Gaspard de Saulx
Encyclopedia
Gaspard de Saulx, sieur de Tavannes (1509–1575) was a French
military leader during the Italian Wars
and the French Wars of Religion
.
.
As a page of King Francis I
, he was made prisoner by the Imperials in the Battle of Pavia
(1525). Later he distinguished himself in the War of Provence and in Battle of Ceresole
of 1544.
In 1552 he conquered Metz
and had an important role in the French victory at the Battle of Renty
(1554). After the conquest of Calais
in 1558, he was created General Governor of Bourgogne
. In this role he was accused of excessive persecutions against the Protestants, a trait he also displayed in the Huguenot Wars. In the course of the latter he was victorious at the battles of Jarnac
and Moncontour
. As a reward for his deeds, he was made Marshal of France
on November 28, 1570.
De Saulx had also a role in the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre
on August 24, 1572. In the October of the same year he was appointed as governor of Provence
and Admiral of the Levant.
He died in his castle at Sully
, and was buried in the Sainte Chapelle of Dijon. His memoirs are an important primary source for the period.
He is featured as a supporting character and the main antagonist in the 1966 Doctor Who
serial The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve
, in which he is played by André Morell
.
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...
military leader during the Italian Wars
Italian Wars
The Italian Wars, often referred to as the Great Italian Wars or the Great Wars of Italy and sometimes as the Habsburg–Valois Wars, were a series of conflicts from 1494 to 1559 that involved, at various times, most of the city-states of Italy, the Papal States, most of the major states of Western...
and the French Wars of Religion
French Wars of Religion
The French Wars of Religion is the name given to a period of civil infighting and military operations, primarily fought between French Catholics and Protestants . The conflict involved the factional disputes between the aristocratic houses of France, such as the House of Bourbon and House of Guise...
.
Biography
He was born in DijonDijon
Dijon is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or département and of the Burgundy region.Dijon is the historical capital of the region of Burgundy. Population : 151,576 within the city limits; 250,516 for the greater Dijon area....
.
As a page of King 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...
, he was made prisoner by the Imperials in 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...
(1525). Later he distinguished himself in the War of Provence and in Battle of Ceresole
Battle of Ceresole
The Battle of Ceresole was an encounter between a French army and the combined forces of Spain and the Holy Roman Empire during the Italian War of 1542–46...
of 1544.
In 1552 he conquered Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
and had an important role in the French victory at the Battle of Renty
Battle of Renty
The Battle of Renty was fought on August 12, 1554, between France and the Holy Roman Empire at Renty, a northern French secondary theatre of the Italian Wars. The French were led by Francis, Duke of Guise, while the Imperial forces were led by Emperor Charles V of Habsburg.On August 8, the French...
(1554). After the conquest of Calais
Calais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
in 1558, he was created General Governor of Bourgogne
Bourgogne
Burgundy is one of the 27 regions of France.The name comes from the Burgundians, an ancient Germanic people who settled in the area in early Middle-age. The region of Burgundy is both larger than the old Duchy of Burgundy and smaller than the area ruled by the Dukes of Burgundy, from the modern...
. In this role he was accused of excessive persecutions against the Protestants, a trait he also displayed in the Huguenot Wars. In the course of the latter he was victorious at the battles of Jarnac
Battle of Jarnac
The Battle of Jarnac on 13 March 1569 was an encounter during the French Wars of Religion between the Catholic forces of Marshal Gaspard de Saulx, sieur de Tavannes, and the Huguenots, near the nadir of their fortunes, financed by Reinhold von Krockow and led by Louis I de Bourbon, prince de...
and Moncontour
Battle of Moncontour
The Battle of Moncontour occurred on 3 October 1569 between the Catholic forces of King Charles IX of France and the Huguenots during the "Third War" of the French Wars of Religion.-The battle:...
. As a reward for his deeds, he was made 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...
on November 28, 1570.
De Saulx had also a role in the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre
St. Bartholomew's Day massacre
The St. Bartholomew's Day massacre in 1572 was a targeted group of assassinations, followed by a wave of Roman Catholic mob violence, both directed against the Huguenots , during the French Wars of Religion...
on August 24, 1572. In the October of the same year he was appointed as governor of Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
and Admiral of the Levant.
He died in his castle at Sully
Sully
-People:* Hugh the Red of Sully, 13th century Sicilian general* Bishop Maurice de Sully , oversaw the building of Notre Dame de Paris; Bishop to Philippe II of France...
, and was buried in the Sainte Chapelle of Dijon. His memoirs are an important primary source for the period.
He is featured as a supporting character and the main antagonist in the 1966 Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
serial The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve
The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve
The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 5 February to 26 February 1966...
, in which he is played by André Morell
André Morell
André Morell was a British actor. He appeared frequently in theatre, film and on television from the 1930s to the 1970s...
.