The House of Choiseul is a French noble family of chivalric extraction, first mentioned in 1060. Originally from

Champagne Champagne (; ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, which demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, spe ...

, its cradle is the village of Choiseul (in the modern day

Haute-Marne Haute-Marne (; English: Upper Marne) is a department in the Grand Est region of Northeastern France. Named after the river Marne, its prefecture is Chaumont. In 2019, it had a population of 172,512.department). An illustrious house, its members held prominent political, ecclesiastical and military positions within the

Kingdom of France The Kingdom of France is the historiographical name or umbrella term given to various political entities of France in the Middle Ages, medieval and Early modern France, early modern period. It was one of the most powerful states in Europe from th ...

. The Choiseul family is one of the oldest French families still in existence, having been identified among the families surviving into the 21st century who have been able to prove their filiation in the male line, both natural and legitimate, without interruption back to a first ancestor attested by a deed dating from before 1250.

History

The Choiseul-Praslin Family were decendants of the counts of Langres. Renaud III de Choiseul, comte de Langres and

Lord Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power (social and political), power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the Peerage o ...

de Choiseul, was the familys head. Renaud married Alix de Dreux, daughter of

Louis VI of France Louis VI (1 December 1081 – 1 August 1137), called the Fat () or the Fighter (), was List of French monarchs, King of the Franks from 1108 to 1137. Like his father Philip I of France, Philip I, Louis made a lasting contribution to centralizing ...

, in 1182. The family formed into the

Langres Langres () is a commune in France, commune in northeastern France. It is a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Departments of France, department of Haute-Marne, in the Regions of France, region of Grand Est. History As the capital ...

, Clémont, Aigremont, Beaugré, Allecourt, Frontières,

Praslin Praslin () is the second largest island (38.5 km2) of the Inner Seychelles, lying northeast of Mahé, Seychelles, Mahé. Praslin has a population of around 7,533 people and comprises two administrative districts: Baie Sainte Anne and Grand ...

Plessis Plessis (Afrikaans: du Plessis) Plessy, and de Plessis are related surnames of French language, French origin, may refer to: A ''plessis'' meant a ''fence made of interwoven branches'' in Old French. French people * Alphonse-Louis du Plessis de ...

branches. It also took the name Choiseul- Gouffier from the 18th century onwards. It has produced several

marshals Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used for elevated of ...

: * Jean de Baudricourt (?–1499), seigneur of Baudricourt and of Choiseul * Charles de Choiseul, comte of the Plessis-Praslin (1563–1626), who served under Henri IV and

Louis XIII Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crown. ...

* César de Choiseul du Plessis-Praslin, duc de Choiseul (1598–1675), who defied

Turenne Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne, vicomte de Turenne (11 September 161127 July 1675), commonly known as Turenne (), was a French general and one of only six marshals to have been promoted Marshal General of France. The most illustrious member of th ...

Rethel Rethel () is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture and third-most important city and economic center in the department. It is situated on the river Aisne, near the northern border of Champagne and 37 ...

(1650), when he commanded the Spanish army * César, duc de Choiseul (1602–1675), French marshal and diplomat, generally known for the best part of his life as marshal du Plessis-Praslin * Claude de Choiseul, comte de Choiseul-Francières (1632–1711), who distinguished himself in the battle of Seneffe against the

Dutch Republic The United Provinces of the Netherlands, commonly referred to in historiography as the Dutch Republic, was a confederation that existed from 1579 until the Batavian Revolution in 1795. It was a predecessor state of the present-day Netherlands ...

and made a marshal in 1693 Two bishops and an archbishop: * Gilbert de Choiseul du Plessis Praslin (1613–31 December 1689 at Tournai), Bishop of Comminges from 1644 to 1670; brother of marshal César de Choiseul du Plessis-Praslin * Gabriel-Florent de Choiseul-Beaupré (1718–1723), bishop of Saint-Papoul,

bishop of Mende The Diocese of Mende (Latin: ''Dioecoesis Mimatensis''; French: ''Diocèse de Mende'') is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church in France. The diocese covers the department of Lozère. The diocese was already in existence in 314, since Geniali ...

* Antoine-Clériade de Choiseul-Beaupré (1754–1774), Archbishop of Besançon Also a famous minister, a diplomat, etc. : *

Étienne François, duc de Choiseul Étienne, a French analog of Stephen or Steven, is a masculine given name. An archaic variant of the name, prevalent up to the mid-17th century, is Estienne. Étienne, Etienne, Ettiene or Ettienne may refer to: People Artists and entertainers * ...

(1719–1785), ambassador then Secretary of State to

Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached maturity (then defi ...

* César Gabriel de Choiseul, duc de Praslin (1712–1785), cousin of the former, ambassador then secretary of state to Louis XV * Marie-Gabriel-Florent-Auguste de Choiseul-Gouffier (1752–1817), French writer * Claude Antoine Gabriel, duc de Choiseul-Stainville (1760–1838), French writer and peer * Charles de Choiseul-Praslin (1805–1847), 5th Duke of Praslin, French député and peer * Gaston Louis Philippe de Choiseul-Praslin (1834–1906), 6th Duke of Praslin, married to Mary Elizabeth Forbes, sister of H. De Courcy Forbes * Horace de Choiseul-Praslin (23 February 1837 – 26 December 1915) * Comte Eugène Antonio (Antoine) ''Horace'' de Choiseul-Praslin, a French politician.

References

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