Urbain de Maillé, 1st Marquis of Brézé

His marriage to the younger sister of Cardinal Richelieu, French chief minister from 1624 to 1642, brought success and enormous wealth.

His son held a number of senior naval positions, and his daughter married Louis, Grand Condé.

He lost office following Richelieu's death in December 1642, and spent the rest of his life on his estates in Milly-le-Meugon, where he died on 13 February 1650.

In 1620, he was appointed commander of Marie de' Medici's personal guard; during the 1622 to 1630 Huguenot rebellions, he was present at the sieges of La Rochelle and Saint-Martin-de-Ré.

During the 1628 to 1631 War of the Mantuan Succession, in March 1629, he was part of a famous action when the French stormed barricades blocking the Pas de Suse.