important dynasty was seated at the estate of Château d'Oiron. Claude Gouffier was granted knighthood in 1533, and in 1546 created Marquis of Boissy
and Caravaz.
He served at the Battle of Pavia
, where he was one of the knights taken prisoner along with Francis I after the disastrous defeat of the French army. He was eventually released, but was captured again during a later French campaign in Italy by Ferrante Gonzaga
in 1536. He was ransomed two years later by Francis for the huge sum of 6000 gold crowns in 1538.
Gouffier's official title was Grand Écuyer de France, or Master of the King's Stables, to Henri II
, although his life's main vocation seems to have been the collection of books and unusual objects. He was said by Charles Isaac Elton to be "a collector of an essentially modern type. He bought autographs and historical portraits, as well as rare MSS. and good specimens of printing, and was careful to have his books well clothed in the fashionable painted binding."
He was married five times. His first wife was Jacqueline de La Tremoille, who he wed in 1527. She attempted to murder him by poisoning, and was sentenced to prison (and her confessor, to death.) She died in 1544. His next wife was Françoise de Brosse de Britain, who died in childbirth in 1558, and the next was Mary Gaignon St. Bohaire who perished in 1565. In 1567 he married Claude de Beaune, who also died. His fifth marriage was in 1569, to Antoinette de La Tour-Landry, lady in waiting to Catherine de Medici.
Like many other wealthy aristocrats of the Renaissance, Gouffier maintained a Wunderkammer or "Cabinet of Curiosities", which included an assortment of scientific and zoological artifacts. This has been expanded in the current day to include diverse works of art from all over the world. The original Wunderkammer collection is preserved to this day at the Château d'Oiron - and now includes a lifelike wax figure of Gouffier himself.
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
nobleman and book collector. He was the model for the "Marquis de Carabas" from the story Puss in Boots
Puss in Boots
'Puss' is a character in the fairy tale "The Master Cat, or Puss in Boots" by Charles Perrault. The tale was published in 1697 in his Histoires ou Contes du temps passé...
by Charles Perrault
Charles Perrault
Charles Perrault was a French author who laid the foundations for a new literary genre, the fairy tale, with his works derived from pre-existing folk tales. The best known include Le Petit Chaperon rouge , Cendrillon , Le Chat Botté and La Barbe bleue...
.
He was the son of Artus Gouffier
Artus Gouffier, Lord of Boissy
Artus Gouffier de Boissy was a French nobleman and politician. He was duke of Roannez and pair de France, count of Étampes, count of Caravas, baron of Passavant, of Maulévrier, of Roanne, of la Mothe-Saint-Romain, of Bourg-sur-Charente and of Saint-Loup, lord of Oiron, of Villedieu, of Valence and...
, tutor to the count of Angoulême who eventually rose to the throne as Francis I
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...
. Under Francis I, the Gouffier family prospered and were important patrons of both art and literature. This important dynasty was seated at the estate of Château d'Oiron. Claude Gouffier was granted knighthood in 1533, and in 1546 created Marquis of Boissy
Boissy
Boissy is the name or part of the name of 18 communes of France:*Boissy-aux-Cailles*Boissy-en-Drouais*Boissy-Fresnoy*Boissy-l'Aillerie*Boissy-la-Rivière*Boissy-Lamberville*Boissy-le-Bois*Boissy-le-Châtel*Boissy-le-Cutté*Boissy-le-Repos*Boissy-le-Sec...
and Caravaz.
He served at the Battle of Pavia
Battle of Pavia
The Battle of Pavia, fought on the morning of 24 February 1525, was the decisive engagement of the Italian War of 1521–26.A Spanish-Imperial army under the nominal command of Charles de Lannoy attacked the French army under the personal command of Francis I of France in the great hunting preserve...
, where he was one of the knights taken prisoner along with Francis I after the disastrous defeat of the French army. He was eventually released, but was captured again during a later French campaign in Italy by Ferrante Gonzaga
Ferrante Gonzaga
Ferrante I Gonzaga was an Italian condottiero, a member of the House of Gonzaga and the founder of the branch of the Gonzaga of Guastalla.-Biography:...
in 1536. He was ransomed two years later by Francis for the huge sum of 6000 gold crowns in 1538.
Gouffier's official title was Grand Écuyer de France, or Master of the King's Stables, to Henri 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,...
, although his life's main vocation seems to have been the collection of books and unusual objects. He was said by Charles Isaac Elton to be "a collector of an essentially modern type. He bought autographs and historical portraits, as well as rare MSS. and good specimens of printing, and was careful to have his books well clothed in the fashionable painted binding."
He was married five times. His first wife was Jacqueline de La Tremoille, who he wed in 1527. She attempted to murder him by poisoning, and was sentenced to prison (and her confessor, to death.) She died in 1544. His next wife was Françoise de Brosse de Britain, who died in childbirth in 1558, and the next was Mary Gaignon St. Bohaire who perished in 1565. In 1567 he married Claude de Beaune, who also died. His fifth marriage was in 1569, to Antoinette de La Tour-Landry, lady in waiting to Catherine de Medici.
Like many other wealthy aristocrats of the Renaissance, Gouffier maintained a Wunderkammer or "Cabinet of Curiosities", which included an assortment of scientific and zoological artifacts. This has been expanded in the current day to include diverse works of art from all over the world. The original Wunderkammer collection is preserved to this day at the Château d'Oiron - and now includes a lifelike wax figure of Gouffier himself.