Maréchal de la Meilleraie

Also known as: La Meilleraie / monsieur maréchal / the marshal / the maréchal · Family: Court · Role: maréchal · First appears: Chapter 45

In chapter 45, the Maréchal de la Meilleraie remarked that if Monsieur de Retz appeared on the battlefield, he should wear a red hat so he could be distinguished in the mêlée, as Henry IV had been by his white plume at Ivry.

The next morning, Anne of Austria ordered him to investigate the citywide uprising, and he took men into the streets. At Pont Neuf, his sortie was repulsed by Rochefort, Louvières, and Planchet, leaving guards dead and forcing him to retreat; at Rue Saint Honoré, Gondy intervened, and the marshal pledged to demand Broussel’s release. The barricade then opened, allowing him and the remnant of his company to withdraw, preceded by Friquet and his bandits. In chapter 48, he returned from the riot carrying the people’s demand: “That Broussel shall be given up to them, madame.”

Relationship record

Life events

• Anne of Austria orders the marshal to investigate the citywide uprising.(Chapter47)
  • With: Anne of Austria
  • “As for the queen, furious, and left to her own guidance, she went for the Maréchal de la Meilleraie and desired him to take as many men as he pleased and to go and see what was the meaning of this pleasantry.”
• The marshal’s sortie is repulsed, leaving guards dead and forcing his retreat.(Chapter47 · 📍 Pont Neuf)
  • With: Rochefort Louvières Planchet
  • “He beat a retreat toward the market, but there he met Planchet with his halberdiers; their halberds were leveled at him threateningly.”
• Gondy intervenes, and the marshal pledges to demand Broussel’s release.(Chapter47 · 📍 Rue Saint Honoré)
  • With: Fontrailles Gondy Broussel
  • “‘Morbleu!’ cried the latter, ‘I should say that I do pledge myself to it! I had no hope of getting off so easily.’”
• The barricade opens, allowing the battered marshal and surviving troops to withdraw.(Chapter47 · 📍 Rue Saint Honoré)
  • With: Friquet
  • “The crowd gave place, the barricade was opened, and the marshal, with the remnant of his company, retreated, preceded by Friquet and his bandits”
• The Maréchal de la Meilleraie returned from the riot carrying the people's demand for Broussel's release.(Chapter48 · 📍 Pont Neuf)
  • With: Broussel
  • “That Broussel shall be given up to them, madame.”

Chapter 45

• with Monsieur de Retz (The maréchal mocks the coadjutor.) “The Maréchal de la Meilleraie added that in case the coadjutor should appear on the field of battle it would be a pity that he should not be distinguished in the mêlée by wearing a red hat, as Henry IV. had been distinguished by his white plume at the battle of Ivry.”

Chapter 47

• enemies with Louvières “But at Pont Neuf he found Louvières and his bourgeois. This time the marshal charged, but he was welcomed by musket shots, while stones fell like hail from all the windows.”
• enemies with Planchet “He beat a retreat toward the market, but there he met Planchet with his halberdiers; their halberds were leveled at him threateningly.”
• enemies with Friquet “The marshal thought this barrier not so well fortified as the others and determined to break through it.”
• with Fontrailles (Fontrailles is the marshal’s aide-de-camp.) “Fontrailles, his aide-de-camp, had an arm broken; his horse had received a bullet in his neck and he had difficulty in controlling him, maddened by pain.”
• with Gondy (interaction) “My children,” he said, “this is the Maréchal de la Meilleraie, as to whose intentions you have been deceived and who pledges himself, on returning to the Louvre, to demand of the queen, in your name, our Broussel’s release.”
• with Anne of Austria (The queen orders the marshal to investigate the uprising.) “As for the queen, furious, and left to her own guidance, she went for the Maréchal de la Meilleraie and desired him to take as many men as he pleased and to go and see what was the meaning of this pleasantry.”
• servant: Fontrailles (Fontrailles serves as the marshal’s aide-de-camp.) “Fontrailles, his aide-de-camp, had an arm broken; his horse had received a bullet in his neck and he had difficulty in controlling him, maddened by pain.”
• enemies with Rochefort (They command opposing forces during the riot.) “He took a hundred and fifty men and attempted to go out by the Pont du Louvre, but there he met Rochefort and his fifty horsemen, attended by more than five hundred men.”

Chapter 48

• with Gondy (interaction) “I know not where I have left my hat, and in all probability I should have been left with my hat, had the coadjutor not arrived in time to rescue me.”

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Extracted from the original text of Twenty Years After. Made with Rho MD.