Frédéric Maurice de La Tour d'Auvergne

Who was Frédéric Maurice de La Tour d'Auvergne?

Frédéric Maurice de La Tour d'Auvergne, duc de Bouillon was prince of the independent principality of Sedan, and general in the French royal army.

Born in Sedan, Ardennes, he was the son of Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne, vicomte de Turenne, duc de Bouillon and Elisabeth of Nassau. His brother was the famous Turenne, Marshal of France. Raised as a Protestant, he received a military education in Holland under his uncles Maurice of Nassau-Orange and Frederick Henry of Nassau-Orange.

He became duc de Bouillon, and prince of Sedan, Jametz, and Raucourt at the death of his father in 1623. He was appointed governor of Maastricht in 1629. In 1634 he married Eleonora van Berg's-Heerenberg, under whose influence he converted to Catholicism.

In 1635 the duc de Bouillon came into the service of King Louis XIII of France, and was appointed maréchal de camp. He was deprived of his offices in the United Provinces after engaging in negotiations with Spain in 1637.

Along with the comte de Soissons, he conspired against Richelieu, and with the support of Spanish troops he and the comte de Soissons defeated the French royal troops sent after them at the Battle of La Marfée, outside of Sedan, in 1641.