François II, Duke of Nevers

In August 1561 Nevers succeeded his dying father as governor of Champagne.[2] He was viewed with great hope by both the Protestants and Catholics of Champagne, many of whom felt he would be a strong friend of their religion.[6] In November he confirmed the Protestants hopes visiting Troyes and encouraging the Protestant community of the town to hold open services.[7]

In April 1562 as the first war of religion got underway, Nevers was approached by Condé, his uncle, who asked him to draw up funds and troops from Champagne to support the capture of Orléans.[8] Nevers verbally assured him of his support and dutifully passed this request onto the towns of Champagne.[9][7]

In Troyes the Catholic notable Esclavolles engineered the election of Catholic échevins, excluding Huguenot candidates from the vote. The Protestants of the town, outraged sent petitions to Paris, to inform Nevers that Esclavolles was usurping his rightful authority in the city.[9] Shortly thereafter the Protestants of the city seized two of the gates in a partial coup of the town. Nevers made his way to the town, arriving on 21 April, entering after he had talked the Protestant militants into putting down their arms, promising they would not be harmed.[10]

Nevers was not as enthusiastic to support Condé's cause as the Protestants of Troyes had hoped, preferring instead a police of neutrality. When his subordinate Bordes tried to pursue a group of Protestant soldiers who were travelling off to Condé's army, Nevers called him off from the chase. Nevers favoured a joint Catholic and Protestant control of the gates of the town, he also prohibited the possession of weapons, ordering judges to disarm the populace. These policy moves made the Protestants nervous, concerned the Catholic judiciary would un-evenly enforce the prohibition however Nevers reassured them that no harm would come. The searches revealed a large stash of weapons held by the Protestants of the town, Nevers was frustrated and wrote to the king saying he wished the leading Protestants of the town would leave but would not force them to go.[11]

Nevers opined that the town would benefit from a council comprised equally of both religions, and further pushed the town to raise a defensive company which the urban administration resisted, unwilling to shoulder the expense.[12] At this time Porcien was active in Champagne with a Protestant force, and menaced the towns of Troyes and Châlons, but did not conduct an assault on either. In July Nevers withdrew from Troyes, as it underwent a bout of plague and left his militant Catholic subordinate Bordes in charge of the town.[12] The situation for Protestants in Troyes rapidly declined as they were excluded from the militia, political office and then subject to violent harassment. Representatives of the community went to complain to Nevers but he trusted his subordinate was being misrepresented.[13] In late August Bordes attacked the town of Bar-sur-Seine, which had been taken over in a Protestant coup, on Nevers' orders. He massacred the Protestants of the town killing over 100 after he had control of the town. Involved in the assault was Nevers' gendarmerie company.[14]

On 23 September, Nevers led a force of 1600 men against a Protestant held château near Reims. Having successfully drawn the garrison out with a ruse, he had them executed.[14]

As the two sides drew up in front of each other at the field of Dreux, Nevers faced down his co-religionists from the royal camp.[15] In the battle that followed, he would be wounded, dying of his wounds on 10 January.[16][17]