Guy I de Chabot | |
|---|---|
| baron de Jarnac | |
 Portrait of Jarnac, now in The Frick Collection | |
| Other titles | Gentilhomme de chambre of Charles IX of France |
| Born | 1514 Kingdom of France |
| Died | 1584 |
| Family | Famille de Chabot |
| Spouse(s) | Louise de Pisseleu |
| Father | Charles I de Chabot |
| Mother | Jeanne de Saint-Gelais |
Guy I de Chabot, seigneur de Jarnac (1514-1584) was a French courtier, soldier and governor. Rising to prominence with the elevation of his family to great office during the reign of François I, Jarnac became entangled with the great factions of court, and a marriage between himself and Louise de Pisseleu, the sister of the king's mistress, secured his centrality at court. That brought him into conflict with those around the dauphin, Henri II, and led to his famous duel with La Châtaignerie at the advent of the new king's reign.
After his victory in the duel, his family fell into disfavour in an act of revenge by his political opponents. However, he remained in personal favour and succeeded to the governorship of La Rochelle in early 1559. He struggled greatly with his Protestant co-religionists in the town, who did not share his enthusiasm for the authority of the crown. As a result, after assisting a coup during the first War of Religion, he found himself forced into exile from the town out of fear of assassination. Returning during peacetime, he again sought to stamp his authority on the town, which encouraged the king to make his will felt there. The king, however, began to tire of Jarnac's inability to bring the town to order cheaply and so exiled Jarnac from the town a second time by royal order in 1566. Once more of utility to the court, Jarnac was called to offer his services again in 1568 and attempted bring La Rochelle into order. Jarnac died in 1584.