Schomberg, Frederick Herman, 1st duke of (1615-90). Schomberg was one of the greatest soldiers of the 17th cent. Born in Heidelberg, he pursued a military career with the Swedes and Dutch before entering French service in 1652 and rising to be a marshal of France. A Huguenot by religion, he left France in 1685 at the revocation of the edict of Nantes and accompanied William of Orange to England in November 1688. After the success of the Glorious Revolution, he was given the Garter, and created duke of Schomberg. In the summer of 1689 he took over William's forces in Ireland and was killed at the battle of the Boyne.

duke of (schŏm'bərg) , Ger. Friedrich Hermann von Schönberg, 1615–90, German soldier of fortune. After serving on the Protestant side in the Thirty Years War, he entered French service in the early 1650s during the Fronde. From 1659 to 1668 Schomberg commanded a French army helping Portugal win independence from Spain. Schomberg distinguished himself in the Third Dutch War (1672–78) and was created marshal of France and duke by King Louis XIV. After the revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685), Schomberg, a Protestant, left France and entered the service of the elector of Brandenburg, who made him commander in chief of the army of Brandenburg in 1687. He assisted (1688) William III of Orange, who was allied with Brandenburg, in the Glorious Revolution. Created (1689) duke of Schomberg in the English peerage, he was given command of the English forces in Ireland. He was killed there in the battle of the Boyne.