François d'O
French soldier and statesman / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
François d'O, seigneur de Fresne et de Maillebois (1545/50-c. 1594) was a French soldier, statesman and favourite of Henri III.[1] Rising to prominence through his association with the dauphin Henri, he served with the prince at the siege of La Rochelle. When Henri returned to France as king in 1574 d'O found himself quickly receiving advancement, first as master of the wardrobe and first gentleman of the chamber. Part of a particularly close group to Henri known as the Mignons, or to Henri 'Ma Troupe' he and several other Mignons attempted to kill Bussy d'Amboise for the king.
François d'O | |
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seigneur de Fresne et de Maillebois | |
![]() Portrait of d'O by unknown artist | |
Born | 1545/50 |
Died | c. 1594 |
Spouse(s) | Charlotte-Catherine de Villequier |
In 1578 he was further elevated to the post of surintendant des finances. Keen to re-assert authority over a province whose estates had recently demonstrated disloyalty, d'O was granted the captaincy of the town of Caen in his home province of Normandy. At this time d'O was a close confident of the king, regularly travelling with him on his excursions from Paris, with the king staying at his residence on occasion. By 1581 Henri increasingly had new favourites, such as Anne de Joyeuse and Jean Louis de Nogaret de La Valette also known as Épernon. D'O resented the favours lavished on these new men, in particular the opulent wedding arranged for Joyeuse in 1581. Épernon for his part loathed d'O and insulted him to the king. As a result d'O fell into disfavour with the crown, and was banned from court in late 1581 on the pretext of his addiction to gambling.
In 1583 the disgraced d'O was granted a temporary appointment as lieutenant-general of lower Normandy on condition he soon pass it over to Matignon's son. Dissatisfied with the regime, d'O went into alliance with the Catholic Ligue in 1585 using his influence in Normandy to support the forces of Elbeuf against the crown. After a clash between Elbeuf's army and forces under Joyeuse a peace was agreed that was favourable to the Ligue, a term of which divested d'O of his command of Caen in return for his re-admission onto the kings conseil and an appointment as a Chevalier du Saint-Esprit. As a result he returned to favour and withdrew from involvement in the ligue.
In 1588 d'O played a central role in the events of the Day of the Barricades, his forces attempting to attack captains loyal to the liguer Henry I, Duke of Guise before elements of the population of Paris rose up against the king in favour of Guise. Instructed by the king to retreat with his forces to the Louvre d'O was harried by armed Parisians all the way back and feared for his life. Forced from Paris shortly after Henri was furious at his ministers who he blamed for leading him to be too conciliatory with the ligue. As a result d'O became a more central force in his administration. Shortly thereafter Henri arranged the assassination of Guise, before himself being assassinated. D'O came with the troops of Saint Cloud to Henri IV, offering them to him on condition he renounce Protestantism and lead a Catholic kingdom. Henri demurred but offered enough concillatory remarks to secure d'O and the troops loyalty. Having served Henri for several years he died shortly after the king had entered Paris.