Honorat II of Savoy

Honorat II de Savoie
Seigneur de Villars
Honorat II de Savoie, marquis de Villars, Amiral de France en 1569, musée historique de Versailles in 1834.
Other titles	Admiral of France Marshal of France Count of Tende
Born	~1511
Died	20 September 1580(1580-09-20) (aged 69) Le Grand-Pressigny, Kingdom of France
Family	Savoie-Tende
Spouse(s)	Jeanne de Foix, Vicomtesse de Castillon
Issue	Henriette de Savoie-Villars [fr]
Father	René of Savoy
Mother	Anne Lascaris

Honorat de Savoie, marquis of Villars (c. 1511^[1] - 20 September 1580, Le Grand-Pressigny) was a marshal of France and admiral of France. Born into a cadet branch of the house of Savoy, he fought for first Francis I, and then Henri II during the Italian Wars. This included fighting at Hesdin and the battle of Saint-Quentin. During this period he also conducted diplomacy for the French court, and was involved in the negotiations that brought an end to the Italian Wars. Subsequently, he received the office of lieutenant-general of Languedoc, in which he suppressed Huguenots for several years before resigning the commission in 1562.

During the French Wars of Religion he fought at Rouen, Saint-Denis and Moncontour. During the third civil war he received the office of Admiral for the first time, before it was restored to Coligny when peace was declared. Further promotion awaited him during the peace, as he attained first the office of lieutenant-general of Guyenne then the title of Marshal in 1571, and finally the office of Admiral again, upon the death of Coligny during the Massacre of Saint Bartholomew. He would hold this incredibly prestigious title until 1578, when he was compelled to resign it in favour of Charles, Duke of Mayenne. He died in 1580.