[4] For their part, Spain and Austria financed Huguenot rebellions in South-Western France, and the Cévennes, as well as internal conspiracies against the French government, led by Cardinal Richelieu.

Although a major rebellion was defeated in 1632, plotting continued, led by a mix of Huguenot exiles, and great feudal lords who resented their loss of power.

Backed by Spanish money, some went to London, seeking support from Charles I; English foreign policy was generally pro-Spanish, but his wife was the younger sister of Louis XIII, and the 1638 to 1651 War of the Three Kingdoms intervened.

The two men were known as the 'Princes of Peace', since they claimed Richelieu was deliberately continuing the war in order to retain power; since 1637, they had been based in the Principality of Sedan, then part of the Holy Roman Empire.

[2] In response to requests for support from Soissons, Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand of Austria, Governor of the Spanish Netherlands, supplied him with money to recruit mercenaries, plus 7,000 men under Lamboy.

[10] Soissons and Bouillon left Sedan on 5 July with 3,000 French volunteers and Walloon mercenaries, taking position around the village of La Marfée, where they were joined by Lamboy.

Charles of Lorraine now joined Lamboy, who stopped to capture Donchery, north of Sedan; this held them up until 14 July, allowing Châtillon and his remnants to reach Reims.

This resulted in a power struggle between the Queen Mother, supported by Cardinal Mazarin, and Condé, victor of Rocroi, a member of the royal family, and effective ruler of large parts of eastern France.