(254)

Jacques de Savoie
2nd Duc de Nemours
(1531–85)

Biographical

2nd Duc de Nemours 1533–85†
1st Duc de Genevois 1564
Marquis de Saint-Sorlin 1571
Comte de Genevois 1533–85†
Baron de Faucigny 1533-85†
Seigneur de Beaufort-sur-Doron 1533-85†
Seigneur de Poncin
Seigneur de Cerdon
Seigneur de Verneuil
Seigneur d'Anet
Co-seigneur de Neuchâtel 1552–57

Colonel 1562
Governor of Dauphiné 1562
Governor of Provence 1562
Governor of Languedoc 1562
Governor of Auvergne 1562
Governor of Dombes 1562
Governor of Lyonnais 1548, 1562
Governor of Beaujolais 1562
Governor of Forez 1562
Governor of Maconnais

Jacque's mother, Charlotte d'Orléans, took such care of his education that he became, according to Samuel Guichenon, one of the most accomplished princes of his century. At the age of fifteen, he was introduced to François I, which gave him a company of light horses. After his first experience in combat at the siege of Lens, where he distinguished himself, he was present at the siege of Metz in 1552, and witnessed the combat of Doullens as well as the battle of Renty in 1554. In 1555 he commanded the troops in the Piedmont wars.  After a truce was called following the capture of Pont de Sture, Jacques sent a challenge to the Marquis de Pescaire, and although both survived the skirmish, three men were killed. Nemours still served under the Duke of Guise, and was appointed on his return Colonel General of the Light Cavalry. In the tournament where Henry II lost his life, Jacques was one of his supporters. During the next reign, he showed himself entirely devoted to the Guise party. He was at Amboise in 1560 when the plot of La Renaudie broke out, he seized the Captains Mazère and Raunay, and surprised the Baron de Castelnau at the castle of Noizay, who did not lay down his arms until after having received from the Duke a signed agreement that he would be freed after a few days. All three were, however, imprisoned, tortured and executed. The following year, Jacques, foreseeing the next moment when the Guises would be called upon to take up arms, he sought to gain support for them from the brother of the king, Prince Henri, then aged ten , and convince him to flee with him from Saint-Germain; the attempt was aborted, and Jacques was forced to flee to Lorraine to escape the queen's wrath. There was already proof, by a despatch from the French ambassador at Rome, that the Pope was involved in this plot. However, Jacques' military talents were crucial to the king, and he was recalled in 1562. That year he contributed, with Marshal de Saint-André, to the recovery of Bourges from the Protestants, and then passed into Dauphiné, occupied Vienna and defeated the Baron des Adrets, who, whilst negotiating his return to grace, he was arrested by Montbrun in January 1563. After the death of Marshal de Saint-André, he obtained the government of Lyonnais, Forez and Beaujolais. At around this time he retired to the court of Savoy, not only to settle the disputes relating to his prerogative, but because of the scandal arising from legal action relating to his supposed marriage to Françoise de Rohan. After the Parliament of Paris ruled in his favour in 1566, he married the widow Anna d'Este.

During the second civil war, Jacques accompanied the royal army to Meaux. Informed of the plan which the Protestants had conceived to abduct the king, he put himself forward to be the protector of the king and to ensure his safe return. The charge was immediately given to him. His excessive zeal towards the Catholic cause, was more than just personal ambition, and it prevented the him from subscribing to the peace that was eventually concluded with the Huguenots; the first he refused, in the cities of Lyon and Grenoble, to fulfil the conditions as he viewed them as a degrading to royal dignity. For this stance, he was praised by Pope Pius V. In 1567 he fought with his accustomed valour at the battle of Saint-Denis, and was charged, with the Duke of Aumale, to oppose the invasion of the Duke of Deux-Ponts, who brought a powerful reinforcement to the Protestants. The persistence of d'Aumale caused the expedition to fail. Disgusted with the court, and tormented by gout, Jacques retired to the Duchy of Genevois. In 1572 he reappeared at court and supported the massacre of Saint Bartholomew, though he had no direct involvement. In 1575 he came to greet Henry III on his visit to Lyon, and accompanied him to Paris. It was not long before he returned to Annecy, where he languished for several more years. He died of a gout attack at the age of fifty-four. Jacques was a man with a great deal of wit and knowledge; he spoke two or three languages, and wrote easily in prose and verse. The historian Jacques Auguste de Thou praised his talents.

Place of birth: Vauluisant, Champagne
Place of marriage: Saint-Maur-des-Fossés
Place of death: Paris Grands Augustins or Notre Dame d'Annecy

Son of Philippe de Savoie-Nemours and Charlotte d'Orléans-Longueville. He married Anna d'Este, and had issue. He also had illegitimate issue.

© 2024 The Universal Compendium