Louis XIII seized the Huguenot city of Saumur in 1621, initiating a campaign that ultimately led to the 1622 Peace of Montpellier.
Key Facts
- Date of capture
- 11 May 1621
- Captor
- Louis XIII of France
- Governor displaced
- Duplessy-Mornay
- Subsequent siege
- Saint-Jean-d'Angély (month-long)
- Campaign conclusion
- 24 June 1621, stalemate
- Resulting treaty
- Peace of Montpellier, 1622
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The outbreak of the Huguenot rebellions prompted Louis XIII to assert royal authority over Huguenot-held cities. Although Saumur remained loyal to the crown, the king sought to eliminate any risk of Protestant strongholds resisting royal control, particularly as tensions across southern France escalated between Catholic royal forces and Huguenot communities.
On 11 May 1621, Louis XIII accomplished the military investment of Saumur by tricking its governor, Duplessy-Mornay, out of his command. Without armed resistance, the city was taken and brought firmly under direct royal authority, demonstrating the king's determination to subordinate Huguenot-governed towns regardless of their nominal loyalty.
Following the capture of Saumur, Louis XIII pressed southward, laying siege to Saint-Jean-d'Angély and initiating a succession of further sieges in southern France. The campaign ended in stalemate on 24 June 1621 and ultimately produced the 1622 Peace of Montpellier, which temporarily reaffirmed Huguenot rights within France.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Louis XIII of France.
Side B
1 belligerent
Duplessy-Mornay (Governor of Saumur).