Antoine III de Croÿ
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Antoine III de Croÿ | |
|---|---|
| Prince de Porcien | |
 Porcien's castle Montcornet, raised to a principality in 1561 | |
| Born | January 1540 Kingdom of France |
| Died | January 1567 (aged 26–27) |
| Family | House of Croÿ |
| Spouse | Catherine de Clèves |
| Father | Charles de Croÿ |
| Mother | Françoise d'Amboise |
Antoine III de Croÿ, Prince de Porcien (1540–1567) was a French noble and Protestant rebel. Porcien, who held the rank of prince through his sovereign possessions, was a member of the Croÿ family. In 1558 his mother converted to Protestantism, and he followed her in 1560. His house, de Croÿ had been close with the Guise who used them as part of their broader rivalry with the House of Montmorency, supporting their claims that hurt their rival. Porcien broke with the Guise after his conversion. With the advent of Francis II's reign he joined Navarre in opposition to their house. The following year a strategic marriage was arranged for him with Catherine de Clèves which would bring him the County of Eu in 1564.
During the first civil war he fought against the crown, attempting to invade Champagne (province) in July though was not able to achieve much success. He returned to royal favour with the establishment of peace and got into a bitter dispute with Aumale. He would back the Montmorency in their feud with the Guise in 1565, fighting against Charles, Cardinal of Lorraine in a skirmish when he tried to enter Paris. The following year he would be working in the Spanish Netherlands with Robert IV de la Marck in the aim of a transnational Protestant alliance against Spain. He died in 1567, with accusations of poisoning surrounding his death. His wife remarried his enemy the Duke of Guise
In the 1550s the Croÿ family was close with the Guise, who supported them in their disputes with the Montmorency.[1] Porciens château sat at the strategic location of Montcornet between Metz and Sedan.[2]
Porcien was born in 1540, the son of Charles de Croÿ and Françoise d'Amboise.[3] Porcien, whose mother had converted in 1558, expressed his Protestantism openly among aristocratic circles.[4]
In August 1560 during a grand joint wedding, Porcien was married to Catherine de Clèves in a Catholic ceremony. At the same ceremony Clèves father Nevers remarried. Clèves had been raised after the death of her mother at Joinville by the duchess of Guise and so was at the point of their marriage, Catholic, unlike her husband who converted to Protestantism that year.[4][3]
On 4 June 1561 the seigneurie of Porcien was raised to a principality, making Porcien a sovereign prince.[5]
Reign of Henri II
In 1559, Porcien was still an opponent of the Montmorency and he tried to provoke François de Montmorency into a duel with his taunts.[6]
Reign of Francis II
With the sudden death of Henri II the Guise took control of the government of his young successor rapidly. Those who opposed the Guise travelled south, to Navarre, achieving juncture with him in Vendôme on his journey north. Among those opponents of the new regime, Porcien met with Navarre, Condé and the Vidame of Chartres, however no course of action was agreed upon.[7]