Louis de Crevant, Duke of Humières
Louis de Crévant, Marquis then later duc d'Humières (1628–1694) was a French nobleman of the 17th century, who became a Marshal of France in 1668 and Grand Master of Artillery in 1685. His career allegedly benefited from connections to his maternal relatives, the Phélypeaux family, many of whom held senior positions in the government of Louis XIV and Louvois, Minister of War from 1662 to 1691. Appointed commander of French forces in Flanders at the start of the 1688-1697 Nine Years War, he was relieved of command following defeat at Walcourt in 1689. He was made a duke in April 1690 and died in 1694. Life The de Crévants came from Azay-le-Ferron, in the French department of Indre; his grandfather acquired the title and lands of Humières, Artois in 1595, when he married Jacqueline d'Humières, last of her family. Louis de Crévant (1628-1694) was one of nine children of Louis III de Crevant (ca 1606-1648) and Isabelle Phélypeaux (1611-1642). To prevent the division of family estates amongst multiple heirs, it was then common practice for younger sons to remain unmarried. Of his siblings who reached adulthood, two brothers became senior officers in the French Navy; Jacob, who died at Messina