Claude Dupuy (bishop)

Claude Dupuy (1545 – 1621) was a French bishop and royal advisor. He served as the Bishop of Lectoure from 1606 until his death.

Dupuy was born in Paris and belonged to a prominent family of lawyers and scholars. His legal expertise and connections at court led to his appointment as a counselor to King Henry III. He continued to serve under Henry IV and Louis XIII.

His influence extended beyond the legal sphere. He was a staunch defender of Gallicanism, a French doctrine asserting the independence of the French church from papal authority. He was also a key figure in the development of French absolutism, supporting the strengthening of royal power.

As Bishop of Lectoure, Dupuy worked to reform the diocese and implement the decrees of the Council of Trent. He was known for his piety and his efforts to promote religious education.

He is sometimes confused with other members of his family who also held prominent positions in French society, particularly his nephews, Jacques Dupuy and Pierre Dupuy, who were royal librarians and scholars.