Louis de Luxembourg, Count of Saint-Pol, of Brienne, de Ligny, and Conversano (1418 – 19 December 1475) belonged to the Ligny branch of the House of Luxemburg and was Constable of France.[1]
He was brought up by his uncle, John II of Luxembourg, Count of Ligny, who named Louis as heir to his estates. However, King Charles VII of Francesequestrated the estates on John's death in 1441. As a result, Saint-Pol sought a rapprochement with the French king and duly had his inheritance restored to him. However, the county of Guise was claimed by Charles, Count of Maine. The affair was settled by an agreement that Saint-Pol's sister Isabelle would marry the Count of Maine and receive the disputed lands as her dowry.
After this, he was persistently disloyal to the King, conspiring with Charles, Count of Charolais, and with Edward IV of England (the husband of his niece, Elizabeth Woodville). The final treason came in 1474 when Saint-Pol approached Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, who had already entered into a compact with Edward IV of England to dismember France in a renewal of the Hundred Years' War. The scheme envisaged the murder of Louis and the sub-division of France between Saint-Pol, the Dukes of Burgundy, Brittany, Bourbon and Nemours, the Count of Maine and King Edward. Saint-Pol then proceeded to draw other magnates into the conspiracy.
The whole thing started to unravel after Louis and Edward concluded the Treaty of Picquigny in August 1475. Angered by this, Saint-Pol was imprudent enough to write to Edward, upbraiding him as a "cowardly, dishonoured and beggarly king". Edward promptly forwarded the letter to Louis, who now had all the proof he needed. A messenger was sent to the conspirator, in which he was informed that the King had 'need of a head such as his.' He was arrested in September 1475, and later imprisoned in the Bastille. Execution followed in December. Philippe de Commynes, the chief chronicler of Louis' reign, was to write that Saint-Pol had been "abandoned by God because he had tried with all his might to prolong the hostilities between the King and the Duke of Burgundy."
From 1468 to 1472 his chaplain was the well-known translator, author and scribe Jean Miélot.
Gade, John Allyne (1951). Luxemburg in the Middle Ages. E.J. Brill.
Gregory, Philippa; Baldwin, David; Jones, Michael (2011). The Women of the Cousins' War: The Duchess, the Queen, and the King's Mother. Simon & Schuster Inc.
Vaughan, Richard (2002). Charles the Bold. Boydell Press.
External linksedit
The Memoirs of Philippe de Commines are a major source on the life of Louis de Luxembourg, Count of Saint-Pol.
November 23, 2023
louis, count, saint, louis, luxembourg, count, saint, brienne, ligny, conversano, 1418, december, 1475, belonged, ligny, branch, house, luxemburg, constable, france, louis, luxembourg, count, saint, pollater, portrait, louis, comte, saint, polborn1418died19, d. Louis de Luxembourg Count of Saint Pol of Brienne de Ligny and Conversano 1418 19 December 1475 belonged to the Ligny branch of the House of Luxemburg and was Constable of France 1 Louis de Luxembourg Count of Saint PolLater portrait of Louis Comte de Saint PolBorn1418Died19 December 1475 1475 12 19 aged 56 57 ParisNoble familyHouse of LuxembourgSpouse s Jeanne de Bar Countess of Marle and SoissonsMarie of SavoyFatherPeter of Luxembourg Count of Saint PolMotherMargaret de Baux Contents 1 Life 2 War against the King 3 Marriage and children 4 Ancestry 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksLife editSaint Pol was the eldest son of Peter of Luxembourg 2 and Margaret de Baux His name originates from the fact that he was a 7th generation descendant of Henry V Count of Luxembourg and thus belonged to the French branch of the House of Luxembourg His older sister Jacqueline better known as Jacquetta of Luxembourg married John of Lancaster 1st Duke of Bedford and Louis was initially a supporter of the Lancastrian cause in the English Wars of the Roses He was brought up by his uncle John II of Luxembourg Count of Ligny who named Louis as heir to his estates However King Charles VII of France sequestrated the estates on John s death in 1441 As a result Saint Pol sought a rapprochement with the French king and duly had his inheritance restored to him However the county of Guise was claimed by Charles Count of Maine The affair was settled by an agreement that Saint Pol s sister Isabelle would marry the Count of Maine and receive the disputed lands as her dowry War against the King editSaint Pol became a close friend of the Dauphin Louis the future King Louis XI of France and fought with him in Flanders and in Normandy However in 1465 Saint Pol broke with his friend now King to join with the King s brother Charles Duke of Berry in the League of the Public Weal 1 At the battle of Montlhery he commanded the van of Charles the Bold s army yet later was made constable of France by Louis XI 1 The Treaty of Conflans ended the war while Saint Pol received the hand of the King s sister in law Maria of Savoy After this he was persistently disloyal to the King conspiring with Charles Count of Charolais and with Edward IV of England the husband of his niece Elizabeth Woodville The final treason came in 1474 when Saint Pol approached Charles the Bold Duke of Burgundy who had already entered into a compact with Edward IV of England to dismember France in a renewal of the Hundred Years War The scheme envisaged the murder of Louis and the sub division of France between Saint Pol the Dukes of Burgundy Brittany Bourbon and Nemours the Count of Maine and King Edward Saint Pol then proceeded to draw other magnates into the conspiracy The whole thing started to unravel after Louis and Edward concluded the Treaty of Picquigny in August 1475 Angered by this Saint Pol was imprudent enough to write to Edward upbraiding him as a cowardly dishonoured and beggarly king Edward promptly forwarded the letter to Louis who now had all the proof he needed A messenger was sent to the conspirator in which he was informed that the King had need of a head such as his He was arrested in September 1475 and later imprisoned in the Bastille Execution followed in December Philippe de Commynes the chief chronicler of Louis reign was to write that Saint Pol had been abandoned by God because he had tried with all his might to prolong the hostilities between the King and the Duke of Burgundy From 1468 to 1472 his chaplain was the well known translator author and scribe Jean Mielot Marriage and children editLouis de Luxembourg married twice first to Jeanne de Bar Countess of Marle and Soissons died 1462 3 and secondly to Marie of Savoy He left at least nine legitimate children including John of Luxembourg Count of Soissons Peter II of Luxembourg Count of Saint Pol Jacqueline of Luxembourg married Philip I de Croy Count of Porcean died 1511 Anthony I of Luxembourg Count of LignyAncestry editAncestors of Louis Count of Saint Pol16 John I Lord of Ligny8 Guy I Count of Ligny17 Alix of Dampierre4 John Lord of Beauvoir18 John Count of Saint Pol9 Mathilde of Chatillon19 Joanna of Fiennes2 Peter I Count of Saint Pol20 Walter III Lord of Enghien10 Louis Count of Enghien21 Isabella Countess of Brienne5 Marguerite of Enghien22 Antonio Sanseverino Count of Marsico11 Giovanna Sanseverino23 Isabella del Balzo1 Louis of Luxembourg24 Bertrand II Lord of Baux12 Bertrand III Lord of Baux25 Berengaria of Andria6 Francis of Baux26 Robert Lord of Aulnay13 Marguerite of Aulnay27 Isabella d Estendart3 Margaret of Baux28 Roberto Orsini Count of Nola14 Nicola Orsini Count of Nola29 Sueva del Balzo7 Sueva Orsini30 Guillaume de Sabran Count of Ariano15 Jeanne de Sabran31 Francesca di CelanoNotes edit a b c Vaughan 2002 p 250 251 Gade 1951 p 102 Gregory Baldwin amp Jones 2011 p 67 References editGade John Allyne 1951 Luxemburg in the Middle Ages E J Brill Gregory Philippa Baldwin David Jones Michael 2011 The Women of the Cousins War The Duchess the Queen and the King s Mother Simon amp Schuster Inc Vaughan Richard 2002 Charles the Bold Boydell Press External links editThe Memoirs of Philippe de Commines are a major source on the life of Louis de Luxembourg Count of Saint Pol Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Louis Count of Saint Pol amp oldid 1145788673, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
