Gaspard de Coligny
(1519 - 1572 Paris)The Catholic Priest, Le Labourer, once said of Gaspard of Coligny, "He is probably one of the greatest men ever to come out of France, and if I were to venture to say more, I would say that he was the most loyal to his country." It is therefore hard to believe that such a man could have been stabbed to death and thrown out a window, only to have his head cut-off and sent as a gift as part of a gruesome gesture of allegiance. However, if we take a closer look at Gaspard of Coligny, we will find a man with such convictions that it is a wonder he was not killed sooner.
The Admiral of Coligny, Lord of Chatillon, never participated in a battle at sea to earn his title of Admiral. His military skills alone helped him to win that title, and along with it, the trust of King Henry II. Gaspard of Coligny, born 1519, was the second son (which in part explains why he chose the military as a career) of a noble man close to the royal family. His father was Lord of Chatillon and had been Marechal of France as well. He earned his title through a marriage to a noble woman close to the king's family (Louise de Montmorency). Coligny's family was not Protestant. He was Catholic, and it is on the battlefields fighting the Protestants that the king noticed him. His ardor and bravery allowed him to rise to the top of the ranks in little time. In 1544, during the battle at Carignano, Italy, Henry II named him "Colonel General de France." Then, under the king's orders, Coligny traveled to the New World (Brazil and Florida). Home at King Henry's court, he was the closest companion of the king, hunting with him and dining with him often. His contemporaries described him as a simple man (always chewing on a tooth pick) and appeared to be quiet; however, on the battlefield, he was bold and ferocious. The king also appreciated his talents as a military tactician, though his favor with the king did not last for long.
A battle in Italy resulted in the capture of Gaspard of Coligny and his brother. They remained in jail for several years. During his incarceration, Coligny converted to Calvinism. He studied the bible as well as the writings of Calvin and Luther. (Coligny's brother also converted to Calvinism, but was forced to abjure to save his life. He was assassinated soon thereafter.) Once freed, Coligny discovered he lost all the favors he had been granted by the king. Although the king tried to persuade Coligny to return to his court, he refused, and eventually Coligny was returned to prison. Upon his release, however, he found he had become a hero, and the French Protestants had found their new leader. He married Charlotte of Laval with whom he had several children. The children were the only family members that survived the Saint Bartholomew's Day massacre.
When the king died, Catherine of Medici took the affairs of the kingdom into her own hands and asked Coligny for assistance. In an effort to bring peace to the kingdom, she decided to give part of the responsibilities of the kingdom to the Protestants while she waited for the future legitimate king, Charles IX, to come of age and rule the kingdom himself. Hence, Coligny won his seat at the "king's council". There were other circumstances that lead the queen to this decision - the weak regency was being eyed by neighboring kingdoms such as Spain, and the queen, knowing he had always been faithful to the crown, knew she could rely on Coligny's tactician skills if needed.
Consequently, in 1571, Coligny found himself vested with considerable power. In a short time he had demonstrated his abilities and won the trust of king Charles IX who referred to him as "my father". Meanwhile, the queen mother was becoming increasingly jealous and worried. Coligny had voted for war against Spain at the Council, upon which he had more and more influence. It was he who suggested the marriage between Margot and Henri of Navarre. The queen mother soon realized she had only two options, censor Coligny or eliminate him.
A few days before the historical massacre, Catherine de Medici hired an assassin to kill Coligny, however, he was merely wounded in the attempt. Later, as the violence of the Saint Bartholomew's Day massacre erupted in the streets below, Coligny was dragged from his bed where he lay recovering from his injuries. He was stabbed half to death, then thrown from his window. Still alive, his head was cut-off and sent to Rome as a present to the Pope by the Guises. His body was left behind and given to catholic Parisian youths for their macabre games. Not everyone found their games amusing, however - Coligny's head was soon intercepted by the mayor of Lyons. To this day no one knows what finally became of it.
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