Paul de Foix de Carmain (1528–1584) was a French prelate anddiplomat. As ambassador in England he was involved in the relations ofElizabeth I andMary, Queen of Scots.
He was son of Jean de Foix,comte de Carmain, by his wife Aldonce. He studied Greek and Roman literature atParis, andjurisprudence atToulouse, where shortly after finishing his curriculum he delivered a course of lectures oncivil law, which gained him great reputation.
At the age of nineteen he was named councillor of theparlement of Paris. He was arrested on suspicion of harbouringHuguenot sympathies, but escaped punishment, and subsequently regained the favour of the French court.
At the end of 1561 he was sent ambassador to England, where he remained four years. He went to Scotland to visitMary, Queen of Scots in December 1561, and took part in a tournament of "running at the ring" atLeith dressed in exotic costume.[1] He commented on Mary's participation in dance at the Scottish court.[2]
Paul de Foix made a memorandum detailing plans for aninterview between Mary and Elizabeth in 1562 which he had discussed withWilliam Maitland of Lethington. His secretary was sent to showCharles IX of France the schedule of events. The interview did not take place. The meeting would have been at Nottingham in September 1562, and Elizabeth would have awaited Mary at the Bishop's Palace atSouthwell.[3][4]
In June 1565, Elizabeth was not pleased at news of plans for thewedding of Mary, Queen of Scots, and Henry, Lord Darnley, and while playing a game of chess she spoke to Paul de Foix of her fury. They discussedDarnley as her pawn.[5] De Foix discovered that Elizabeth had given sums of money to the rebels during theChaseabout Raid.[6]
Mary, Queen of Scots, wrote to Paul de Foix in November 1565, describing the objections theEarl of Moray had to her marriage, and schemes made to prevent it.[7] De Foix keptCharles IX of France informed of developments in Ireland and the Scottish queen's support ofShane O'Neill.[8]
Paul de Foix was then sent toVenice, and returned a short time afterwards to England to negotiate a marriage betweenQueen Elizabeth and theduke of Anjou. He again fulfilled several important missions during the reign ofHenry III of France. In 1577 he was madearchbishop of Toulouse, and in 1579 was appointed ambassador to Rome, where he remained till his death.
Les Lettres de Messire de Paul de Foix, archevesque de Toloze et ambassadeur pour le roy aupres du pape Gregoire XIII, au roi Henry III, were published in 1628, but there are some doubts as to their authenticity.
In the1998 filmElizabeth, he was portrayed byEric Cantona.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Foix, Paul de".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 10 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 595.