ALBRET. The lordship (seigneurie) of Albret (Labrit,
Lebret), situated in the Landes, gave its name to one of
the most powerful feudal families of France in the middle
ages. Its members distinguished themselves in the local wars
of that epoch; and during the 14th century they espoused the
English cause for some time, afterwards transferring their
support to the side of France. Arnaud Amanieu, lord of
Albret, helped to take Guienne from the English. His son
Charles became constable of France, and was killed at the
battle of Agincourt in 1415. Alain the Great, lord of Albret
(d. 1522), wished to marry Anne of Brittany, and to that end
fought against Charles VIII.; but his hopes being defeated by
the betrothal of Anne to Maximilian of Austria, he surrendered
Nantes to the French in 1486. At that time the house of
Albret had attained considerable territorial importance, due
in great part to the liberal grants which it had obtained
from successive kings of France. John of Albret, son of
Alain, became king of Navarre by his marriage with Catherine of
Foix. Their son Henry, king of Navarre, was created duke
of Albret and peer of France in 1550. By his wife Margaret,
sister of the French king, Francis I., he had a daughter, Jeanne
d'Albret, queen of Navarre, who married Anthony de Bourbon,
duke of Vendome, and became the mother of Henry IV., king of
France. The dukedom of Albret, united to the crown of France
by the accession of this prince, was granted to the family of
La Tour d'Auvergne in 1651, in exchange for Sedan and Raucourt.
To a younger branch of this house belonged Jean d'Albret,
seigneur of Orval, count of Dreux and of Rethel, governor
of Champagne (d. 1524), who was employed by Francis I.
in many diplomatic negotiations, more particularly in his
intrigues to get himself elected emperor in 1519. (M. P.*)
This article is from the 1911 edition of an
encyclopedia, which is out of copyright here in the U.S. It is in the
public domain and you may copy, download, print and distribute this work
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