Guillaume de Grandchamp de Grantrie
Encyclopedia
Guillaume de Grandchamp de Grantrie was French Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire from 1566 to 1571.
From 1566, he notably proposed to the Ottoman Court a plan, devised by Charles IX of France
and Catherine de Medicis, to settle French Huguenots and French and German Lutherans in Moldavia
, in order to create a military colony and a buffer against the Hapsburg. This plan also had the added advantage of removing the Huguenots from France
, then a major issue due to the French Wars of Religion
. He offered himself to become the Voyvoda of Moldavia, who would pay a tribute of 20,000 ducats to the Ottomans.
In 1569, during the tenure of Grandchamp, the Ottomans seized French and foreign ships under French flags in order to recover a debt estimated to 150,000 ecu
s or ducat
s that Charles IX
owed to the Ottoman money-lender Joseph Nasi
. After protests, only the French ships and goods were kept, totalling an amount of about 42,000 ducats. The goods were at least partially returned with the signature of the 1569 Capitulations
.
From 1566, he notably proposed to the Ottoman Court a plan, devised by Charles IX of France
Charles IX of France
Charles IX was King of France, ruling from 1560 until his death. His reign was dominated by the Wars of Religion. He is best known as king at the time of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre.-Childhood:...
and Catherine de Medicis, to settle French Huguenots and French and German Lutherans in Moldavia
Moldavia
Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
, in order to create a military colony and a buffer against the Hapsburg. This plan also had the added advantage of removing the Huguenots from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, then a major issue due to the French Wars of Religion
French Wars of Religion
The French Wars of Religion is the name given to a period of civil infighting and military operations, primarily fought between French Catholics and Protestants . The conflict involved the factional disputes between the aristocratic houses of France, such as the House of Bourbon and House of Guise...
. He offered himself to become the Voyvoda of Moldavia, who would pay a tribute of 20,000 ducats to the Ottomans.
In 1569, during the tenure of Grandchamp, the Ottomans seized French and foreign ships under French flags in order to recover a debt estimated to 150,000 ecu
ECU
ECU may refer to:Automotive terms* Electronic control unit, a generic term for any embedded system that controls one or more of the electrical systems or subsystems in a motor vehicle...
s or ducat
Ducat
The ducat is a gold coin that was used as a trade coin throughout Europe before World War I. Its weight is 3.4909 grams of .986 gold, which is 0.1107 troy ounce, actual gold weight...
s that Charles IX
Charles IX of France
Charles IX was King of France, ruling from 1560 until his death. His reign was dominated by the Wars of Religion. He is best known as king at the time of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre.-Childhood:...
owed to the Ottoman money-lender Joseph Nasi
Joseph Nasi
Don Joseph Nasi was a Jewish diplomat and administrator, member of the House of Mendes, and influential figure in the Ottoman Empire during the rules of both Sultan Suleiman I and his son Selim II...
. After protests, only the French ships and goods were kept, totalling an amount of about 42,000 ducats. The goods were at least partially returned with the signature of the 1569 Capitulations
Capitulations of the Ottoman Empire
Capitulations of the Ottoman Empire were contracts between the Ottoman Empire and European powers, particularly France. Turkish capitulations, or ahdnames, were generally bilateral acts whereby definite arrangements were entered into by each contracting party towards the other, not mere...
.