DUNCAN, MARK [SSNE 1343]
- Surname
- DUNCAN, DE CERISANTIS, CERISANTES
- First name
- MARK
- Title/rank
- AMBASSADOR
- Nationality
- SCOT
- Region
- FRANCE
- Religion
- CATHOLIC CONVERT
Text source
Mark Duncan (1612-1648) was the son of the Scot Mark Duncan and was probably born in France. Duncan junior, like his father, gained a medical degree before serving in the French army c.1639-1640. He was sent on a mission to Constantinople in 1641, around which time he adopted the name of De Cerisantis. Duncan became an agent of Richelieu in 1641 and travelled to Sweden to offer his services in 1644. Indeed he later entered Swedish service and became ambassador resident in France, though had to leave Paris due to his falling out with Mazarin and opposing the Swedish embassy of Magnus de la Gardie. He converted to Catholicism and was named chamberlain to Pope Innocent X (1647) but was killed in 1648 while serving under the Duke of Guise on a mission to support the Neapolitan rebels.D. Croxton and A. Tischer, The Peace of Westphalia: A Historical Dictionary (London, 2002), pp.49-50; Oxford DNB
Service record
- FRANCE, CONSTANTINOPLE
- Arrived 1641-01-01
- Departed 1644-12-31
- Capacity AGENT, purpose DIPLOMACY
- SWEDEN, FRANCE
- Arrived 1645-01-01
- Departed 1646-12-31
- Capacity RESIDENT, purpose DIPLOMACY
- Arrived 1647-01-01
- Departed 1648-12-31
- Capacity AMBASSADOR, purpose DIPLOMACY