Jean Cavenac de la Vigne
Encyclopedia
Jean Cavenac de la Vigne, seigneur d'Auvilliers, was French Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire from 1556 to 1566. He was the successor of Michel de Codignac
, who had returned to Europe in 1558, passing through Venice
in July 1558, and betrayed the French cause by entering in the service of Philip II of Spain
.
De la Vigne was sent to the Ottoman Empire
by Henri II of France, with the objective of getting help against the Spanish troops of the Duke of Alva in Italy as part of the long-standing Franco-Ottoman alliance
, when, concomitantly France was facing the Spanish troops of Philip II of Spain
in the north on the border of Flanders
. France could only hope for progress in Italy if it were to receive Ottoman help. De la Vigne lobbied for an Ottoman naval intervention in 1557.
Henry was hopeful of Ottoman help, as in the past his military actions against the Hapsburgs had relieve pressure on Suleiman during his campaigns in Persia and in Hungary
, and Henry had always refused to join anti-Ottoman coalitions. The Ottomans however refused to send their fleet to Italy
that year to support the French, partly because of the Ottomans feeling offense about the previous Truce of Vaucelles which Henry II had signed without informing them, and his lack of response to several of Suleiman
's letters. The Ottomans were also afraid of the increased power of the French under Henry II, and did not wish to see France occupy the whole of Italy, next door to the Ottoman Empire.
In 1558, Suleiman finally communicated through de la Vigne his agreement to help Henry II, and he started to prepare an armada
. He also committed to send an army in the direction of Hungary
and Germany
if Henry also committed not to make truces or agreements on his side. The French king however preferred an Ottoman offensive against Naples
in Italy, through the Albanian port of Valona
, and wished to obtain financial help to the level of 2 millions ducats from the Ottomans. In May, Suleiman communicated that he would send an armada, which left Istanbul in April 1558. In June, the armada sacked Sorrento
and took 3,000 captives, but otherwise did little, and was delayed from joining a French fleet in Corsica, possibly due to the failure of the commander Dragut to honour Suleiman's orders. Suleiman apologized in a letter to Henry at the end of the year 1558. As the Ottoman refused to lend the 2 million ducats to France, and Henry failed in the Battle of Saint-Quentin
and Battle of Gravelines
, the Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis was finally signed.
De la Vigne had a reputation of being rather outspoken and impolitic, and Ghiselin de Busbecq, ambassador of Ferdinand to the Porte, commented that de la Vigne's freedom of speech as an ambassador was "wild and frightfull".
Michel de Codignac
Michel de Codignac was French Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire from 1553 to 1556, and successor to Gabriel de Luetz d'Aramon.Michel de Codignac lobbied for Ottoman support during the Invasion of Corsica...
, who had returned to Europe in 1558, passing through Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
in July 1558, and betrayed the French cause by entering in the service of Philip II of Spain
Philip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
.
De la Vigne was sent to the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
by Henri II of France, with the objective of getting help against the Spanish troops of the Duke of Alva in Italy as part of the long-standing Franco-Ottoman alliance
Franco-Ottoman alliance
The Franco-Ottoman alliance, also Franco-Turkish alliance, was an alliance established in 1536 between the king of France Francis I and the Turkish ruler of the Ottoman Empire Suleiman the Magnificent. The alliance has been called "the first non-ideological diplomatic alliance of its kind between a...
, when, concomitantly France was facing the Spanish troops of Philip II of Spain
Philip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
in the north on the border of Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
. France could only hope for progress in Italy if it were to receive Ottoman help. De la Vigne lobbied for an Ottoman naval intervention in 1557.
Henry was hopeful of Ottoman help, as in the past his military actions against the Hapsburgs had relieve pressure on Suleiman during his campaigns in Persia and in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, and Henry had always refused to join anti-Ottoman coalitions. The Ottomans however refused to send their fleet to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
that year to support the French, partly because of the Ottomans feeling offense about the previous Truce of Vaucelles which Henry II had signed without informing them, and his lack of response to several of Suleiman
Suleiman the Magnificent
Suleiman I was the tenth and longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, from 1520 to his death in 1566. He is known in the West as Suleiman the Magnificent and in the East, as "The Lawgiver" , for his complete reconstruction of the Ottoman legal system...
's letters. The Ottomans were also afraid of the increased power of the French under Henry II, and did not wish to see France occupy the whole of Italy, next door to the Ottoman Empire.
In 1558, Suleiman finally communicated through de la Vigne his agreement to help Henry II, and he started to prepare an armada
Armada
Armada is the Spanish and Portuguese word for naval fleet, or an adjective meaning 'armed'; Armáda is the Czech and Slovak for armed forces...
. He also committed to send an army in the direction of Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
if Henry also committed not to make truces or agreements on his side. The French king however preferred an Ottoman offensive against Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
in Italy, through the Albanian port of Valona
Valona
The valona is a popular narrative song- and poetry-form of the Mexican state of Michoacán. Its main characteristics are: a bitter sense of humor, mainly with reference to erotism and social concerns; its lyrics are composed as groupings of ten-line strophes, each line made up of eight syllables;...
, and wished to obtain financial help to the level of 2 millions ducats from the Ottomans. In May, Suleiman communicated that he would send an armada, which left Istanbul in April 1558. In June, the armada sacked Sorrento
Sorrento
Sorrento is the name of many cities and towns:*Sorrento, Italy*Sorrento, Florida, United States*Sorrento, Louisiana, United States*Sorrento, Maine, United States*Sorrento, Victoria, a township on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia...
and took 3,000 captives, but otherwise did little, and was delayed from joining a French fleet in Corsica, possibly due to the failure of the commander Dragut to honour Suleiman's orders. Suleiman apologized in a letter to Henry at the end of the year 1558. As the Ottoman refused to lend the 2 million ducats to France, and Henry failed in the Battle of Saint-Quentin
Battle of St. Quentin (1557)
The Battle of Saint-Quentin of 1557 was fought during the Franco-Habsburg War . The Spanish, who had regained the support of the English, won a significant victory over the French at Saint-Quentin, in northern France.- Battle :...
and Battle of Gravelines
Battle of Gravelines (1558)
The Battle of Gravelines was fought on July 13, 1558 at Gravelines, near Calais, France. It occurred during the 1547–1559 war between France and Spain....
, the Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis was finally signed.
De la Vigne had a reputation of being rather outspoken and impolitic, and Ghiselin de Busbecq, ambassador of Ferdinand to the Porte, commented that de la Vigne's freedom of speech as an ambassador was "wild and frightfull".