| Politics at
Court |
|
Charlotte(s)
is mother, Charlotte de La Trémoille, was accused of having poisoned
her husband, and doubts were even cast on the paternity of Henri II de
Bourbon. Henri IV of France, however, recognized his cousin as his heir
presumptive until the birth of the dauphin, later Louis XIII. Henri II
was brought up as a Catholic by his mother, who had abjured Calvinism in
1596. In 1609 he married Charlotte de Montmorency (1594-1650). The new
princess, however, had already attracted Henri IV so much that Condé
had to send her out of the country and then to flee abroad himself to escape
the King's fury. After Henri IV's assassination he returned to France to
compete with the other princes and nobles in making demands on the regent,
Marie de Médici. When she and Concini, Marquis d'Ancre began to
refuse his demands, he blackmailed them twice by open rebellion, obtaining
not only money but the governments of important strongholds under the treaties
of Sainte-Menehould (1614) and Loudun (1616). Finally in 1616 he was arrested.
Three years of prison changed his mind. Henceforth he aided the crown,
operating against the rebellious princes in 1620 and against the Huguenots
in 1621 and in 1627-29 and fighting in frontier campaigns until 1638, when
his invasion of Spain ended in disaster at Fuenterrabia. Rewards included
the government of Burgundy (1631), which remained a family perquisite,
and most of the property confiscated from his brother-in-law Henri de Montmorency
(executed in 1632). Under Anne of Austria's regency he supported Cardinal
Mazarin.
Counsel of Regency
 n
1611, he is named viceroy of Nouvelle-France by the regent. As he enters
the counsel of Regency, he demands all the honours. When Louis XIII made
plans to marry Anne of Austria, he opposed the marriage as defender of
the protestants.
As the marriage did go on, Henri opposes Concini
and the italian clique together with the revolted fellow Princes. The Concinis
thanks to the Regents had received all conceivable honours, this upsets
very much the long established french nobility.
In 1612, he receives from Louis XIII the Hôtel
de Gondy which from then on will be called the Hôtel de Condé.
(In today's 6th arrondissement of Paris where now the Theatre de l'Odéon
stands)
The State General
n
1613, he decides to counter the government and causes the convocation of
the State General. The authority who did not have the courage to take real
measures gave in on the demands of the revolted princes. Without the support
of those princes, Henri couldn't secure the backing of the Tiers (the group
of the commons the State General) to put him in command. In order to counter
him the Regent fired the weakest of the ministers and called the cardinal
of Richelieu; but kept also the Concinis. Henri flees on his domains in
Berry. His plans were to have the Concini's government to implodes on itself
through all the horrors it was due to commit. But this manoeuvre is discovered
and he his recalled to the Court, having received many promises. He plays
according to what is expected from him but does not stop his attacks on
the legitimacy of the king. His position doesn't stop him either from his
debauchery, from which he contracts syphilis.
In 1614, he has the church Vallery reconstructed.
It is there that a lot of the family members will be buried.
In Prison
enry
opposed vigorously the politics and more so, the person of Concino Concini
and as such defies the counsel of Regency. Richelieu distrusts him and
has him arrested in 1616 in the middle of the Counsel He will stay
three years in prison at Vincennes.
He asks to be accompanied by his wife Charlotte.
Soon after she twice gives birth to stillborn children (1617 and twins
in 1618) Two months after a new delivery this time a girl Anne-Geneviève,
the Condés are freed by the king on behalf of the king's favori:
Luynes.
He will then serve the King with great loyalty.
he will even fight a protestants' uprising in Languedoc in 1627.
 |
| Castle of Vallery |
Careers
n
1631, in addition to the Berry and Bourbon regions, he receives from the
King the governments of Burgundy. A region that will stay in possession
of the Condés for many generations. After the execution of his brother
in law Henri de Montmorency (1632) he will
inherit a large part of the man's fortune. He then takes part in many battles
at the borders of the realm, campaigns that will end with the desastre
of Fuenterrabia in 1638.
After the death of king Louis XIII, Henri at the
head of the counsel of Regency. As third in importance in the kingdom,
he will constantly support the regent Anne of Austria and Mazarin.
He takes all measures to govern the king's house.
Without of course as a true Condé to help himself in the treasures
for his own profit. |
| Chantilly |
| Louis XIII's death affects him greatly, he cries
a lot, he had received the castle of Chantilly from him.
(It
will stay in Condés hands until their extinction in 1830). The castle
was not given to him nor in gratitude for his son's deeds but as a reconciliation
between the regent Anne of Austria and Henri's wife. The castle
was in fact the property of the Montmorencys until the duke's execution. |
| Political views |
| Although he had a good education, he didn't make
a show of it. The king welcomed his advices. Henri's opinions tended towards
liberalism and tolerance. In his own government of Berry he made efforts
to improve the people's condition. |
|
| Love and adventure |
Henri IV despised him to such point that he makes
him marry the lady who he make his mistress, Charlotte of Montmorency.
14 at the time, she had enflamed the heart of an aging Henri IV. He wanted
therefore to subtract her to her father's surveillance, the connétable.
Henri IV conceived the project to have her marry a friend of his.
One who was known for his masculine friendships.
The prince of Condé had inspite of his opposition to submit to the
will of the king. But this was without taking
into account the charm of the young woman who saw her new husband falling
in love with her. He took all possible measures to stop his wife from seeing
the king. Even if it meant keeping her captive on his domains. But he had
to give in to the king's wishes. |
 |
Charlotte de la Trémoïlle
(1594-1650) |
| The Spouse |
She was the most beautiful young woman of her
time. Even the smallpox didn't succeed in disfiguring her in spite of the
scars on her cheeks.
The idyle didn't last for long, the princess
liked social life and the lounges too much, where she was called the "
perroquette ". (Small parrot) Some even said that the princess only
had two happy days in her life, the day of her marriage, for the rank that
she acquired, and the day of her widowhood, for the recovered liberty. |
| The character |
| Considered as illegitimate in spite of his legitimacy,
he lived a morose childhood. He was grimy, cruel, debauched, and demagogue.
He was raised by his mother in an uncompromising Catholic faith.
She having abjured the Protestant faith. First considered like heir of
the throne, he is brought back to the second row after the birth of the
dauphin Louis (future Louis XIII). Redheaded, with a sad look, he acquired
a strong education but missed this panache that was pleasing to the court.
Besides, his homosexual's reputation didn't arrange anything.When he was
young, he was a bit eccentric.One day of libation, he crossed the streets
of Sens totally naked on his horse accompanied by a strip of friends
in the same outfit. Not elegant, acrid sometimes, he knew how to flatter
those of which he had in need. Like his king Henri IV, he was often dirty
and badly clothed. The badly built beard, the greasy hair, he was not very
pleasant to encounter |
| Un médiocre militaire |
| He is not a famous soldier, he didn't undertake
anything particular but he held his rank when it was necessary. He was
by opposition a good promoter, his armies didn't lack anything. It is not
a man of action, rather an administrative. He didn't sign anything without
reading first. |
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| His tomb at Vallery |
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