Claude de Lorraine | |
|---|---|
| Abbot of Bec | |
 Ligueur portrait of the chevalier | |
| Born | 13 December 1564 |
| Died | 3 January 1591 (aged 26) Saint-Denis |
| Noble family | House of Guise |
| Father | Claude, Duke of Aumale |
| Mother | Louise de Brézé |
Claude de Lorraine, chevalier d'Aumale (13 December 1564 – 3 January 1591)[1] was a French churchman, noble and military commander during the French Wars of Religion. The second son of Claude, Duke of Aumale and Louise de Brézé, Aumale was destined for a life in the church. His uncles Cardinal Lorraine and Cardinal Guise ensured that he was granted many abbeys, that brought him a sizable income. At the age of 19 in 1583, he travelled to Malta to perform his service as a Knight of the Order of Saint John, finding success in his campaign.
Returning to France, he brought his family into dispute with the king's favourite Épernon, and began working with the radical Seize faction of the Catholic ligue, which seized control of Paris during the Day of the Barricades. In 1589, after the assassination of his cousin by Henri III Aumale and the ligue at large entered open war with the king, who was forced into an alliance with the Protestant Navarre. Forces under Aumale succeeded in almost catching the king at Tours in early May, but were driven back when reinforcements arrived. At another engagement later that month, Aumale was driven from Senlis by troops under the duke of Longueville. With the assassination of Henri III in August, the ligue was left to fight Navarre, now styling himself Henri IV. In March he participated in the seminal Battle of Ivry, commanding the right flank of the ligue army. He was bested by forces under the duke of Biron and his father Marshal Biron. In the wake of the battle Navarre attempted to besiege Paris, with Aumale leading the defence alongside the duke of Nemours and the Seize. They were saved from defeat by the duke of Parma, who brought a Spanish army to their aid. Pivoting his strategy to the northern surrounds of Paris, Navarre successfully rebuffed an attack by Aumale upon the suburb of Saint-Denis on 3 January, during which Aumale was killed. He was a key martyr for the ligue which eulogised their 'Catholic warrior' in pamphlets.
- ^ George 1875, p. table XXX.