Simon Renard

Simon Renard de Bermont
Portrait of Simon Renard de Bermont by Anthonis Mor
Born	1513 Vesoul (Franche-Comté),
Died	1573 Madrid
Occupation	Ambassador of Emperor Charles V, advisor of Philip II of Spain.
Spouse(s)	Jeanne Lullier

Simon Renard, Sieur of Bermont and Lieutenant of Aumont or Amont, (1513- 8 August 1573) was an advisor of the Emperor Charles V and his son Philip II of Spain, overlords of the County of Burgundy and Counts of Burgundy. Renard had the court appointment of Master of Requests in Ordinary of the Emperor's household. He was ambassador of Spain in France and England. As ambassador to England he acquired an extraordinary degree of influence over Mary I, and until her marriage to Philip of Spain, which he promoted, he was thought by many to be controlling the English Government.

Simon Renard is generally known as Renard (Fox in English), and was from the town of Vesoul. In May 1549, he was in Paris, reporting on the Anglo-French initiatives and negotiations that would end the war of the Rough Wooing, a French plan to take and fortify Alderney, and the progress of other wars. He recorded the joy of Henry II of France in July 1549 when he received five English banners captured at Inchkeith.

Renard joined Jean Scheyfve and his colleagues as ambassadors in London when Edward VI of England was dying. He wrote to Antoine Perrenot de Granvelle, Bishop of Arras, describing Scheyfve's jealousy of his leading role during audiences with Mary I of England as spokesman and minute-taker. The Emperor recalled the other ambassadors on 14 September 1553 leaving Renard in charge. When he heard of his appointment, on 20 September, Renard wrote to the Emperor, begging for leave to return to Brussels to see his wife and children, and reminding the Emperor that he had organised no secretary or funds, thinking that he would only be spending 40 days in London.

Mary threw a banquet when Renard's colleagues, Scheyfve, Jean de Montmorency, Sieur de Courriéres, and Jacques de Marnix, Sieur de Thoulouse, left England in October 1553. Renard noted that Lady Elizabeth and Margaret Douglas, Mary's preferred heir, were seated together in a window. Renard negotiated the marriage of Queen Mary I with the future King Philip II of Spain.