their feud with the Montmorency over the assassination of the duke of Guise without notable results. Nemours was with the court during the Surprise of Meaux and successfully counselled the court to make a flight to Paris. While besieged in Paris the following month, he aided in breaking the ring the Protestants had set up around the city before Anne de Montmorency's victory at the battle of Saint Denis. With Montmorency's death on the field, the young prince, whom Nemours had once tried to lure away from court, Anjou, became lieutenant-general of the army. To support him in the practicalities of conducting the campaign Nemours was among those chosen as his advisers. During the third war of religion, Nemours was tasked with assisting Claude, Duke of Aumale, the late duke of Guise's brother in blocking an entry into France by a German mercenary force in favour of the Protestant army. Aumale and Nemours found themselves too consumed in bickering to effectively block the force, and it linked up with the main Protestant body. By the 1570s Nemours moved away from active politics and military command. Having resigned his governorship, he devoted himself more fully to matters of the arts. Though he was suspected of involvement in the Ligues after 1576, the king was satisfied with his swearing that he did not desire the overturn of the Peace of Monsieur. In 1585, he died, and was succeeded as duke of Nemours by his son. Early life and family Nemours, born in 1531, was the son of Philippe, Duke of Nemours, the first holder of the title and Charlotte d'Orléans, and became Duke of Nemours on his father's death in 1533. As early as 1555 Nemours was courting Françoise de Rohan, and had given her the impression he was seeking marriage. Even now however, he was also showing interest in the duke of Guise's wife, causing much scandal at court. By 1556 Françoise had become pregnant, and tearfully pled with Nemours to go through with his promise of marrying her but he refused. The Guise, who wished to remain close with Nemours despite his indiscretions, promised him that he could marry Lucrecia d'Este instead. Upon the death of her husband Anne d'Este was left widowed. In 1565 she was ready to marry again, and married Nemours at St Maur-des-Fosses in May 1566. The king provided the majority of the dowry to secure