Philippe of Mothe-Houdancourt

Philippe, count of Mothe-Houdancourt (born in 1605 - died the March 24th 1657), duke of Cardone, Marshal of France during the War Thirty Year old.

Beginning of career against the Protestants

It is used in 1622 among the Chevau-légers of the duke as Mayenne, with the seats of Nègrepelisse, Saint-Antonin, Sommières, Lunel, and of Montpellier against the Protesting S. the September 15th 1626, it is with the naval action where the duke Henri II of Montmorency beats Rochellois and with the defeat of the English in the Ile de Ré, the November 8th 1627.

In 1629, it attends the seats of Soyon, of Pamiers, Réalmont, Saint-Sever, Castelnau, and of Privas. It contributes to the attack of Pignerol in 1630, of Brigneras, the bridge of Carignan, where it is wounded the August 6th and is with the business of Castelnaudary on September 1st 1632. It obtains the same year the government of Bellegarde.

In the armies of Burgundy and Germany

Named main of camp of the regiment of infantry which it raises in 1633, it attends the seat of Nancy, combat with Avein the May 20th 1635, with the seat of Leuwen and the catch of the fort of Schenk. It is used in quality of sergeant of battle in 1636 in the army of Burgundy and help Saint-Jean-with-Losne besieged by the duke as Lorraine and the general Matthias Gallas.

Brigadier in 1637, it orders a separate army corps of Germany and announces himself to the head of the French infantry to the combat of Kintzingen. The following year, it is employed with the army of Burgundy under the duke duke of Longueville. It beats an enemy body with Poligny. In 1639, it demolishes Savelli and is made main of the castle of Blamont. Fact general Lieutenant in Bresse, the April 20th, and captain of a company of gendarmes, it passes in Piedmont to died of the cardinal of Valette. He takes the command of the army while waiting for the arrival of the count of Arcourt.

Against Spain

On the order of this new chief, Mothe-Houdancourt seizes Quiers to the sight of the Spanish army, in the night of the October 24th. However of Arcourt tests some defeats and the army, obliged to beat a retreat, had wiped great losses if Mothe and the rear-guard had not supported only during two hours the attacks of the marquis de Leganez, whose triumphing troops were much more numerous.

Mothe is in 1640 with the Bataille of Casal, the Siège of Turin and the two combat delivered in front of this place. Its beautiful control in the last businesses makes it indicate for a higher command. Promoted general Lieutenant of the armies of the king in 1641, it is sent to the army of Catalogne under the orders of the prince de Condé. This province raised against the Spain was given to the France, under the reserve to preserve its privileges. Mothe carries out 5.000 troops to it, seizes Valz, Lescouvette, the fort of Salo, the city and the fort of Constantin, and besieges Tarragone. But this continuous city to be supplied by the sea and it must be withdrawn.

In September, it carries attack the town of Tamarit in Aragon, returns in front of Tarragone and goes to the help of Almenas, besieged by the Spaniards at the beginning of November. Its troop less strong than that of besieging, it being sent in the night hundred horses with all the trumpets and all the drums of its army by the close mountains, while he emerges with his soldiers in an opposite valley. The noise of the trumpets attracts the Spaniards on the side of the mountains and the French seize their camp, their guns and of their luggage.

In 1642, Mothe, after equipped for safety with its conquests in Aragon, returns in Catalogne. While going on Villelongue, it meets a Spanish party which it demolishes. While the king besieges Collioure, the Spaniards go to the help of this place, the March 24th. Mothe beats them close to the river of Martoreil, surprising them with the passage of a procession, and the last day of March, assisted by of Terrail, it forces an enemy body of 3.600 men to put the weapons low. In récompence, the April 2nd, it is created Marshal of France.

In May, it tackles and takes by storm the town of Tamarit. It is named Vice-roi Catalogne after the resignation of the marshal of Brézé the June 25th, and duke of Cardone in October. Mothe makes raise the head office of Lérida. October 7th, Leganez advances to fight it with 25.000 men, Mothe, which counts only 12.000, discusses the close heights, makes of them 700 prisoners with the Spaniards, who lose moreover 3.000 men, killed or wounded.

The marshal is received like Vice-roi with Barcelona in December. Though inferior in forces with the Spanish army, it is maintained in 1643, obliging the enemy to raise the seat of Flix, Mirabel and the course of Quiers. In 1644, the Spaniards, ordered by Philippe de Silvas come to put the seat in front of Lérida. Mothe goes against them, but the disorder is spread in its troops. It is beaten the May 15th. Lérida goes to the Spaniards the August 31st.

Him a crime of this defeat is made. The viceroyalty of Catalogne to him is withdrawn the December 24th and it is stopped the 28 of the same month. It is locked up with the castle of Pierre-Encise, shown not to have benefitted from the occasion which it had had to seize king d' Espagne during a shooting party. Trailed in front of several courts, he is finally cleared by the Parliament of Grenoble, and leaves Pierre-Encise in September 1648, after four years of detention.

One allotted this persecution to Louvois which succeeded like Ministre for the War Desnoyers, friend of the marshal. Mothe-Haudancourt is withdrawn initially in its grounds but, when the disorders of the Fronde burst, it lines up among the dissatisfied ones which ask for the distance of Mazarin, in 1649. The cardinal of Retz represents it like " mad against the cour" .

The February 22nd 1649, the court removes its regiments to him. Returned in the duty, one returns the to him vice royalty of Catalogne, after the resignation of the duke of Mercœur, the November 15th 1651, with the command of the army and his two regiments. Moreover, the duchy of Cardone is set up in peerage in April 1652. The 23 of the same month, it force the lines of fortifications raised in front of Barcelona, and are thrown in the place, where it is defended during several months. The food shortage obliges it to go the October 13rd.

The catch of Barcelona makes lose the Catalogne with the France and the marshal of Mothe, his duchy of Cardone, but its ground of Fayel is high in duchy-peerage in January 1653. In May, it dislocates viceroyalty of Catalogne, command of the army, and returns to Paris.

Marriage and descent

Of its marriage with Louise de Prie, Mothe had three girls:

Francoise Angelica (1650 - 1711), Duchess of Aumont.
Charlotte Éléonore (1654 - 1744), Duchess of Ventadour, controlling Louis XV and of his children, died in 1744 at the age of quatre-vingt-treize years.
Marie Isabelle Angelica (or Marie Gabrielle Angelica) (? - 1726), Duchess of Ferté-Senneterre.

Source

New general universal biography, published under the direction of Mr. Dr. Hoefer - Page 248 of New biography - 1859

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