Pierre de Ségusson, sieur de Longlée (–1592/1598) was a French noble, churchmen and ambassador during the latter French Wars of Religion. Born into a noble family of the province of Maine, Longlée entered a career in the church. By 1556 he had secured a court position as a valet de chambre, and this would be followed with the position of gentilhomme servant in 1574 at the start of the reign of Henri III. He served as the sécretaire (secretary) to the French ambassador to España the baron de Saint-Gouard for nine years, and is first attested in the role in 1574. He performed a variety of services for the ambassador during this time, and was warmly recommended to the French court by his superior. In 1579 he undertook an extraordinary mission to Portugal for the crown, to advocate for the queen mothers rights to the Portuguese throne. He would again travel to Portugal with Saint-Gouard in 1581-1582 during the crisis of the Portuguese succession, and when Saint-Gouard was relieved as ambassador at the end of 1582, Longlée was chosen to serve as his temporary replacement. His appointment would not however be temporary, despite this he would not receive the formal office of ambassador, and through his ambassadorship from 1582 to 1580 he technically held the position of 'permanent resident'.
In this position he was faced with the collapse of Franco-Spanish relations. This was induced firstly by the intervention of the king's brother, the duc d'Alençon (duke of Alençon) in the rebellion against Spanish rule in Spanish Nederland. Longlée made efforts to try and convince the Spanish king Felipe II that Henri was uninvolved in his brothers enterprises. He also attempted to secure the release of captive Frenchman who had been pressed into service in the Spanish galleys. In 1584 he reported to Henri on the treasonous dealings of the duc de Montmorency and king of Navarre. In June of that year the king's brother Alençon died, this worsened relations between France and España, as Alençon had been the king's heir, and in his absence the succession defaulted to the Protestant king of Navarre, a prospect which was intolerable to Felipe. Through his ambassador in France, Felipe threw his weight behind the Catholic ligue (league) that formed to oppose Navarre's succession among other royal policies. In March 1585 the ligue entered war with the French crown, with Felipe's support. Longlée protested to the Spanish king without luck. Longlée continually complained about the actions of the Spanish ambassador in France. In August 1585 he reported on the intrigues of several representatives of the queen of Navarre, who hoped to form an alliance with Felipe against her husband. As the Spanish moved towards war with England, Longlée provided what information he could on the Armada they were preparing. In 1589, Henri was assassinated, and was succeeded by his Protestant cousin the king of Navarre who took the name Henri IV, Longlée remained a loyal royalist through this transition. Henri was not recognised as the French king by Felipe or the ligueur (leaguer) party in France and thus Longlée's position in España became even more tenuous. After a few months requesting Henri authorise his recall he received permission to retire from España in April 1590. He received only limited reward for his diplomatic service from Henri, who made him a gentilhomme ordinaire de la chambre du roi (ordinary gentleman of the king's chamber) by 1592. He died sometime between 1592 and 1598.
Early life and family Pierre de Ségusson was born sometime around 1540 close to the town of Asnières, the son of Hilarion de Ségusson and Françoise de Salles. He was one of six children with one brother named Marin; and four sisters named Marie, Julienne, Guyonne and Jehanne.
The Ségusson family held its origins in the parish of Ségrie. The seigneurie of Longlée had entered the Ségusson family in the fifteenth century through the marriage of Jehan de Ségusson with Agnès de Longlée.
Longlée was a man of the church and would remain celibate throughout his life. Ribera stresses that though he was a cleric he only ever received minor orders. Ribera argues it is challenging to know how sincere his Catholic convictions were, but that he was interested in the defence of Catholicism.
Little is known about his education. The historian Ribera argues we can imagine it to have been an assiduous one judging by his later ambassadorial career. Similarly little is known about how he ended up in the French capital. Mousset speculates that the husband of his sister Marie, Jehan Astier who held a position in Mary Stuart's household, might have enabled him to gain office.
By 1556 he held the position of valet de chambre to the second son of king Henri II.
Reign of Henri III Humble beginnings At the dawn of the reign of Henri III, in 1574, Longlée became a gentilhomme servant (gentleman servant) of the new monarch.
Sécretaire
Though he served as a sécretaire (secretary) to the French ambassador in España, the baron de Saint-Gouard for nine years, the first record of him in the country comes from a letter sent by Zuñiga to the Spanish king Felipe II in October 1574. As sécretaire to the ambassador, Longlée occupied a flexible position. He could serve the ambassador as the writer of the diplomatic despatches (reports between the ambassador and the crown), a courier, or a more discreet spokesperson for the ambassador when circumstances required. Beyond this, in the absence of the ambassador the sécretaire could take care of affairs until either the ambassadors return, or in the event of the ambassadors death, his replacements arrival. He would on occasion serve as a courier between Madrid and Paris during this period. A receipt records that Saint-Gouard paid him 400 écus soleil for a round trip he made between the capitals.
In early 1575 he gained the benefice of the chapel of Sainte-Croix, which was located near Asnières.
In 1579, Longlée was entrusted with an extraordinary diplomatic mission to Portugal. In addition to seeking compensation for the mistreatment of the French in the country, he was to lay the groundwork for the queen mother Catherine to make a claim to the Portuguese crown.
Having been appraised of secret negotiations undertaken by the seigneur de Lanssac that sought to seize the port of Al Araish in north west Africa, Saint-Gouard entrusted Longlée with uncovering the specific nature of what was transpiring. The sécretaire had great success in his efforts to investigate the matter, so much so that the Spanish ambassador in France complained in August 1579 of the accuracy of the information that was in the possession of Saint-Gouard about the affair. Felipe was advised to keep his eyes on Saint-Gouard as he was clearly in contact with those who had intimate knowledge of their dealings.
Saint-Gouard richly praised Longlée's services in a letter to the sécretaire d'État (secretary of state) the seigneur de Villeroy in January 1580. His sécretaire deserved a lot, and always gave a good showing at whatever service he was entrusted to deliver. He effused that the French crown had no greater servant than Longlée, and that he [Saint-Gouard] loved him like a son for his many virtues. Ribera opines that Longlée owed the majority of his career to Saint-Gouard. As such, Longlée endeavoured to show his gratitude and would keep his patron appraised of Spanish affairs years later after Saint-Gouard received appointment as ambassador to the Papal States.
Portuguese affairs On 17 June 1581, Henri ordered Saint-Gouard to travel to Portugal so that he might protest the 'outrages' committed against the French in the country Felipe had recently conquered. Planning a departure to Portugal so that he might unite with Felipe in Lisboa, the ambassador Saint-Gouard was faced with the difficult prospect of financing his trip. Before he was able to depart, Henri informed him of his intention to relieve him of his post and allow Longlée to manage the current affairs of the role. Saint-Gouard was greatly relieved by this and wrote effusively to the king thanking him on 28 August 1581. To effect his withdrawal would require informing Felipe, thus necessitating his travel to Lisboa.
During an audience with Felipe in Lisboa, Saint-Gouard explained his upcoming departure and his temporary replacement in the charge by the sieur de Longlée. The sécretaire complained to Henri from Lisboa in January 1582 of the actions of a French merchant named Étienne Chataigner, who he alleged was bringing about the ruin of the king's subjects in the city. Longlée informed the king that he had protested to Felipe about the behaviours of Chataigner, but rather than offer him a commissioner to prosecute the 'wicked man', Felipe ignored his protests. Longlée alleged the Spanish king was happy to favour Chataigner in the ruin of the French. After some months in Lisboa, being made to feel most unwelcome, Saint-Gouard resolved to return to Madrid. His financial situation had continued to deteriorate in his absence, with his creditors seizing his wardrobe and horses. Saint-Gouard feared he might be imprisoned. Fortunately for him, Longlée had received money from the French crown and was able to extricate him from the financial troubles. Saint-Gouard was little inclined to wait for the arrival of his permanent replacement, and resolved to return to Lisboa.
Back in the city, Longlée was tasked by the ambassador with securing accommodation for the ambassador. Longlée arranged for his accommodation with a rich Genovese merchant. After a little while in Lisboa then back in Madrid, Saint-Gouard resolved to return to France at the end of 1582. Longlée wrote to Catherine noting his obedience to the royal command that he serve as Saint-Gouard's replacement in September 1582. He assured the queen mother that he would render faithful service.
Ambassador Having served as Saint-Gouard's sécretaire for nine years, Longlée ascended to the position of ambassador upon the relief of his predecessor. These years had afforded him on the ground training that prepared him for the difficult position. In particular he had experience of the Spanish court and in the acquisition of information from his responsibilities as a courier between Madrid and Paris. He contrasted with his three immediate predecessors, who had all been noblesse d'épée (military nobles). In addition to this, he was of a lower social rank in the nobility than his predecessors, and this would reduce his prospects for gaining social advancement as a by-product of his service. Saint-Gouard praised Longlée in his announcement of the 'temporary appointment' to Felipe. He described his former sécretaire as intelligent and prudent. Unfortunately despite his praise, Saint-Gouard's combative and assertive style as ambassador made Longlée's position more challenging. Felipe, always suspicious, had been provided a French ambassador in Saint-Gouard who engaged in much intrigue against him. Going forward under Longlée, Felipe would consider the French representative to be someone who was antithetical to his interests.