ROHAN, Henry duke of, peer of France, and prince of Leon, was born at the Chateau de Blein in Brittany in 1579. Henry IV. under whose eyes he gave distinguished proofs of his bravery at the siege of Amiens, when only 16 years of age, loved him with as much affection as if he had been his own son. After the death of Henry, he became chief of the Calvinists in France; and was equally formidable for his genius as his sword. In defence of the civil and religious rights of his party, he maintained three wars against Louis XIII. The first, which terminated to the advantage of the Protestants, broke out when that prince wished to establish the Romish religion in Le Bearn: the second, because of the siege which Cardinal De Richlieu caused to be laid to Rochelle: and the third, when that place was besieged a second time. The consequences of this war are sufficiently known; Rochelle surrendered; and the duke de Rohan perceiving, that after the taking of this place, the majority of his party were endeavouring to make up matters with the court, succeeded in procuring for them a general peace in 1629, upon very honourable and advantageous terms. The only sacrifice of importance which the Huguenots were obliged to make, was their
fortifications; which put it out of their power to renew the war. Some factious persons, dissatisfied with seeing their fortresses fall into their enemies hands, were ready to accuse their general of having sold them. This great man, undeserving of such odious ingratitude, presented his breast to these enraged malecontents, and said, "Strike, strike! I wish to die by your hands, after I have hazarded my life in your service." The peace of 1629 having extinguished the flame of civil war, the duke de Rohan, no longer of use to his party, and become disagreeable at court, retired to Venice. There is a very particular anecdote of him, extracted from the Memoirs of the duchess of Rohan, Margaret of Bethune, daughter of the famous Sully. Whilst the duke de Rohan was at Venice, a proposal was made to him from the Porte, that for 200,000 crowns, and an annual tribute of 20,000, the Grand Signior would give him the island of Cyprus, and fully invest him with the dignity and prerogatives of king. The duke was warmly inclined to comply with this proposal, and to settle in the island the Protestant families of France and Germany. He negotiated this business at the Porte by means of the intervention of the patriarch Cyril, with whom he had much correspondence; but different circumstances, and in particular the death of the patriarch, occurred to break off the treaty. The republic of Venice chose Rohan for their commander in chief against the imperialists; but Louis III. took him from the Venetians, and sent him ambassador into Switzerland, and into the Grisons. He wished to assist these people in bringing back La Valteline under their obedience, the revolt of which the Spaniards and Imperialists encouraged. Rohan, being declared general of the Grisons, after many victories, drove the German and Spanish troops entirely from La Valteline in 1633. He defeated the Spaniards again in 1636 at the banks of the lake of Como. France, not thinking it proper to withdraw her troops, the Grisons rose up in arms, and the duke de Rohan, not satisfied with the conduct of the court, entered into a special treaty with them the 28th March 1637. This hero, fearing the resentment of cardinal de Richlieu, retired to Geneva, with a view to join his friend the duke of Saxe-Weimar, who wished him to undertake the command of his army, then ready to engage the Imperialists near Rhinfield. Although he declined this honour, yet he took the command of the regiment of Nassau, with which he threw the enemy into confusion; but was himself wounded, February 28. 1683, and died of his wounds the 13th of April following, at the age of 59. He was interred May 27. in the church of St Pierre in Geneva, where there is a magnificent monument of marble erected to his memory, having on it the most illustrious actions of his life. The duke de Rohan was one of the greatest generals of his time, equal to the princes of Orange, and capable, like them, of settling a commonwealth; but more zealous than they for religion, or at least appearing to be so. He was vigilant and indefatigable, not allowing himself any pleasures which might take off his attention from his necessary employments, and well qualified for being the head of a party; a post very difficult to retain, and in which he had to fear equally from his enemies and his friends. It is in this light that Voltaire has viewed this illustrious character, when he composed the following verse:
Avec tous les talens le Ciel l'avoit fait naître:
Il agit en Héros: en Sage il écrivit.
Il fut même grand homme en combattant son Maître,
Et plus grand lorsqu'il le servit.
His military virtues were much heightened by the sweetness of his disposition, his affable and courteous manners, and by a generosity which had few examples. Neither ambition, pride, nor a view of gain, could ever be traced in his character. He was wont to say, that "true glory and a zeal for the public good never dwelt where self-interest reigned." Rohan had always a particular regard for Henry the Fourth: "Truly (said he, sometime after the death of that prince) when I think of him, my heart is ready to break. A wound received in his presence would have afforded me more satisfaction than now to gain a battle. I would have valued an encomium from him in this art, of which he was the greatest master of his time, more than the united praises of all the commanders now living." He wrote several interesting performances: 1. The Interests of Princes, printed at Cologne in 1666, in 12mo: in which work he fully examines the public interests of all the princes of Europe. 2. The Perfect General, or an abridgement of the wars from Caesar's Commentaries, in 12mo. In this he makes it appear, that a knowledge of the tactics of the ancients might be of much use to the moderns. 3. A Treatise on the Corruption of the Ancient Militia. 4. A Treatise on the Government of the Thirteen Provinces. 5. Memoirs; the best edition of which is in 2 vols. 12mo. They contain the history of France from 1610 to 1629. 6. A Collection of some Political Discourses on State Affairs, from 1612 to 1629, 8vo, Paris, 1644, 1693, 1755; with the Memoirs and Letters of Henry Duke de Rohan relative to the war of La Valteline, 3 vols. 12mo, Geneva, 1757. This was the first edition which appeared of these curious memoirs: We owe it to the great attention and diligence of M. le Baron de Zurlauben, who published them from different authentic manuscripts. He likewise ornamented this edition with geographical, historical, and genealogical notes, and a preface, which contains an abridged, but highly interesting life, of the duke de Rohan, author of the memoirs. The Abbé Pérou has also written a life of him, which occupies the 21st and 22d volumes of the History of the Illustrious Men of France. Some want of spirit might be excused in the detail of wars finished upwards of 140 years ago; yet the memoirs of the duke de Rohan still afford considerable pleasure in the perusal. He tells his story with humour, with sufficient exactness, and in such a style as procures the confidence of the reader.