Anne de Montmorency was the second son of Guillaume de Montmorency and Anne Pot. The family name was derived from the town of Montmorency; in 1230 the family split and the younger member established the Montmorency-Laval line in Britain. In 1510, at age seventeen, Anne entered the Italian army. He was named marshal of France in 1522. Upon returning from his captivity in Spain, François Ier named Anne "grand Maître de France" on March 23, 1526. Continued success in the army earned him the title "connétable" (constable) in 1528. Anne was interested in faïences and directed Bernard Palissy to run an atelier in Saint-Porchaire. Anne influenced the workshop to produce faïences that were more ornate than the usually somber pottery pieces. Many were covered with animal figures, and polychrome was popular in the workhsop. Montmorency was married to Madeleine de Savoie. He is noted for winning the Battle of Dreux in 1562. Shortly after this triumph he was imprisoned for one year for religious reasons. On November 10, 1567, Anne was fatally wounded on the battle fields of St.-Denis, and died in his Paris residence on the rue Ste.-Avoie two days later. His possessions were eventually transferred to his château in Chantilly and sold in 1634 by his granddaughter and heir, the Princess de Condé.
Bibliography
1854
Michaud. Biographie Universelle. vol. 29. Paris: Henri Plon, 172-175.
1885
Decrue, Francis. Anne de Montmorency; Grand Maître et Connétable de France. Paris: E. Plon, 1885.
1920
Mirot, Leon. L'Hôtel et les Collections du Connétable de Montmorency. Paris: Librairie Jean Schemit, 1920.
1924
Clouzot, Henri. "Faïence de Saint Porchaire." International Studio (November 1924): 150-155.