Duke of Fronsac
Encyclopedia
The seigneurie
of Fronsac
was promoted to a duchy
twice during the 17th century.
. The title of duke of Fronsac was often used by the dukes of Richelieu as a 'titre d'attente' or courtesy title
for the heir of the duke of Richelieu.
Fiefdom
A fee was the central element of feudalism and consisted of heritable lands granted under one of several varieties of feudal tenure by an overlord to a vassal who held it in fealty in return for a form of feudal allegiance and service, usually given by the...
of Fronsac
Fronsac
Fronsac is the name or part of the name of the following communes in France:* Fronsac, Gironde, in the Gironde department* Fronsac, Haute-Garonne, in the Haute-Garonne department* La Lande-de-Fronsac, in the Gironde department...
was promoted to a duchy
Duchy
A duchy is a territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess.Some duchies were sovereign in areas that would become unified realms only during the Modern era . In contrast, others were subordinate districts of those kingdoms that unified either partially or completely during the Medieval era...
twice during the 17th century.
First promotion : 1608
The title of duke of Fronsac was first created in 1608 for the Orléans-Longueville family, a bastard branch of the house of Valois. It became extinct in this line in the 1631.- 1608-1622 : Léonor d'Orléans-Longueville (1605-1622) - his mother, Anne de Caumont (1574-1642), was marquise of Fronsac. Having no children, he was succeeded by his father:
- 1622-1631 : François d'Orléans-Longueville (1570-1631), comte de Saint-Pol and duc de Château-Thierry. He was the second son of Léonor d'Orléans, duc de LonguevilleDuc de LonguevilleDuc de Longueville was a French title of nobility, though not a peerage.It was created in 1505 by King Louis XII of France for his first cousin once removed François d'Orléans, comte de Dunois, son of François d'Orléans, comte de Dunois, son of Jean d'Orléans, comte de Dunois , who was an...
. He succeeded his son, but had no other children and the title became extinct with him.
Second promotion : 1634
In 1634, the title of duke of Fronsac was again made a duchy, for cardinal Richelieu, already duke of RichelieuDuke of Richelieu
Duke of Richelieu was a title in the peerage of France. It was created on 26 November 1629 for cardinal Richelieu who, as a clergyman, had no issue to pass it down to...
. The title of duke of Fronsac was often used by the dukes of Richelieu as a 'titre d'attente' or courtesy title
Courtesy title
A courtesy title is a form of address in systems of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer. These styles are used 'by courtesy' in the sense that the relatives do not themselves hold substantive titles...
for the heir of the duke of Richelieu.
- 1634-1642 : Armand Jean du Plessis, cardinal de Richelieu, 1st duc de Richelieu (1585-1642)
- 1642-1646 : Jean Armand de Maillé-BrézéJean Armand de Maillé-BrézéJean Armand de Maillé-Brézé was a French admiral.He was born in Milly-le-Meugon, in one of the most powerful French families of the time; his father was Urbain de Maillé-Brézé, marquis de Brézé, Marshal of France, his uncle Cardinal Richelieu, King Louis XIII's renowned minister, and his...
, marquis de Brézé (1613-1646), nephew of the cardinal. - 1646-1674 : Claire-Clémence de Maillé-BrézéClaire-Clémence de Maillé-BrézéClaire-Clémence de Maillé-Brézé, Princess of Condé , Princess of Condé and Duchess of Fronsac, was a French noblewoman from the Brézé family and a niece of Cardinal Richelieu...
, Princesse de Condé (1628-1694), sister of the former. She married the famous soldier Louis II de Bourbon, Prince de CondéLouis II de Bourbon, Prince de CondéLouis de Bourbon, Prince of Condé was a French general and the most famous representative of the Condé branch of the House of Bourbon. Prior to his father's death in 1646, he was styled the Duc d'Enghien...
, also known as Le Grand Condé. She ceded the duchy of Fronsac in 1674 to her cousin Armand Jean de Vignerot du Plessis, 2nd duc de Richelieu. - 1674-1696 (1674-1715) : Armand Jean de Vignerot du PlessisArmand Jean de Vignerot du PlessisArmand Jean de Vignerot du Plessis, 2ème duc de Richelieu was a French sailor and nobleman.-Life:The great-nephew of Cardinal de Richelieu , he became a general of the gallies in 1642. He was sent to Naples, which had risen up against the Spanish and proclaimed the Neapolitan Republic...
, 2nd duc de Richelieu (1629-1715) - 1696-1736 (1715-1788) : Louis François Armand de Vignerot du Plessis, 3rd duc de Richelieu (1696-1788). He did not inherit the duchy until 1715, but bore the title of duc de Fronsac as a courtesy title from his birth onwards.
- 1736-1788 (1788-1822) : Louis Antoine Sophie de Vignerot du PlessisLouis Antoine Sophie de Vignerot du PlessisLouis Antoine Sophie de Vignerot du Plessis , duke of Fronsac, then duke of Richelieu , prince de Mortagne, marquis du Pont-Courlay, comte de Cosnac, baron de Barbezieux, baron de Coze et baron de Saugeon, was a French nobleman and general.-Life:He was the son of Louis François Armand de Vignerot...
, 4th duc de Richelieu (1736-1791). He did not inherit the duchy until 1788, but bore the title of duc de Fronsac as a courtesy title from his birth onwards. - 1788-1822 (1791-1822) : Armand Emmanuel de Vignerot du Plessis, 5th duc de Richelieu (1766-1822). He only inherited the duchy in 1791, but bore the courtesy title of comte de Chinon from his birth in 1766 until the death of his grandfather, the 3rd duke, in 1788. On the succession of his father to the dukedom of Richelieu in 1788, he became known as the duc de Fronsac. In 1791, he inherited the Richelieu title. He was the Prime Minister of FrancePrime Minister of FranceThe Prime Minister of France in the Fifth Republic is the head of government and of the Council of Ministers of France. The head of state is the President of the French Republic...
from 1815 to 1818 and from 1820 to 1821.