Jean de Laforcade, Seigneur de La Fitte-Juson
Jean de Laforcade, Seigneur de La Fitte-Juson, aka "Jean de Laforcade, Seigneur de La Fitte-Suzon" (sic), aka "Jean de La Forcade", aka "Jean de La Fourcade", aka "Jean de la Fourcade", aka "Jean de Lafourcade", aka "Jean de Laforcade",<ref name="AD64, 1 J 298/2">AD64, 1 J 298/2</ref> aka "Jean de Fourcade" (* About 1555, presumably in Auvillar; † about 1639, in hamlet of Montclaris, in Sigalens, Gascony), was the son of Protestant nobleman Jean de Laforcade, Seigneur de La Fitte, and a descendant of the noble family of Forcade of Béarn in  Navarre. Attorney General of the Chancery of Navarre (1589–1594), on the Conseil Souverain of Navarre and Béarn (1594–1609), at the Criminal Court of Béarn "("Conseiller à la Chambre criminelle")" (1595), Attorney in charge of Impounds "("Maître de Fourrière")" for Catherine de Navarre (1596-1599), Attorney in charge of Petitions "("Maître des requêtes")" (1599-1606), Judge in the Seneschalty of Sauveterre (1606–?), a Senior Diplomat for Marie de' Medici, Queen Mother and Regent of France (1611–1615), and the King's Prosecutor in Oloron (1619). At least one highly-reputed 19th century genealogist, Gabriel O'Gilvy, referred to him as ""…one of the  most important men in Béarn…"". He is cited several times as ""Jean de La Fourcade"" in the ""Mémoires authentiques de Jacques-Nompar de Caumont, duc de La Force, Maréchal de France"", Baron, Governor of Navarre and Béarn (16 March 1593-1621), Viceroy of Navarre, Captain of the Guard Corps, Lieutenant to the King in Béarn, Marquis (1609), Marshall of France (1622), then 1st ""duc de La Force, Peer of France"" (1637), Seigneur de Castelnaud. He is also named several times in letters between the Queen Mother of Navarre and this latter. Life and occupation. "Jean de Laforcade" was a lawyer  by occupation. His career reflected both his own, and his family's, close relationship to Antoine of Navarre and to his wife and later widow, Jeanne d'Albret of Navarre, to Henry IV of France, and, following his assassination in 1610, to his widow, Marie de' Medici in her capacity as the Queen Mother of Louis XIII of France and de facto Regent of France from 1610–16. Marie de' Medici was imprisoned by her son, Louis XIII of France, in 1617, who then banished her from France and executed many of her closest allies, at which time "Jean de Laforcade's  career followed a similar negative direction. Chronology: Baron Jacques-Nompar de Caumont wrote in his letter from Fontainebleau dated 30 November 1606 to his wife, Charlotte de Gontaut-Biron": ""…I am glad for that which the arrival of Mr. de la Fourcade announces for me, he" "will assist me in many things, because he has not yet been touched by any of the" "affairs of Béarn; in such a manner that you feel that I would be very distant from" "power from here, before breaking camp [in Fontainebleau], at least the way I see it…""<ref name="La Force/La Grange , Mémoires, Tome I, pp. 442-443">La Force/La Grange, Mémoires, Tome I, pp. 442–443 (in French)</ref> And again in his letter from Paris dated 21 December 1606 to his wife: ""…The last news I have of you was sent by Mr. de la Fourcade, written from" "Cugnac; I long to learn of the joyous birth of our daughter in Castelnaud." "I do not think I can leave here sooner than around the fifteenth of January," "because it will take me fifteen days, after breaking camp, to wrap up my business…""<ref name="La Force/La Grange, Mémoires, Tome I, p.  445">La Force/La Grange, Mémoires, Tome I, p. 445 (in French)</ref> Marie de' Medici, Queen Mother of Louis XIII of France, in her capacity as the Regent of France, expressed her annoyance concerning the election of the Deputies for Béarn to the Assembly of Saumur in a letter dated 18 May 1611 to the Marquis de La Force: ""…Pending this, I will not conceal that I found very bad the deputation made by those" "of the Religion alleged reformed of Béarn of Messrs. the Baron d'Arros, de Fourcade" "and du Casse, that they, for their part, find themselves at  the Assembly of Saumur," "notwithstanding the opinion [I have] of their persons, which I consider as was" "told to me, and they will conduct themselves there as the righteous ones at the" "entertainment of the State in which they have their fortunes and their families; but" "as the consequence, having never done this during the life of my lord the late King" "and not having had any reason since his death, as you all too well know, and the" "good treatment they received from the King, my son and I; how shall we continue" "should they give us reason. What  you will make them understand, and that which they" "will need to properly demonstrate by their actions and behavior in the said Assembly," "should give me complete satisfaction, which I dare to promise should they behave" "according to your instructions, on the assurance I have that you will give so" "instruct them, as well as to others who find themselves at the said Assembly, as" "your loyalty and affection to service to the King, my said Sire and son, and to the" "State, makes me hope of you. And this I pray to God, etc. Written in Paris, the 18th  day of May 1611. [Signed:] Marie. [And a little lower:] .""<ref name="La Force/La Grange, Mémoires, Tome II, pp. 325-326">La Force/La Grange, Mémoires, Tome II, pp. 325–326 (in French)</ref> In a letter written by the now Marquis Jacques-Nompar de Caumont, from Saumur, to , Secretary of State for Navarre dated 30 June 1611: ""Sir, you will see from what I write to the Queen, and to the Messieurs of the" "Chancery of Navarre, the reason for hurry, that you will well be able to judge by" "the state of affairs such that things do not remain as  they are. There is a letter" "from Mr. de Saulguis, , to Mr. de La Fourcade, that orders him, that the" "Viscount d'Échaux and all of the country arm themselves with anything they can," "having great apprehension to receive an unwelcome arrival. I beg you hold the" "matter in your hands such that it be reviewed according to the importance of the" "facts, and I should be particularly well-informed concerning the wishes of His" "Majesty (sic) and what I would have to do…""<ref name="La Force/La Grange, Mémoires, Tome II, pp. 333-334">La Force/La Grange, Mémoires, Tome II , pp. 333–334 (in French)</ref> From Jacques-Nompar de Caumont, Duke de La Force's memoirs, "Jean de La Fourcade's" pivotal role at the center of the disputes between the Catholic and Reformed churches in Pau, is illustrated. In an excerpt from these memoirs, he describes how, upon returning to Béarn near the end of 1611, he found that each side was fanning the fires to warm up their courage, Catholics to Catholics, and Protestants to Protestants. The Catholics were ""…persuading Catholics that those of the Reformed Religion wanted to step on their throats and have at them at  the first opportunity offered…"". Those of the Reformed Religion ""…persuading those of the Reformed Religion that the Catholics had the same desire, that their destruction was assured, and that the Council of their Majesties had nothing in terms of recommendations except to get rid of them…"". The Protestants felt ""…they could fairly judge from the little account that had been taken of their demands, and by the fact that everything that had been granted to them was turned against them to their disadvantage and to the advantage of the Catholics, such as, the entry of the Bishops to the Conseil  [Souverain de Béarn], the Mass held in the city of Pau against the content of the Edict of Nantes, and the general refusal of all their demands, be it the puny wage increase of thirty livres per year that each of their ministers might receive, or be it the gratuities the three deputies, Messieurs d'Arros, de La Fourcade and du Casse, were granted by His Majesty, whose pensions were the only wages for the little care and vigor they gave to the affairs of their temples, considering these special advantages a public shame…"".<ref name="La Force/La Grange, Mémoires, Tome  II, p. 36">La Force/La Grange, Mémoires, Tome II, p. 36 (in French)</ref> Marquis Jacques-Nompar de Caumont furnishes a few details in his memoirs concerning this affair, confirming that during 1615, "Jean de La Fourcade" was with him in Saint-Palais. In a letter addressed to his wife, on the subject of the state of affairs in Navarre, written from Saint-Palais on 13 July 1615, he wrote: ""It is by the means of Mr. de La Fourcade, who dispatched a man to Pau; and so that" "you can see that we are all good husbands, he will  bring you news about us. I still" "cannot send you news of the Estates, because we are still at the beginning; but I am" "given hope that news will not be long. As concerns our neighbors, the cattle they" "stole were returned in exchange for a bail. I have not yet seen the Viscount d'Échaux;" "he was feeling worse, as I learned there that those from Upper Navarre want to" "affirm the rights they claim, so what we must do will depend on the King's wishes."<ref name="La Force/La Grange, Mémoires, Tome II, p. 362">La Force/La  Grange, Mémoires, Tome II, p. 362 (in French)</ref> He again names "Jean de La Fourcade" in a letter to written from Pau in November 1615: ""…I will tell you the pain I foresee; it is up to you, Sir, who can see more" "clearly there, to apply the remedies that I so very humbly beg of you, as is" "also the case in the matter of the Aldude, on which subject I received two" "letters from the Viscount d'Échaux et de la vallée de Baigorry, that I send" "you, where you will see the lamentations of these poor people , who are dying" "of poverty this year, their corn having been frozen and their millets burned." "I hear that Mr. de Bayonne quickly dispatches, waiting for the Sieur de La" "Fourcade to follow, who he feels must make the trip, since they have broken" "their treaty with the Commissioners of Spain, who with their proposals, only" "provisionally did not want to give the people of Baigorry either rights or" "usage in Aldude…""<ref name="La Force/La Grange, Mémoires, Tome II, p. 369">La Force/La Grange, Mémoires, Tome II, p. 369 (in French)</ref> Wage payment records at the Chambre des  Comptes of Navarre show compensation paid for 1615 to "de Laforcade, d'État de Navarre". He was stripped of his nobility by the King before 12 May 1616, probably shortly before 16 July 1613, allegedly for the dérogeance of acquiring some farms in the "Pays de Marsan", in present-day department of Landes. "Charlotte de Gontaut-Biron", who a few years later would become the "Marshal and Duchess de La Force", finally names "Jean de La Fourcade" in one of her letters, from Pau, dated 12 May 1616, and addressed to the Marquis de La Force, her husband. This letter is  of particular significance in that it speaks of Jean de La Fourcade loss of nobility. ""Sir, we learned by way of letters from Bordeaux that peace was published in Blois," "that the Chancellor was dismissed, his office given to Mr. du Vair, First President" "of the Parliament of Provence, who was sent to exercise the office; God grant it" "may be to his glory, the pleasure of the righteous and to the benefit of the State!" "Mr. de La Fourcade also sends the same wishes to you, Sir, and added his request to" "restore him and his family in all  their charges, honors, dignities and pensions, and" "that the rest of his affairs are going well enough. I do not know if this news will" "change your opinion for your return, and if it will not hasten it. Mr. d'Espalungue" "received letters from Holland that summon him that this War of the Jülich Succession" "restarts, and that one of the Archdukes, whose name I did not retain, makes grand" "preparations and armaments to lay siege to that place there…""<ref name="La Force/La Grange, Mémoires, Tome II, p. 445">La Force/La Grange, Mémoires, Tome II, p. 445 (in French)</ref>  Opening of the Estates of Béarn, performed by the King, during which" "he was given 16000 petits écus." "After the dinner on Monday, the 19th of the month of October, we left the Council" "toward one o'clock in the afternoon, Messieurs de Casans, President, Laforcade," "Du Pont, Loyard, Dufour, Laugar, Gillot, Lendressc, Marca, Claverie, all three of" "the King's staff, and I, in a red robe, to participate in the opening of the" "Estates, that took place in the great lower hall of the castle, where a small" "stage or theater was set up, on which there was a  chair, on which the King sat…"" "Jean de Laforcade" apparently returned in later life to spend the last years of his life near his sons in parish of Saint-Martin de Monclaris, in the house he built, "Caubeyran Manor". "Jean de Forcade" is named in a limited number of notarial acts in the first half of the 17th century with the simple qualifications of merchant, farmer and inhabitant of the parish of Saint-Martin de Monclaris in the diocese of Bazas. "Jean de Forcade" obtained letters from the Bishop of Bazas authorizing him burial rights in the parish church itself , in the commune of Sigalens, on 20 June 1639. The "Caubeyran Manor ("Seigneurie de Caubeyran")" is located in the hamlet of Montclaris, in Sigalens. According to records, it was built ""…during the reign of Henry IV of France…"", which began in 1589, by a "Captain Jean de Forcade", who was married to the daughter of the "Seigneur de Barbuscan", "Jehan de Lucmajour", and completed about 1598. "Louis de Forcade", his grandson, son of "Jean de Forcade, Seigneur de Saint-Genest", Squire, and Noble "Marie de Laurière, Damoiselle de Moncaut", is cited as "Seigneur de Caubeyran" at his marriage in 1653 . According to records, Forcade descendants still owned the property in 1828. Although he did not live to see it, his sons and their descendants were restored to their nobility with "letters of rehabilitation" issued by King Louis XIV of France on 11 July 1651 or 13 June 1655, that reestablished them ""…in their ancient nobility…"" and ""…forgave them of the dérogeance committed by their father…"". Only one of his sons lived to see the registration in a judgment by the Court of Aids ("the Court of Appeals") of Guyenne in Libourne on 27 March 1656 or 27 May 1656, but  the descendants of at least two of his sons further continued the noble descendance. Gabriel O'Gilvy put forth that he was the son of "Gaston de Forcade", who was born about 1480 in Orthez. Chaix d'Est-Ange and other authors, however, cast serious doubts on this claim, mainly because O'Gilvy did not provide any source citations to support his claim, and because of, what they considered as, an unforgivable age difference of about 75 years between the two births. Chaix d'Est-Ange felt that one or more generations were missing in between. Recent 21st century research confirms that two generations  were, in fact, missing. And, there is new evidence to indicate that these missing generations descended instead from "Raymond de Forcade", Gaston's youngest brother. Family. Parents. "Jean de Laforcade" was the son and heir of Protestant Noble Jean de Laforcade, Seigneur de La Fitte, aka Jean de Forcade (* Before 1525; † December 1589 in Pau), General Treasurer of the King and Queen of Navarre in their County of Armagnac ("Trésorier général pour les roi et reine de Navarre en leur comté d'Armagnac")<ref name="Tierny/Pagel, p. 39, col. 2. f. 99">Tierny/Pagel, p. 39, col. 2. f. 99 (in French)]</ref>  in 1556–57, General Treasurer of Navarre ("Trésorier général de Navarre") in 1580, to the King on his "Conseil ordinaire (Conseil d'État)", President of Finances "(Président aux Comptes)" in 1586, First President of the Chambre des Comptes of Navarre at the Parliament of Navarre in Pau on 14 September 1589. He married by notarized contract with "Odette de Rey" at " Ouzannet", notary and secretary of the commune of Laplume, Gascony, on 29 April 1554. In this marriage contract, he is qualified as both a Noble and a Squire. "Odette de Rey", was the sister of Noble "Jacques de Rey, Seigneur de  La Salle", who was a captain and the military commandant of the village of Laplume. Marriage. Records related to the noble manor of Caubeyran in the hamlet of Montclaris, in Sigalens show that the mansion was originally built during the reign of Henry IV of France, and completed before 1598, by a Captain "Jean de Laforcade", who married a daughter of the "Seigneur de Barbuscan" after 1576, at the time "Jehan de Lucmajour". The two families were members of court of the Albret family, the rulers of Lower Navarre. The "Seigneurie de Barbuscan" bears an uncanny resemblance in name to  the "Château de Barbazan", of which the Captain Desliges was appointed Captain (Governor) on 16 February 1571 at the Chambre des Comptes of Navarre in Pau. Children. He had at least four sons and two daughters: Son-in-Law. "Jean de Minvielle", cited as his son-in-law in 1606, is cited as Noble "Jean de Minvielle, Seigneur du Domecq de Dognen", who, on 19 January 1609 furnished a notarized receipt to Noble "Jehan du Peyrer, sieur de Tres Villes", his father-in-law, given as dowry for his wife, "Marie du Peyrer", in her first marriage. "Jean de Minvielle , Seigneur du Domecq de Dognen" made his testament on 20 November 1617 and "Marie du Peyrer" married a second time with "Abraham de Brosser", Bourgeois and merchant in Orthez. Damoiselle "Marie d'Aramitz" is named as ""…widow of the late Jehan de Peyré, Seigneur of the noble house of Lisabe and Casamayeur by conquest, and the aforesaid d'Aramitz, gives usufruct of the aforesaid house of Lisabe and Casamayeur in Toisvilles…"", in an act dated 28 November 1613. Damoiselle Marie d'Aramitz and Dame of the noble house of Troisvilles, signed an act "marie daramits" at the royal notary in Soule on 1  October 1628. At the marriage of "Pierre II. de Day", "Co-Director of the Mint of in Pau" "("contre-garde en la de Pau")", with Damoiselle de "Anne de Basson", aka "Anne de Saint-Martin", by notarized contract at the Notary "Jean de Souberbie" in Pau on 8 December 1619, the bridegroom was assisted by "Pierre I. de Day", also "Co-Director of the Mint of in Pau" "("contre-garde en la de Pau")", his father, "Roger de Day" and "Jean de Day", his brothers, and "Jean de La Forcade" and "Jean de Minvielle", to the King, his allies by  marriage. The bride was assisted by Damoiselle "Agnès de Saint-Martin", also known as "Agnès de Bassot", her sister, a resident of Pau, "Guillaume Salinis", husband of the aforesaid "Saint-Martin", her brother-in-law, "Hierosme Norman", General Clerk of the Finances of the King" ("commis-général des finance du roi")", her uncle, "Isaac de Lostau", Damoiselle "Agnès de Normans", widow of the "sieur de Lacoste", to the King, and "Catherine de Camo". "Pierre I. de Day", the father, had been provided with the office of "Director of the Mint in Morlaàs" "("garde de la de Morlaàs")" on 5 March  1598, following the resignation of "Denis Bergeron", aka "Denis Vergeron", by "Jacques de Caumont, Seigneur and Baron de la Force", to the King on his "Conseil Souverain of Navarre and Béarn" and "Conseil Privé", Captain of one of the Corps of the King's bodyguards, Governor and Lieutenant General representing the King in Navarre and the souverain lands of Béarn. The noble houses of "Casamayor" and of "Elissabé" were originally sold on 1 May 1584 by "Bernard d'Échauz" to "Isabelle de Sauguis", widow of noble "Jean d'Abbadie d'Izeste", Captain, aunt of "Marie d'Aramitz", for 9,000 Bordeaux francs at the Royal  Notary "de Sanz de Conget" in Soule, and this sum was reimbursed by the Seigneur "Jean du Peyrer", Bourgeois and merchant from Tardets, to noble "Jean d'Abbadie", proxy of Damoiselle "Isabelle de Sauguis", his mother, on 25 January 1608. Other Family. Circumstantial evidence points to other close family members and descendants. Due to incomplete or missing protestant church records, the exact relationship is not known. ""…Eighth, they have produced an investigation conducted in the town" "of Sauveterre in Béarn, by the authority of the elected officials of" "Guyenne, at the request of Jean de Forcade, Squire, Seigneur de" "Sauroux, first  cousin of the petitioners, by which it is amply" "verified that their ancestors were genuine nobles, and as such have" "always held rank at the [Order of the Nobility of the] Estates of" "the land of Béarn…""