BASSOMPIERRE, FRANcOIS DE mar shal of France and the author of some famous Memoires, was born at the Castle of Harrouel in Lorraine on April 12 15 79. He was introduced at the court of Henry IV. in 1598, and became a great favourite with the king. He fought in the campaign in Savoy (r600) with the emperor against the Turks (1603), with Louis XIII. against the supporters of Marie de' Medici at Ponts de-Ce (162o), and against the Huguenots at La Rochelle (1628), and in Languedoc (1629). In 1629 he was made a marshal of France, and fought his last campaigns in Savoy (1629) and in Piedmont (163o). In the intervals of fighting he was engaged on various diplomatic missions: to Madrid in 1621 over the diffi cult question of the Valtelline fortresses, and to England in 1626 to secure the retention of Henrietta Maria's Catholic attendants. The personal influence of Henry IV. had deterred Bassompierre from a marriage with Charlotte de Montmorency, daughter of the constable Montmorency, afterwards princesse de Conde, and be tween 1614 and 163o he was secretly married to Louise Mar guerite, widow of Francois, prince de Conti, and through her be came implicated in the plot to overthrow Richelieu on the "Day of Dupes," 163o. His share was only a slight one, but his wife was an intimate friend of Marie de' Medici, and her hostility to the cardinal aroused his suspicions. By Richelieu's orders, Bas sompierre was arrested at Senlis Feb. 25, 1631 and put into the Bastille, where he remained until Richelieu's death in 1643. After his release he passed most of his time at the castle of Tillieres in Normandy, until his death on Oct. 12, 1646. He left a son, Francois de la Tour, by the princesse de Conti, and an illegitimate son, Louis de Bassompierre, afterwards bishop of Sainte& His Memoires were first published at Cologne in 1665. He also left an incomplete account of his embassies to Spain, Switzerland and England (Cologne, 1668), and a number of discourses upon various subjects.
The best edition of the Memoires is that issued by the Societe de l'Histoire de France (1877) ; see also G. Tallemant des Reaux, His toriettes de la princesse de Conti, et du Marechal de Bassompierre (1854-1860).