François, duke de Montmorency
French statesman
François, duke de Montmorency (born 1530—died May 5, 1579, Écouen, Fr.) was the eldest son of Anne de Montmorency and a leader of the Roman Catholic moderates during the French Wars of Religion. Montmorency fought in Piedmont (1551), defended Thérouanne (1553), and was appointed lieutenant general of the Île-de-France (1556). In 1557 he visited Rome to obtain a papal dispensation releasing him from his betrothal to Jeanne de Piennes so that he could marry Diane...