Charles de Montmorency, Duke of Damville

Charles de Montmorency, Duke of Damville (c. 1537–c. 1612) was a French aristocrat, military commander, rebel and Admiral during the French Wars of Religion. Damville was the son of Anne de Montmorency, chief favourite of Henri II and Madeleine of Savoy granting him a central place in French politics. As a result in 1562 he was elevated as lieutenant-general of the Île de France, serving under his elder brother François de Montmorency. In 1567, with the establishment of the king's brother Anjou as lieutenant-general of the French army, Méru joined his council to advise him on political matters. Méru participated in the siege of La Rochelle in 1573 under the direction of Anjou. Around this time he developed a proximity to the younger brother of the king Alençon.

In 1574, he and his brother Thoré surrounded Alençon and encouraged his ambition. After their elder brother abandoned the court in February, their plans with the young prince became more serious, and Alençon entered conspiracy to flee court and put himself at the head of a rebellion. After two failed efforts to accomplish this, the Montmorency family fell under suspicion for their involvement in his indiscretions. The duke of Montmorency was lured to court then arrested, while Thoré and Méru fled ahead of an arrest order. The arrest of the duke pushed their other brother Damville, governor of Languedoc into open rebellion. The three men would form an alliance with the French Protestants for their rebellion. Thoré and Méru had by now fled to Strasbourg where they worked to recruit a German mercenary army with the help of the prince of Condé. Méru secured financial support from Elizabeth I. In January 1576 the army invaded France, and Henri III was forced into a generous peace towards the rebels. Méru would remain close to Alençon and support him in his efforts to become king of Nederland in the following years, both through the raising of troops and negotiating the terms by which he was established as king in 1580. In 1579, his eldest brother the duke of Montmorency died, and Damville succeeded him, vacating the title of Damville to Méru. In 1596 Damville was elevated to the position of Admiral by Henri IV. Henri developed an increasingly autocratic rule that alienated many grand nobles, including Damville. Damville died in 1612.