Charles D’Albret, Duc De Luynes, was the King's falconer. Described as very handsome with an athletic build, he was able to secure a dominance over the shy boy sovereign, who no doubt was attracted to him. Before his exile, Duplessis realized that he had made a mistake by latching onto Maria De Medici, and tried to gain favor with D'Albret, but he wouldn't bite. He liked the position he was in and was not ready to share it.
Not that Luynes shared the King’s sexual preferences, he just knew how to use what he had to keep him interested, and what harm did a little flirting do? Also, as the King’s Falconer, he was able to satisfy another of Louis’ passions; hunting, and turned what might seem like a minor office, into an small kingdom, with his own ministers, officers, subjects and finances.
The birds themselves, he divided into two categories: Birds of the Chamber, that were trained captives caged for the king's enjoyment, and Wild Birds, consisting of 140 different species that the king like to hunt. All were under the jurisdiction of the Grand Falconer of France and these feathered Royal subjects were ranked into different categories of flight. ie. "Flight in the Field", "Flight by the River", etc. These flights were then broken down by species, each assigned a certain number of falcons, greyhounds and men. For example, the heron were assigned 15 men, 4 greyhounds and 12 falcons. Luynes himself with 10 men looked after the kites; and his brother the crows and marlans.
But, while all of this may have seemed like a charmed existence, the Duke soon found himself over his head, when the Queen Mother escaped from her prison at Blois and planned an armed revolt. In desperation, he summoned Duplessis from Avignon, with the promise to secure a cardinal's cap for him, if he could negotiate a peace. He later privately wrote to Rome, asking them to defer it, but as a show of faith, allowed his nephew to marry Richelieu's niece; Marie-Madeleine De Combalet.
By this time, Luynes was losing favor at court and went back into military service. He died of fever after a failed attempt to capture Montabuan, a Hugenot stronghold, and Richelieu was recalled to parliament. Score one for the future cardinal.
One thing that Duplessis did learn from all this, was that the way to King’s heart was not always through administrative prowess, but the necessity to feed his appetite for the things he craved. It was after all, Richelieu who introduced him to Cinq-Mars, and later, not surprisingly, the Cardinal’s cousin, Pierre De La Porte, would be given the position of Falconer to the King. Enough said.
He tells them that in order to obtain a solid footing, they should construct forts at Quebec and Tadoussac; send fifteen Recollet friars to convert the native people; and at least 300 French families to bolster the settlement. There should be a garrison of 300 soldiers, provided by the crown, and additional livestock to feed the entire colony. The Chamber and the King were impressed, but not quite ready to open up the treasury. They did however, reaffirm his monopoly, but stated that families and military personnel would have to be brought to New France at their expense. A small victory, but a victory none the less.
