GUI SA, FAMILY. - A French ducal house that took its name from the castle and city of G. in northern France (department of Aisne). It descends from a cadet branch of the dukes of Lorraine, which began to gain prominence at the court of Louis XII and Francis I with Duke CLAUDE, who married Antoinette of Bourbon. His son FRANCIS, born in Bar on 17 Feb. 1519, died in Orléans on 24 Feb. 1563, married Anne d'Este, daughter of Ercole II, duke of Ferrara. He distinguished himself as a general in the final campaigns of Francis I and those of Henry II against the Habsburgs.
He was sent by Henry II in 1557 to Rome to direct the war that Paul IV had begun against the Spanish forces of the duke of Alba in Roman territory; but he had to return to France after the defeat at Saint-Quentin. He was then appointed lieutenant general of the kingdom. He took part in the war against the Spanish and the English and in 1558 reconquered Calais. During the reign of Francis II, the G., together with his brother the cardinal, effectively governed France, and their power was strengthened by the failure of the Huguenot conspiracy of Amboise. But this predominance declined under Charles IX due to the policy of balance between the two factions adopted by Catherine de' Medici. F. continued, however, to be the recognized leader of the Catholics; after the attack at Vassy (1562) began the civil war, F. took Rouen from the Huguenots, defeated Coligny at Dreux, but during the siege of Orléans he was killed by a pistol shot fired treacherously by a Huguenot.
HENRY I, duke of G., son of Francis and Anne d'Este, born on 31 Dec. 1550, died in Blois on 23 Dec. 1588. He succeeded his father as leader of the Catholics in the struggle against the Huguenots. In 1567 he fought in Hungary against the Turks. He then played a prominent part in the French civil wars. In 1569 he fought the Huguenots at Jarnac, at Moncontour, and during the siege of Poitiers. After unsuccessfully aspiring to the hand of Margaret of Valois, he married Catherine of Cleves. His prestige, weakened by the court's agreement with the Huguenots, revived after the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre.
In 1575 he received a facial wound in battle, earning the nickname "Balafré" (Scarface). In 1576 he promoted the "Holy Union" or League of Catholics. In 1584 Henry III, concerned about his power, proscribed him. The G. then concluded an alliance with Philip II (Treaties of Joinville and Péronne). From 1585 began the war known as the War of the Three Henrys. The people of Paris, on the "Day of the Barricades" (1588), rose in favor of the G., but he did not dare seize the king's person and allowed him to flee the city, contenting himself with the office of lieutenant general of the kingdom. Henry III invited him to the meeting of the Estates General at Blois and there had him killed by his Gascon guards (the Forty-Five). H. of G. was a man of great courage and boundless ambition; though the relentless war he waged against the Huguenots rallied the largely Catholic population around him, his dealings with Spain were the first seed of the dissensions that a few years later brought Henry of Bourbon to the throne.
At the same time as their ascendancy in French affairs, the G. held a large share of ecclesiastical offices. Through an uninterrupted system of commendations and timely resignations, they held throughout the 16th century the churches of Metz, Reims, Lyon and others in France and had representatives in the College of Cardinals. GIOVANNI, son of René, king of Sicily and duke of Lorraine, bishop of Metz on 20 Oct. 1505, was made a cardinal by Leo X on 28 May 1518, and died on 10 May 1550. He also held the see of Reims and Lyon, which he transmitted to his nephew Charles, who became archbishop of Reims at the age of 14. This Charles, brother of Duke Francis, was created cardinal at the age of 23 at the instance of King Henry II on 27 July 1547; he was present at the Council of Trent in 1562–1563, where he played a significant role in the disputes regarding the constitution of the Church, upholding the doctrines of Constance and Basel; he died in Avignon on 26 Dec. 1574. His brother LODOVICO, bishop of Metz on 2 June 1558, was created cardinal by Julius III on 22 Dec. 1553 and died on 29 March 1578. A second LODOVICO, brother of Duke Henry, archbishop of Reims in 1574, was created cardinal by Gregory XIII on 21 Feb. 1578, but never came to Rome and did not receive the cardinal's hat. He was killed together with his brother by order of Henry III in Blois on 24 Dec. 1588. A son of Duke Henry was Charles, who succeeded to the bishopric of Metz after Cardinal Lodovico on 18 July 1578 and on 10 July 1592 was given in administration that of Strasbourg. Sixtus V created him cardinal on 20 Dec. 1589; he died on 24 Nov. 1607.
