Constant de Rebecque is an old

noble family Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy (class), aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below Royal family, royalty. Nobility has often been an Estates of the realm, estate of the rea ...

which originated in

Aire Aire may refer to: Music *''Aire'', a song on the album Chicago VII by the group Chicago (band), 1974 * ''Aire'' (Yuri album), 1987 * ''Aire'' (Pablo Ruiz album), 1997 *''Aire (Versión Día)'', an album by Jesse & Joy Places * Aire-sur-la-Ly ...

, in the French region of

Artois Artois ( , ; ; Picard: ''Artoé;'' English adjective: ''Artesian'') is a region of northern France. Its territory covers an area of about 4,000 km2 and it has a population of about one million. Its principal cities include Arras (Dutch: ...

. It takes its name from Rebecques in Artois, which the family received as a

barony Barony may refer to: * Barony, the peerage, office of, or territory held by a baron * Barony, the title and land held in fealty by a feudal baron * Barony (county division), a type of administrative or geographical division in parts of the British ...

in 1213. After having converted to

Protestantism Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

and sided with

Henri IV Henry IV (; 13 December 1553 – 14 May 1610), also known by the epithets Good King Henry (''le Bon Roi Henri'') or Henry the Great (''Henri le Grand''), was King of Navarre (as Henry III) from 1572 and King of France from 1589 to 16 ...

as high ranking officers during the

French Wars of Religion The French Wars of Religion were a series of civil wars between French Catholic Church, Catholics and Protestantism, Protestants (called Huguenots) from 1562 to 1598. Between two and four million people died from violence, famine or disease di ...

, most of the family fled France for

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

. Family tradition dictated, however, that many members of the house were officers in the French Royal Lifeguard, the Cent Suisses, with the last one to do so being Jean Victor de Constant Rebecque. The family have, since its move to Switzerland, branched out and

naturalised Naturalization (or naturalisation) is the legal act or process by which a non-national of a country acquires the nationality of that country after birth. The definition of naturalization by the International Organization for Migration of the ...

in other European countries, such as

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

Constant de Flon/Adlercrona, Norway, the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

and possibly

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

. Through its many branches, the house has belonged to the

Dutch nobility The Dutch nobility is a small elite social class consisting of individuals or families recognised as nobility, noble, and with or without a title of nobility in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The existence of nobility was established in the Con ...

, as well as the Swedish and the peerage of Ireland. The house originates from the region of

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. Members of the house of Constant took part in all the crusades as well as the Huguenot Wars before leaving France. Members of the family hold the Dutch title of baron and the customary styling of French marquis After the French Revolution, a few family members fled to Sweden to avoid prosecution. Later some family moved to Sarpsborg, Norway, and gave birth to Gustav de Flon. Members of the family switched surnames to “De Flon”" to hide their traces to avoid prosecution.

Members

* Samuel Constant de Rebecque *

Benjamin Constant Henri-Benjamin Constant de Rebecque (25 October 1767 – 8 December 1830), or simply Benjamin Constant, was a Swiss and French political thinker, activist and writer on political theory and religion. A committed republican from 1795, Constant ...

* Jean Victor de Constant Rebecque *

David-Louis Constant de Rebecque David-Louis Constant de Rebecque (17 November 1722 – 25 February 1785) was a Swiss military officer who served in the Dutch States Army and French Royal Army. He is also known for his contact with Voltaire and his correspondence with Isabell ...

* Jean d'Estournelles de Constant *

Paul-Henri-Benjamin d'Estournelles de Constant Paul Henri Benjamin Balluet d'Estournelles de Constant, Baron de Constant de Rebecque (22 November 1852 – 15 May 1924), was a French diplomat and politician, advocate of international arbitration and winner of the 1909 Nobel Peace Prize. ...

* Samuel Constant de Rebecque

Claimed titles

* Marquis de Rebecque * Baron de Constant :nl:De Constant Rebecque * Baron de Clarcque * Swedish noble * Lord of Hermenches * Lord of Villars * Lord of Flon * Lord of Mendras

References

Dutch nobility French nobility Swiss noble families Swedish nobility {{Nobility-stub

Members

Claimed titles

See also

References