Charles de Sainte-Maure, duc de Montausier
A stern and principled courtier who shaped the education of a future king, leaving a legacy of rigorous classicism in the heart of the Sun King's court.
1610–1690 (age 80)·French soldier and governor·Birthday: October 6
Biography
Charles de Sainte-Maure, Duc de Montausier, was a French nobleman of the old school: severe, uncompromising, and fiercely loyal. A soldier who distinguished himself in the Thirty Years' War and the Fronde civil wars, his true legacy was forged not on the battlefield but in the palace. In 1668, Louis XIV appointed him governor to the Dauphin, the heir to the throne. Montausier approached this duty with austere rigor, designing a punishing educational regimen focused on Latin, history, and moral philosophy. He is famously associated with the "Guirlande de Julie," a manuscript of love poems he commissioned for his wife, Julie d'Angennes. This romantic gesture, however, stood in stark contrast to his otherwise rigid character. His inflexibility eventually led to his dismissal from the Dauphin's household, but his effort to mold a philosopher-king reflected the classical ideals that underpinned the grandeur of Louis XIV's reign.
#1 When Charles Was Born
The biggest hits of 1610
Charles's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1610Born
1615Started school
1623Became a teenager
1626Could drive
1628Could vote
1631Turned 21
1640Turned 30
1650Turned 40
1660Turned 50
1670Turned 60
1680Turned 70
1690Turned 80
Key Achievements
- Served as Governor of the Dauphin, Louis XIV's heir, from 1668 to 1680, responsible for his education and upbringing.
- Commissioned the "Guirlande de Julie," an illuminated manuscript of madrigals by famous poets, as a gift for his future wife.
- Was created a Duke and Peer of France by Louis XIV in 1664, a mark of supreme royal favor.
Did You Know?
The "Guirlande de Julie" is considered a masterpiece of 17th-century French bookbinding and calligraphy.
He was a staunch Jansenist, a Catholic sect viewed with suspicion by the French monarchy for its rigor.
His wife, Julie d'Angennes, was the daughter of the famous salonnière Madame de Rambouillet.
“Duty is the only nobility.”
