Antoine Rambaud de Furmeyer

Antoine Rambaud , died in 1566, lord of Furmeyer, is a protesting war leader, one of the two Furmeyer captains with his Daniel brother, played a great part at the beginning of the wars of religion in its province of origin, the Dauphiné (1562-1563). Lesdiguières, his/her cousin, was useful under his orders with the beginning of its career.

Its origins

He is the son of Guélis Rambaud, lord of Furmeyer, which was seriously wounded with the seat of Pavia in December 1524 and Anne de Matheron which went down from a family having given a governor to the Dauphine one. His/her grandfather was useful like rider of the King Louis XII in his wars against Spain.

Beginning of the wars of religion

With his brothers, it takes part in the wars of Italy. His/her Jean brother is killed in 1544 with the Bataille of Cérisoles. Antoine is touched by the ideas of reform of the Church, by his nephew by alliance, Farel and other preachers.

In 1560, the governor the Mound-Gurnard made carry out with Romans Pasteur Duval and Louis Gay, noble, without serious reason. A little later Furmeyer, accompanied of Charce and Montbrun goes to Valence, is introduced into the fortress and hangs the governor. They join Champsaur, to look after their wounds there.

Catch of Gap

May 2nd, 1562, Furmeyer seized Gap, with the head of 400 Protestants of the Champsaur or fugitive of Gap.

Antoine Rambaud de Furmeyer succeeds in convincing François de Bonne, lord of Lesdiguières, his cousin, to come to fight for the new religion. At 19 years, Lesdiguières found Enseigne near the Furmeyer captain.

Then, descendant of its mountains on June 14th, Furmeyer defended Sisteron against the catholics, ordered by the count de Sommerive, governor of Provence. But much lower of ammunition number and lack, they had to be folded up on the Dauphine one. In the same time the Protestants, among whom Guillaume Farel and Gabriel de Clermont (former bishop of Gap), had been driven out of Gap, on September 24th, 1562.

From there, Furmeyer went to plunder and to set fire to the Large-Chartreuse , a chief of Romance work of art, bus of the weapons was hidden there.

Catch of Grenoble

Furmeyer was close to Valence, when having learned that Grenoble was besieged by the counts de Suze and of Maugiron with 6000 men of foot and 400 riders since October 24th, 1562, it conceived the project of going to its help and delivering the captain It Notch, that the Baron had left there. When it arrived close to Sassenage, 700 infantrymen and 120 riders had joined with him.

To 1 against 10 and its men were often peasants not knowing anything with art war before their tour. Some were old, others had 12 or 13 years all but wanted to live or die for their faith. In November 1562, it is presented on the edge of Drac, impetuous torrent, which passes very against Grenoble. Three to four hundred riders kept the ford of Drac, and a party of infantry was ready to attack it by behind when it would engage. It makes mine flee, lets the continuation start, then turns casaque and charges the catholics, that it bldg.

Catch of Romette

This battle illustrates the character of Antoine well. A general meeting of Protestant chiefs, convened at Valence, on February 6th, 1563, had just given to Furmeyer the command troops reformed in Gapençais. Antoine takes by Romette trick, small Fortified town with four kilometers of Gap (March 1563) while being made pass for an envoy of the governor of Gap. He beats on March 13rd the militia gapençaise, informed by the alarm bell of Romette and ordered by the junior by Charence.

The catch of Greenhouses and the assassination of the Furmeyer captain

Catch of Romette, at the beginning of March the Furmeyer captain leaves with only a few tens of men in direction of Greenhouses. It circumvents Gap, passes by Furmeyer and Veynes where it has part of the family and her friends. It joins together its troops and seizes Greenhouses in March.

He dies assassinated, probably at the end of 1565 or at the beginning of 1566.

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