Politics of the Frontier: Henri IV, the Marechal-Duc De Bouillon and the Sovereignty of Sedan

This article re-examines the Bouillon affair of 1602–1606, a dispute between the maréchal-duc de Bouillon and Henri IV which was finally resolved through a royal show of force and Bouillon’s apparent capitulation. Portrayed in royal propaganda as a resounding victory, this episode has traditionally been viewed as a decisive step in the reassertion of royal authority. More recently, the affair has been analysed in the light of early-modern codes of honour and masculinity. The present article offers a reinterpretation of these events which pays due attention to the motivations and objectives of Bouillon himself, too often caricatured as a self-serving aristocrat, lacking in serious purpose. Thus, attention is drawn to the significance of Bouillon’s international dynastic and confessional concerns, and, in particular, to the role of his female relatives throughout the affair. Above all, however, it is argued that Bouillon’s relationship with the crown can only be properly understood if it is examined in the context of the efforts made by Bouillon and his predecessors to establish and gain recognition of their own sovereign authority at Sedan. The Bouillon affair was not just about royal honour and authority, it was also a debate over the sovereignty of a frontier territory. The manner in which the affair was concluded—through a treaty of protection which recognized Bouillon’s sovereignty at Sedan—indicates that, far from being an unqualified royal victory, the settlement was a compromise which satisfied Bouillon’s foremost objective.