François de Beauvilliers, 1st duc de Saint-Aignan

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François de Beauvilliers, 1st duc de Saint-Aignan (1610-1687), was born in Saint-Aignan (then in the Berry province, now in the Loir-et-Cher département, France).

After having been through the campaigns in Germany (1634-1635), Franche-Comté (1636), and Flanders (1637), was sent to the Bastille in consequence of his having lost the Battle of Thionville in 1640. In reward for his devotion to the court party during the Fronde, his county of Saint-Aignan was elevated to a dukedom in 1663, with the special privilege of the peerage (duché-pairie), making him one of the highest ranking aristocrats of the kingdom of France.

Beauvilliers was famous by his protection of writers and literary people, as well as by his military skills and services. He entered the French Academy in 1663.

The 1st duc de Saint-Aignan died in Paris in 1687. He was the father of the influential duc de Beauvilliers.

Preceded by
Hippolyte-Jules Pilet de La Mesnardière		 Seat 17
Académie française
1663–1687		 Succeeded by
François-Timoléon de Choisy

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