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45 - CASTELNAU (Michel de). Les Mémoires de messire Michel de Cas…
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Estimate €1,500 - €2,000
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CASTELNAU (Michel de). Les Mémoires de messire Michel de Castelnau, seigneur de Mauvissiere, illustrez et augmentez de plusieurs Commentaires & Manuscrits, tant, Lettres, Instructions, Traitez, qu'autres Pieces secrettes & originales, servans à donner la verité de l'Histoire des Regnes de François II, Charles IX, & Henry III & de la Regence & du Gouvernement de Catherine de Medicis. Brussels: Jean Leonard, 1731. - 3 volumes in-folio, 402 x 255: portrait, (16 ff.), 864 pp, (6 ff.), 1 portrait; (2 ff.), 782 pp, (6 ff.); (2 ff.), 564 pp. misquoted 560, (4 ff.). Red morocco, double framed with three gilt fillets, fleur-de-lys in the corners and gilt coat of arms in the centre of the covers, spine ribbed and decorated with fleurs-de-lys, inner gilt roulette, edges gilt over marbling (Lortic). Third edition, partly original, the best and most complete of these historical memoirs by Michel de Castelnau (1517-1592), essential for understanding the Wars of Religion and the power struggles in Europe in the 16th century. Michel de Castelnau was a soldier and diplomat in the service of six French kings (Francis I, Henry II, Francis II, Charles IX, Henry III and Henry IV). Blessed with an exceptional memory and a talent for negotiation, he played a key role in the Wars of Religion and relations with England and Scotland. He distinguished himself on the battlefield (Saint-Quentin, Dreux, Jarnac) and in diplomacy, foiling plots (the Amboise conspiracy) and negotiating with Elizabeth I and Mary Stuart. Ruined by his devotion, he retired in 1592 and died the same year, leaving these invaluable memoirs of this troubled period. Divided into seven books, they occupy only 266 pages in the first volume. The remainder of this volume and all of volume 2 comprise additions to the memoirs, published by the ecclesiastic, writer and historian Jean Le Laboureur (1623-1675). The final volume contains a "Continuation of the memoirs of Messire Michel de Castelnau", followed by an "Abrégé de la vie de messire Michel de Castelnau", the "Histoire généalogique de la maison de Castelnau", "Généalogies de plusieurs maisons alliées à celle de Castelnau" and "Nouvelles additions aux mémoires... contenant Plusieurs Pièces très-intéressantes, qui servent de preuves aux dits Mémoires..." which appear here for the first time. This edition is illustrated with three title vignettes, four headbands and two out-of-text portraits: one of Michel de Castelnau in the frontispiece (unsigned) and one of Jacques de Castelnau, Marshal of France, engraved by Gandavi after Frans Pilsen (1700-1784). The genealogical sections are decorated with 347 coats of arms engraved in intaglio in the text. A superb copy bound by Lortic for Baron Florent-Florentin-Achille Seillière (1813-1873), banker and director of the Chemin de Fer de l'Est and Crédit Foncier, owner of the Château de Mello (Oise) and Chevalier of the Légion d'Honneur. His rich library, bound by the greatest craftsmen, was dispersed between 1887 and 1893. The work subsequently entered the collection of Baron Joseph-Étienne-Alphonse de Ruble (1834-1898), historian and bibliophile, heir to the library of his uncle, Count Alexandre de Lurde (1800-1872). A member of the Académie des inscriptions et belles-lettres, he published historical works and contributed to the Universal Exhibition of 1878. Two long traces of scratches, restored, on the second cover of the first volume, slight nick on the upper edge of the second cover of the second volume. Scattered foxing. Provenance: Baron Seillière, with his arms on the boards (sale 1890, n° 1061). - Joseph-Étienne-Alphonse de Ruble, with ex-libris (sale 1899, n° 606).
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About the sale ENLUMINATIONS, ANCIENT and MODERN BOOKS
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Auction time 06/17/2026 at 2:00 PM
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