René II de Lorraine, Marquis d'Elbeuf

[close] René II de Lorraine, Marquis d'Elbeuf (1536 – 1566) was a French noble, and soldier during the latter Italian Wars and early French Wars of Religion. T he youngest son of Claude of Lorraine, Duke of Guise and Antoinette of Bourbon-Vendôme Elbeuf's career began at a young age. With the resumption of the Italian Wars in 1551, he joined Marshal Brissac in his siege of Chieri. In the following years he would be involved in the expedition that seized Corse, and a further campaign in Italy in 1557, before playing a key role in the capture of Calais in early 1558. Though only the sixth son of the late duke, an advantageous marriage was secured for him with the prominent heiress Louise de Rieux through which he gained much of the County of Harcourt. In tandem with this arrangement his barony was elevated to a marquisate.

With the death of Henri II in 1559, the Guise regime that followed desired to assert itself in Scotland. To this end Elbeuf was tasked with leading an expedition, however the preparations foundered, and by June 1560 peace would be agreed with England. In the following years he spent time with his niece in Scotland before returning to France with the outbreak of the French Wars of Religion. In March 1563 he would surrender the fortress of Caen to the Protestant general Admiral Coligny, revitalising Protestant fortunes in Normandie shortly before peace. Over the following years he worked with his brothers in the prosecution of their feud with the Admiral, who they blamed for the assassination of the Duke of Guise, participating in their armed entrance into Paris in 1565. The following year he would die in Provence.