LESDIGUIRES, FRANOIS DE BONNE, DUC DE

(duke of) born April 1, 1543, Saint-Bonnet-en-Champsaur, Fr. died Sept. 21, 1626, Valence constable of France and Protestant leader who late in life abjured the faith. Lesdiguires had begun to study law at Paris when he joined the Huguenot troops in Dauphin and distinguished himself in mountain warfare. In 1575 he became the acknowledged leader of Huguenot resistance in the province and fought there for several years to secure better terms for the Protestants. Lesdiguires took up arms for Henry of Navarre in 1585 and, after the truce of 158889, secured the submission of Dauphin. For the next several years he fought to defend France against the Spanish and Savoyards, with the war against the latter proceeding on and off until 1601. Lesdiguires was made marshal of France in 1609, duke and peer of France in 1611, and governor of Dauphin in 1612. He moderated the political claims made by his coreligionists under the terms of the Edict of Nantes, which had acknowledged Protestant religious and political rights. In 1622 he formally abjured the Protestant faith and took up arms against Protestants in the south; he became constable of France and received the Order of the Saint Esprit. Much of his official correspondence was published in 187884.