Jean de Ferrières (1520–1586), Vidame de Chartres, Seigneur de Maligny, was an influential Huguenot in the French Wars of Religion in the 16th century. He died a prisoner in a galley, unable to pay his ransom, and was succeeded by his nephew, Pregent de La Fin.
Family
Jean de Ferrières, Vidame de Chartres, was the grandson of Jean de Ferrières (died 1497), who had been twice married, firstly to Marguerite de Bourbon (d. before February 1482), illegitimate daughter of John II, Duke of Bourbon (d. April 1488), by whom he had two sons who died without issue, and secondly to Marie de Damas, Dame de Maligny, by whom he had an elder son, Philippe de Ferrières, who inherited the Ferrières lands, and a younger son, François de Ferrières (died 1544), who inherited the Maligny lands, and in 1516 married Louise de Vendôme (d. by 1553), despite the strong opposition of her brother, Louis de Vendôme (d. 22 August 1526). François de Ferrières (died 1544) who was chamberlain to Charles, Duke of Bourbon, and Louise de Vendôme, who was maid of honour to Anne de Beaujeu, Duchess of Bourbon, had two sons and five daughters:
Jean de Ferrières (1520–1586), the subject of this article. Edme de Maligny (1540–1586), known as 'le jeune Maligny', who participated in the Amboise conspiracy, and drowned at Geneva in 1560. Beraude de Maligny (d. 3 September 1618), Maid of Honour to Jeanne d'Albret, Queen of Navarre, who married firstly Dieudonne de Barratz or Bascaz (d. 6 June 1553), Seigneur de Bedeuil, and secondly, on 17 April 1559, Jean de La Fin (died 1599), Seigneur de Beauvoir-la-Nocle, by whom she was the mother of Pregent de La Fin (d. August 1624), who succeeded his uncle and was the last Vidame of Chartres of the Ferrières family. Catherine, Françoise, Christine and Claude, all of whom entered the religious life.
Career
Early life, disinheritance
In February 1538 Jean de Ferrières was given two benefices by his father. Less than two years later, however, he was disinherited by both his father and mother when they made their joint last wills on 23 December 1539. Although the reason for his disinheritance is unknown, d'Estang suggests that it may have been due to his abandonment of the Catholic religion.
Ambassador in Italy
In November 1549 he travelled to Rome in the suite of Henri II's ambassador in ordinary, Claude d'Urfé (d. 12 November 1558) for the papal conclave of 1549 to 1550 after the death of Pope Paul III. In 1553 he accompanied his first cousin, François de Vendôme, Vidame de Chartres (d. 22 December 1560), the then Vidame de Chartres, to Metz, which was under siege by the English. In 1557 he travelled to Piedmont.
Inheritance of 'immense riches'
In 1560 de Ferrières' cousin François was imprisoned in the Bastille after having fallen out with the powerful Guise family. He died on 22 December 1560 without legitimate issue, and despite the fact that Ferrières was his heir, did not mention him in his will. Petigny suggests that this might have been an act of prudence on Vendôme's part, considering the enemies he had made and the circumstances of his imprisonment. Ferrières inherited from his cousin both 'immense riches' and the title of Vidame de Chartres (formerly bishops including those of Reims, Amiens, Mans, Laon and Chartres had a vidame as his principal lay officer, but by the 16th century the title had become merely hereditary). According to Arber, because of concerns about what steps his enemies might take if he were to administer his inheritance himself, Ferrières made a secret agreement with his sister Beraude, that she would present herself as Vendôme's sole heir.
French Wars of Religion
Work as an ambassador from the Huguenots to England
When civil war broke out in France over religious issues, the Protestant leader, Louis, Prince de Condé, sent Ferrières and the Seigneurs de Saint Aubin and de la Haye to England to persuade Elizabeth I to join the Huguenot resistance to the Catholic party. The French ambassadors arrived in England about 15 August 1562, and after numerous secret conferences with English officials, signed the Treaty of Hampton Court on 20 September 1562. An extant copy of the treaty bears Ferrières' signature.