the confiscation of Protestant property and the re-selling of it to raise more funds. By this means he raised 174,000 livres with which he raised four mercenary companies under the command of Chambery. Throughout his tenure in the Lyonnais Birague sought to repress Protestantism with the support of the commissars under his authority. He was replaced as lieutenant-general by François de Mandelot in 1568. During the 1560s Birague also entered the king's council, representing hardliner Catholic positions. Chancellor His policy of conciliation and tolerance of Protestantism increasingly falling out of favour, Michel de l'Hôpital surrendered the seals of the chancellorship in September 1568, unwilling to use them to renew the civil wars. In his place as keeper of the seals, the king turned to Morvillier a more reliable protégé of Catherine. That same year another fidèle of Catherine entered the royal council, Birague. Morvillier in turn returned the seals in 1570, disgusted at the king's willingness to release the duke of Lorraine from the fealty he owed the crown of France for the Duchy of Bar. Birague became garde des sceaux, giving him the de facto powers of chancellor, he was formerly appointed to the office of chancellor in 1573 upon the death of Hôpital. As chancellor he would not exert the same influence on the administration as his predecessor Hôpital had. Some commentators criticised his administration due to the poor relations it enjoyed with the Parlement of Paris. Birague was selected by Catherine to play an important role in the negotiations for a marriage between Marguerite de Valois and Navarre. The marriage was intended by Catherine as a cornerstone of the reconciliation envision by the Peace of Saint-Germain-en-Laye which had brought the third war of religion to a close, uniting the Bourbon's with the Valois. Alongside Morvilliers and Foix he was entrusted to represent her in the discussions with Jeanne d'Albret. By April 1572 the marriage was successfully agreed. Birague and Foix were also tasked with conducting preliminary negotiations with England for an anti-Spanish alliance, while this did result in the Treaty of Blois in May 1572, it would not lead to a combined war against Spain. Indeed Birague was opposed to a war, and with Admiral Coligny attempting to push the king into declaring one over the Spanish Netherlands, he and Retz proceeded to Catherine who was absent from court, ensuring she hurried back to oppose any moves