Anne de Joyeuse

Who was Anne de Joyeuse?

Anne de Batarnay de Joyeuse, Baron d'Arques, Vicomte then Duke of Joyeuse was a royal favourite and active participant in the French Wars of Religion.

An intimate friend of Henry III of France, he was known as a minion and keeper of the king's chambers, with these serious responsibilities he also gained a number of privileges around the court such as wearing royal colors such as royal blue, purple, and red, also the right to wear jewelry of high majesties of the court such as a well known red ruby and diamond ring given to him by the king after having been taken away from Princesse Marguerite de Valois as a punishment for accusing Anne of trying to interfere with a meeting with a king as requested of her by Catherine de' Medici, he was also a member of the circle of young courtiers known as Les Mignons.

Anne was born in 1560 in the château de Joyeuse. He was the eldest son of Guillaume, 8th Vicomte de Joyeuse, the owner of the rights to the Bishopric of Alet and future Marshal of France. Cardinal François de Joyeuse was his younger brother. He was reared in Toulouse and attended the Collège de Navarre, starting in August 1572.