Ancré, BARON DE LUSSIGNY, MARSHAL D'

Ancré, BARON DE LUSSIGNY, MARSHAL D', originally Concino Concini, was a Florentine by birth, and came to the French court in 1600, in the train of Maria de' Medici, the wife of Henry IV. He married Leonore Galigai, one of the queen's women, and aided her in promoting the disagreement between the king and queen. After Henry's death, he became chief favourite and adviser of the queen-regent, and was raised to post after post of profit and honour, becoming at length marquis, and, in 1614, even marshal of France, though he had never seen war. His prodigality was immense, and he squandered enormous sums on the decoration of his palaces. Hated alike by nobility and populace, he was assassinated in the Louvre in open day, on the 24th of April 1617, the young king Louis XIII. himself being privy to the plot. His body was dragged by the mob through the streets, and burned before the statue of Henry IV. His wife was executed for having practised witchcraft to gain influence over the queen.