Montmorency family

   noble family of civil and military leaders

   Anne, first duke de Montmorency (1493-1567), born in Chantilly, was a favorite of King francis i, with whom he had been raised. He distinguished himself at the Battles of Ravenna (1512), Marig-nan (1515), and La Bicoque (1522) and was taken prisoner with the king at Pavia. in Provence, he successfully carried out scorched-earth tactics against the forces of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (1536) and was named marshal, then constable, of France. until 1540, he had a determining influence in the kingdom. After falling briefly out of favor and being exiled to his estates, he was restored to grace by King henry II and was one of those responsible for the Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis (April 1559), which he signed to gain his freedom, having been taken prisoner at the Battle of Saint-Quentin (1557). He allied himself with the duke de guise and Marshal saint-andré in a triumvirate that would approve the policy of appeasement of Queen Catherine de' medici and continue the struggle against the Protestants. Anne de Montmorency was killed fighting the prince de condé at the Battle of Saint-Denis. François, duke de Montmorency (ca. 1530-79), marshal of France, was the son of Anne I, duke de Montmorency, whom he opposed because of his spirit of religious tolerance. François narrowly escaped the saint Bartholomew's day massacre and supported the moderate faction known as the Politiques or Malcontents. Henri i, third duke de Montmorency (1534-1614), at first called Damville, was the brother of François, second duke de Montmorency. He also was a moderate, which earned him the hostility of the house of guise, and was one of the leaders of the Politiques who favored the accession of King henry iv. Henry II, fourth (and last) duke de Montmorency (1595-1632) was born in Chantilly and was the godson of King Henry IV. He was admiral of France and governor of languedoc and fought against the Protestants at the sieges of Montauban and Montpellier (1622) and the taking of the Île de Ré and the Île d'Oléron, 1625). He distinguished himself in Piedmont, but having intrigued with gaston d'orléans and having taken up arms against Cardinal richelieu, he was taken prisoner and condemned to death by the Parlement of Toulouse. Despite many intercessions on his behalf, he was beheaded. The duchy and peerage of Montmorency then passed to the House of condé.