René de Froulay de Tessé facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
René de Froulay, Comte de Tessé
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Portrait by Hyacinthe Rigaud
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| Born | 14 May 1648 Le Mans, France |
| Died | 30 March 30 March 1725 (aged 76) Yerres, near Grosbois, France |
| Allegiance |  France |
| Years of service | 1669–1707 |
| Rank | Marshal of France |
| Unit | Dragoons |
| Battles/wars | Franco-Dutch war Nine Years' War War of the Spanish Succession Battle of Toulon |
| Awards | Order of the Golden Collar |
| Relations | Philibert-Emmanuel de Froulay |
René de Froulay, Comte de Tessé (born May 14, 1648 – died March 30, 1725) was an important French soldier and diplomat. He served France during the time of King Louis XIV and later during the period known as the Régence (1715–1723). He was known for his military leadership and his work in international talks.
Contents
Who was René de Froulay?
René de Froulay, Comte de Tessé, was born on May 14, 1648, at his family's home, the Chateau de Vernie, near Le Mans, France. His father was René, Comte de Tessé, and his mother was Madeleine de Beaumanoir de Lavardin.
René had a younger brother named Philibert-Emmanuel de Froulay, who also became a soldier. Their grandfather, Jean de Beaumanoir, was a trusted advisor to King Henry IV.
René's Family Life
René de Froulay married Marie Françoise Auber d'Aunay on June 10, 1674. They had seven children together, but only four lived past childhood. His oldest son, René-Mans de Froulay, took over his title after him.
René's grandson, also named René de Froulay, married Adrienne Catherine de Noailles. She became famous for supporting the composer Mozart. She was also a friend and wrote letters to Thomas Jefferson, who later became a US President.
René de Froulay's Military Career
Like many important people of his time, René de Froulay played a big part in the wars fought by King Louis XIV. In 1669, he joined the staff of Marshall François de Créquy. He also started his own group of soldiers called dragoons.
Fighting in the Franco-Dutch War
His dragoons fought in the Franco-Dutch war from 1672 to 1678. After a law called the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes was changed in 1685, he was involved in actions against Protestants called Huguenots in the Principality of Orange. He also became a military leader in the Dauphiné and Languedoc areas in 1686.
Role in the Nine Years' War
When the Nine Years' War began in 1688, René de Froulay was part of the army that entered the Rhineland region. When France pulled its troops back in 1689, King Louis XIV ordered a "scorched-earth" policy. This meant destroying everything so the enemy couldn't use it.
De Tessé led these operations in the Palatinate area. This included burning the city of Heidelberg and destroying more than 20 towns and villages. Later, he fought in Northern Italy against Savoy. He was in charge of the soldiers protecting the important town of Pinerolo in Piedmont.
Starting in 1693, he worked as King Louis's representative in secret talks with Victor Amadeus. These talks led to the Treaty of Turin in 1696, which was a peace agreement between France and Savoy.
Leadership in the War of the Spanish Succession
When the War of the Spanish Succession started in 1701, de Tessé was in charge of the French soldiers in Mantua. He was wounded several times during this war. Sadly, his brother Philibert-Emmanuel died from illness in the same year.
In 1703, René de Froulay was given the high rank of Marshal of France. In 1704, he became the Commander-in-Chief of the Bourbon troops in Spain, taking over from the Duke of Berwick. In this role, he became close to the young King Philip V.
In 1706, de Tessé led the Bourbon forces trying to capture Barcelona. However, his army was spread too thin. The British controlled the seas, which meant they could easily resupply the city. Because of this, the Bourbon army had to retreat.
Despite this setback, in 1707, he led the army that stopped Prince Eugene from taking the important French naval base of Toulon. This was likely his last active military command.
Later Life and Diplomacy
After his military career, René de Froulay continued to serve France as a diplomat. In 1708, he was the French Ambassador in Rome. Later, in 1723, he served as Ambassador in Spain. He convinced King Philip V to become King of Spain again after his oldest son, Louis I, died.
He also served as the Governor General of the Perche region and his home province of Maine. René de Froulay, Comte de Tessé, died in 1725 at a monastery in Grosbois.
Sources
- Comte de Tessé; Mémoires Et Lettres Du Maréchal De Tessé:
- Kamen, Henry; Philip V of Spain: The King Who Reigned Twice; (Yale University Press, 2001);
- Lynn, John; The Wars of Louis XIV, 1667–1714; (Longman, 1999);
- Symcox, Geoffrey; Absolutism in the Savoyard State 1675–1730; (University of California Press, 1983);
See also
In Spanish: René de Froulay de Tessé para niños
