Charles de Montsaulnin, Comte de Montal

Charles de Montsaulnin, Comte de Montal, Seigneur de Ménétreux-le-Pitois and Venarey-les-Laumes
Capture of Charleroi in the Spanish Netherlands; Montal served as Governor
Governor of Maritime Flanders
In office
1693–1696
Governor of Mont-Royal
In office
1687–1692
Governor of Maubeuge and Dinant
In office
1678–1684
Governor of Charleroi
In office
1668–1678
Personal details
Born1619 (other sources claim 1621)
Château des Aubues, near Lormes, Nièvre
Died21 September 1696(1696-09-21) (aged 77)
Dunkirk
Resting placeSaint-Brisson, Nièvre
NationalityFrench
SpouseGabrielle de Solage de Frédault (1634–?)
ChildrenLouis (1648–1686); François-Ignace (ca 1650–1691); François (1653–1672); Cassandre-Marie (? – 1695)
OccupationSoldier
AwardsOrder of the Holy Spirit 1688
Military service
Allegiance France
 Spain 1653–1659
Years of service1638-1696
RankLieutenant General
Battles/warsThirty Years War
Freiburg; Nördlingen;
Fronde 1648–1653
Franco-Spanish War, 1635–1659
Valenciennes; The Dunes
War of Devolution 1667–1668
War of the Reunions 1683–1684
Franco-Dutch War 1672–1678
Maastricht; Seneffe; Saint-Denis
Nine Years' War
Steenkerque; Diksmuide

Charles de Montsaulnin, Comte de Montal (1619–1696) was a 17th-century French military officer and noble who was a close friend of Le Grand Condé, and fought in many of the wars of Louis XIV of France.

His military career began in 1638 under Condé, to whom he would remain loyal for the rest of his life; during the Fronde, he was one of the few to follow him into exile in Spain. Pardoned by Louis XIV in 1659, he remained in military service until his death in 1696, being particularly well-regarded for his defensive expertise. He worked for many years with French military engineer Vauban, a neighbour from the same region; Louis reportedly remarked the ideal was fortifications built by Vauban and defended by Montal.

Montal served as Governor of a number of key towns, including Charleroi, occupied by France from 1668 to 1678 and now in Belgium. 'Rue Montal' was named after him by the city council in 1860.[1]

  1. ^ Everard 1959, p. 223.

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