Jean d'Espinay (knight)

Jean II d'Espinay (1528, Champeaux - 9 December 1591[1]) was a French nobleman and soldier. He was count of Durtal (Duretal) and a knight of the Order of St Michael. He served five kings of France - Henry II, Francis II, Charles IX, Henry III and Henry IV.[2]

Family

He was born to Guy III d'Espinay and Louise de Goulaine, whose other children include the poet-bishop Charles d'Espinay. He married Marguerite de Scépeaux, countess of Durtal, daughter of François de Scépeaux, Maréchal de Vieille-Ville.

Life

He studied philosophy, geometry and astrology in Paris before becoming Henry II's chamberlain, then captain of a light cavalry company and seneschal of Albi and Castres. He fought with distinction at the siege of Thionville in 1558 and at the battles of Saint-Denis, Jarnac and Moncontour in the late 1560s. Charles IX made him a knight of the Order of St Michael and Henry III promoted his estates from lordships into a marquisate in 1576.[3]

References
  1. (in French) Société des bibliophiles bretons et de l'histoire de Bretagne, Revue de Bretagne de Vendée & d'Anjou, vol. 31, O. de Gourcuff, 1904
  2. (in French) Prosper Levot, Biographie bretonne, p 684
  3. (in French) Inventaire 4/23 du roy de 1570 à 1579 :"Lettres du roy Henry III qui unit et incorpore perpétuellement et à tousjours les terres d’Epinai, Lescures, Sevigné, etc., et les érige en dignité, titre, nom et prééminence de marquisat, en faveur de Jean, sire d’Espinai, seign. de la Roche-Guyon, etc., du mois d’octobre 1576 "


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