Historic figures

Francis was born into a rich family of cloth merchants in Assisi, in Umbria, in 1182. His father, Pietro, introduced him into the world of business and he led a carefree life with the young people of the city. Deluded by chivalrous ideals, and tempted by a military career, he took up arms when the “popolo” of Assisi revolted against the government of noblemen. He was captured at La Collestrada (1202) and then freed on payment of a ransom in 1203.

After a long illness, he radically changed his lifestyle, withdrawing into prayer and choosing a life focussing on poverty and humility - Christ as portrayed in the Gospels became his model.

One day in 1205, Francis was in the church of San Damiano and heard a voice asking him to “go and repair My Church which, as you can see, is falling into ruins”. In order to finance the project, he sold some of the family business’s cloth, which led to a clash with his father. Protected by Bishop Guido, Francis renounced his worldly goods and his inheritance in 1206. He discovered his vocation at La Porziuncula, a little church in Assisi, as he listened to the Gospel about Christ sending the Disciples out into the world. He began preaching with a few companions and set up a community there in around 1210. The place went on to become the order’s mother church. He then travelled to Rome with his first twelve companions. Pope Innocent III (1198-1216) approved of their lifestyle and Pope Honorius III (1216-1227) promulgated the rule of the order on 23^rd November. Having gone into a retreat in 1224, he received the stigmata (the five wounds of Christ) which led him to compose the Canticle of the Creatures. His health grew worse in 1226, and he died on the night of 3^rd-4^th October. The next day his body was carried in procession to Assisi and then interred in the church of San Giorgio. He was canonised by Pope Gregory IX (1227-1241) two years later and then, in 1230, his body was moved to the basilica built in his honour in Assisi.

He was considered a saint during his own lifetime and was canonised less than two years after his death - Francis of Assisi was very popular from the 13^th century onwards.

In 1356, Hugues de Châtelus-Châteaumorand, Seigneur Banneret, was the first Baron du Bourbonnais. He is known to have financed the rebuilding of the cloister of the Couvent des Cordeliers. He was a benefactor of the Franciscans, and was interred in the church, where his own recumbent effigy and that of his wife both lie, on 28^th April 1400.

The Châteaumorand family château can still be seen at Saint-Martin d’Estreaux today.

Jean de Châteaumorand was Hugues de Châtelus-Châteaumorand’s second son and is the most famous member of the family. He took part in the siege of Châteauneuf de Random with his friend Bertrand Du Guesclin (1320-1380). He was a warlord, diplomat and chronicler, and entered the service of Louis II de Bourbon. In 1400, he was captain - on behalf of the King of France - of the city of Constantinople and Louis II sent him on a number of diplomatic missions. For instance, in 1397, he was sent to the Sultan Bajazet I to negotiate the release of French knights who had been taken prisoner at the battle of Nicopolis on 25^th September 1396. He succeeded in ransoming them.

Diane de Châteaumorand was a descendant of Hugues de Châtelus-Châteauamoran and is famous for both her beauty and her successive marriages with Anne d’Urfé, bailiff and governor of Le Forez, and Honoré d’Urfé (1567-1625).

Diane de Châteaumorand made a will in favour of her nephew, Jean-Claude de Lévis-Charlus provided that he took the name and arms of Châteaumorand, which he then had raised to the rank of Marquis.

Gisants de Hugues de Châtelus, seigneur de Châteaumorand et de son épouse ©  Département de la Loire - Guillaume Atger