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François de Bassompierre

1579 – 1646

French courtier and Marshal of France

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About François de Bassompierre

Lived 1579 – 1646 (aged 67). François de Bassompierre was a French diplomat and military personnel.

François de Bassompierre (; 12 April 157912 October 1646) was a French courtier.

The son of Christophe de Bassompierre (1547–1596), he was born at the castle of Haroué in Lorraine. He was descended from an old family which had for generations served the dukes of Burgundy and Lorraine, and after being educated with his brothers in Bavaria and Italy, was introduced to the court of King Henry IV of France in 1598. He became a great favourite of the king and shared to the full in the dissipations of court life. In 1600, he took part in the brief campaign in Savoy, and in 1603 fought in Hungary against the Turks for emperor Rudolf II.

In 1614, he assisted Marie de' Medici, now queen mother, in her struggle against the nobles, but upon her failure in 1617 remained loyal to the young king Louis XIII and assisted the royalists when they routed Marie's supporters at Les Ponts-de-Cé in 1620. His services during the Huguenot rising of 1621–22 won for him the dignity of marshal of France. He was with the army of the king during the siege of La Rochelle in 1628, and in 1629 distinguished himself in the campaign against the Huguenot rebels of Languedoc, especially at the Siege of Privas. In 1615 Bassompierre had purchased from Henri, duc de Rohan, the coveted position of colonel-general of the Swiss and Grisons; on this account he was sent to raise troops in Switzerland when Louis XIII marched against Savoy in 1629, and after a short campaign in Italy his military career ended.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Positions held
Ambassador, Governor of the Bastille
Awards
Knight of the Order of the Holy Spirit; Knight of the Order of Saint Michael; Marshal of France

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped François de Bassompierre's

Frequently asked questions

Who was François de Bassompierre?

French courtier and Marshal of France (1579-1646)

When was François de Bassompierre born?

François de Bassompierre was born on 12 April 1579 in Haroué.

When did François de Bassompierre die?

François de Bassompierre died on 12 October 1646 in Provins.

What was François de Bassompierre's occupation?

François de Bassompierre was a diplomat and military personnel.

What nationality was François de Bassompierre?

François de Bassompierre was French.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: François de Bassompierre

· Wikidata: Q960741

· DBpedia: François de Bassompierre

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). François de Bassompierre. https://biography.guide/francois-de-bassompierre/

MLA: "François de Bassompierre." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/francois-de-bassompierre/.

Chicago: "François de Bassompierre." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/francois-de-bassompierre/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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