Guillaume Cousinot de Montreuil

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Guillaume Cousinot de Montreuil
Born 1400
Died 1484
Occupation Diplomat
Parent Guillaume Cousinot le Chancelier
Guillaume Cousinot de Montreuil (1400–1484) was a French diplomat, magistrate and
civil servant. He served as France's diplomatic representative in England between
1444 and 1449, during a period of truce between the two countries.

Biography
Guillaume Cousinot de Montreuil was nicknamed Guillaume Cousinot II or Le Jeune
(The young), due to his being the son of Guillaume Cousinot le Chancelier. This
family link was long debated by historians. Until the 19th century, they were
primarily thought of as an uncle and a nephew until the archivist Jules Doinel,
based on historical documents, proved they were indeed father and son.

Guillaume was a student at the University of Orléans where he graduated as a

Licencié ès lois; his father funded his education with the property he owned in
Beauce, which was taken from the Burgundian Faction.

Apart from his diplomat occupation, he was also a poet and historian.

Between 1418 and 1436, he fought for the Armagnac Faction.

He received the duty of Grand Maistre Gouverneur and judge of the mines and
outbuildings, and then Chancellor and Chamberlain of the Kings Charles VII and
Louis XI. Finally, he was appointed as Conseiller et Maître des requêtes à l’Hôtel
du Roi.

He became lord of Montreuil from 1456 until his death. On his seal, a lady holds in
one hand a heater shield, and in the other a helm.[1]

In 1438, he became the secretary of the king, and then Conseiller et Maître des
requêtes à l’Hôtel du Roi. During that time, he was also named commissioner of the
king and was charged with the administration and finance.

In 1442, he becomes the first president of the Conseil delphinal, who would soon
become the Parliament of the Dauphiné[2] due to his function as an advisor of the
prince Louis, who would become Louis XI.[3][2]

Between 1444 and 1449, he is appointed as diplomat and sent in an embassy to

England during a truce between the two countries.

He is made knight during the siege of Rouen, and subsequently made Bailiff of the
city from 1449 to 1461.[4]

In 1451, he is made ambassador to the Scottish Court, but is shipwrecked on English

coasts, captured and kept captive for 3 years.[5][6] He is ransomed by Charles VII
by a ransom of 20,000 écus levied from a salt tax on Normandy.[3][7]

In 1459, Cousinot de Montreuil represents the king at the Council of Mantua[8] in

Italy and would become his ambassador in Rome.

In 1461, Charles VII dies, and his son, Louis XI, succeeds him. Louis XI puts
Guillaume Cousinot de Montreuil in jail, before changing his mind and making him
his chamberlain.[2]
He is named concierge of the Conciergerie, and also made captain of Cabrières in
Languedoc, following the Treaty of Bayonne.[2] He obtained the titles of Lord of
Lattes-lès-Montpellier, captain of Sauxes (Salses), near Perpignan and governor and
bailiff of Montpellier.[9][2]

In a letter of Louis XI from Abbeville on September 29, 1464, he is cited as one of

the king's advisors and knights.[2]

In 1465, he stays loyal to his king during the Ligue du Bien public, for this,
Louis XI rewards him with an increase in his pension ranging from 600 to 3000
francs.[2]

In 1467, he starts writing a medieval historical chronicle, the "Chronique de la

Pucelle".[10][2] The chronicle is introduced by parts of the chronicle written by
his father, the "Geste des Nobles" and then tells the life of Joan of Arc .
However, the historian Craig Taylor states that Cousinot is not the author of this
chronicle, attributing to him a polemic treatise defending the Valois monarchy
against its English counterpart, titled *Pour ce que Plusieurs (La Loy Salique)*,
probably written in 1465 in the context of the meetings between Louis XI and Edward
IV.[11]

In 1469, he writes a poetic text, in verse and in prose, Réponse à Robertet sur le
départ de la belle Étiennette.

In 1470 he is made ambassador to Rome.[12]

In 1483, after the death of Louis XI, Guillaume, despite being extremely old, is an
advisor of new king, Charles VIII of France.

In 1484, he attends the Estates General in Tours and dies the same year.