Bertrand VI of La Tour

Bertrand VI (c. 1417 - 26 September 1497) was lord of La Tour and count of Auvergne from 1461until his death. He was also count of Boulogne from 1461 to 1477, when he exchanged that title for the county of Lauragais, which he held for the remainder of his life.

Life
Bertrand was part of Charles VII of France's entourage from 1441 to 1451, during the last stages of the Hundred Years' War. He took part in the Siege of Tartas, in 1442, where he is cited as lord of Montgascon. He was proclaimed knight after the 1450 Battle of Formigny.

In 1461, his father, Bertrand V of La Tour, died. Bertrand succeeded him as his only heir.

In 1468, during the Burgundian Wars, he occupied savoyard Bresse, following Louis XI's orders.

In 1473, Bertrand built the franciscan church of Vic-le-Comte.

In 1477, Charles the Bold died. This allowed Louis XI to reconquer the county of Boulogne, which had been occupied by burgundian forces. Louis then handed it back to Bertrand. However, during the same year, Bertrand II dealed with Louis XI, exchanging the county of Boulogne with the county of Lauragais. Boulogne, so became part of the royal domain.

Bertrand died in 1497 and was succeeded by his first-born son: John IV, Count of Auvergne.

Family and issue
In 1445, Bertrand married Louise de La Trémoille, daughter of Georges de La Trémoille and Catherine de L'Isle-Bouchard. They had five children:


 * John (1461–1501), count of Auvergne and Boulogne;
 * Françoise (d. c. 1484), married in 1469 to Gilbert of Chabannes, lord of Curton;
 * Jeanne (d. after 1472), married in 1472 to Aymar de Poitiers, lord of Saint-Vallier;
 * Anne (d. 1512), married in 1480 to Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany;
 * Louise (d. after 1486), married in 1486 to Claude de Blaisy, viscount of Arnay.