Denis-Simon de Marquemont

De Marquemont was born on 30 September 1572 in Paris, France. He was educated at the University of Paris and the University of Angers and received a doctorate in utroque iure.

In 1594 he travelled to Rome as secretary to Jacques Davy Duperron. When Duperron left Rome, de Maquemont remained behind, by order of Henry IV, as counsellor to the French ambassador to the Holy See. At various times he was appointed acting ambassador and was so effective, the King determined that the regular ambassador should not make any significant decisions without de Marquemont's advice.[2]

In 1600, he and Noël Brûlart de Sillery went to Florence to negotiate the marriage of Marie de' Medici to Henry IV of France.[2]

He was ordained a priest in 1603 at the age of 31 and in 1612 he was appointed Archbishop of Lyon.

In 1616, de Marquemont caused some controversy when he decreed that sisters of the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary would no longer be allowed to live semi-cloistered lives but would instead be forced to "observe strict enclosure" like other female orders.[3] This was despite his personal friendship with the order's founder, Francis de Sales.

De Marquemont was elevated to cardinal on 19 January 1626 and was appointed Cardinal-Priest of the Church of Trinità dei Monti the following month. He died on 16 September of that year.[1]