Philippe de Volvire

Philippe de Volvire, marquis de Ruffec ( –6 January 1585) was a French courtier, military commander and governor during the latter Italian Wars and French Wars of Religion. Ruffec served in the war with England known as the Rough Wooing where he saw service first in Scotland and then for an abortive attack against Boulogne. During the reign of Charles IX he developed a proximity to his brother Anjou and travelled to the Commonwealth with him when he was elected king. Having stayed with Anjou for the duration of his reign, he returned to France when Anjou became Henri III. During the fifth French War of Religion, the king's brother Alençon entered rebellion. This represented a considerable threat to the crown, and a generous truce was secured with him in November 1575. As a term of this truce, Alençon was to be given several cities, among them the city of Angoulême of which Ruffec was governor. Ruffec refused to hand over the city, arousing much fury at court. As a result of this Alençon would be granted Saint-Jean-d'Angély and Cognac. Despite receiving these he would not gain access to Bourges, whose governor Claude de La Châtre was also resistant, in January he fled court and entered rebellion again, forcing the crown into a favourable peace later that year. In 1579 Ruffec participated in Catherine de Medici's negotiations with a rebellious former favourite Marshal Bellegarde. On 6 January 1585 he died, and was succeeded as governor of Angoulême by the baron de Bellegarde.