Honorat II of Savoy

{{Infobox noble |name = Honorat II de Savoie |title = Seigneur de Villars |image = Honorat II de Savoie.jpg |caption = 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 |birth_date = ~1511 |birth_place = |death_date = |death_place = Le Grand-Pressigny, Kingdom of France |house-type = Nobility |noble family = Savoie-Tende |spouse = Jeanne de Foix, Vicomtesse de Castillon |issue = |father = René of Savoy |mother = Anne Lascaris }} Honorat de Savoie, marquis of Villars (c. 1511 - 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. Early life and family Honorat de Savoie was the second son of René of Savoy and Anne of Lascaris. The exact year of his birth is uncertain, but it cannot have been earlier than 1511. He held the titles of first Comte then Marquis of Villars, Comte de Tende et Sommerieve, Baron de Pressigny-le-Grand et Hauvet, Seigneur de Loyes, Marro, Préla, Vernant, Limon, Villeneuve, Cipières, La Garde, Loubet, Antibes and Ferrières-Lar-çon. During his career he would also become first Marshal and then Admiral of France, lieutenant-general in Guyenne and a member of the Order of Saint-Michel.