François de Montmorency-Bouteville

Who was François de Montmorency-Bouteville?

François de Montmorency-Bouteville was the second son of Louis de Montmorency, Comte de Bouteville, Vice-Admiral of France under Henri IV. François succeeded his brother Henri in 1616 and became Duke of Luxembourg and Governor of Senlis. He served with distinction at the sieges of Saint-Jean-d'Angély, Montauban, Royan and Montpellier.

After fighting a duel against the Comte de Pontgibaud, he killed the Marquis de Portes in 1625 and the Comte de Thorigny on 25 March 1626. He injured the Baron de la Frette in 1627, then fled to Brussels to escape the wrath of Louis XIII.

Despite the intercession of many people, including the archduchess of the Netherlands, Louis XIII would not pardon him. Furious, he vowed to fight a duel in broad daylight in central Paris despite the fact that Cardinal Richelieu had issued an edict saying that duelling would be punishable by death.

On 12 May 1627 at the Place Royale in Paris, he killed the Marquis de Bussi d'Amboise in the course of a duel. Their seconds, François de Rosmadec, Comte de Chappelles, and François d’Harcourt, Marquis de Beuvron, also fought one another.