The House of La Rochefoucauld is one of France's ancient

noble A noble is a member of the nobility. Noble may also refer to: Places Antarctica * Noble Glacier, King George Island * Noble Nunatak, Marie Byrd Land * Noble Peak, Wiencke Island * Noble Rocks, Graham Land Australia * Noble Island, Gr ...

families, with origins dating back to the

10th century The 10th century was the period from 901 (represented by the Roman numerals CMI) through 1000 (M) in accordance with the Julian calendar, and the last century of the 1st millennium. In China, the Song dynasty was established, with most of C ...

. The family's lineage begins with (973–1047), the first Lord of La Roche, later known as La Rochefoucauld (''Roche'' + ''Foucauld''), and possibly the son of (also known as Amaury or Esmerin; ''circa'' 952 – before 1037), Lord of La Roche. Over the centuries, the family rose in prominence, earning numerous titles and distinctions.

Overview of titles and roles

In April 1622,

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. ...

elevated the County (comté) of La Rochefoucauld to a Duchy and Peerage by ' issued at

Niort Niort (; Poitevin: ''Niàu''; ; ) is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department, western France. It is the prefecture of Deux-Sèvres. The population of Niort is 58,707 (2017) and more than 177,000 people live in the urban area. Geography T ...

(registered September 4, 1631). This act formally raised François V of La Rochefoucauld (1588–1650) from Count to the inaugural Duke of La Rochefoucauld, as well as to the status of

Peer of France The Peerage of France () was a hereditary distinction within the French nobility which appeared in 1180 during the Middle Ages. The prestigious title and position of Peer of France () was held by the greatest, highest-ranking members of the Fr ...

. ::Upon its elevation in 1622, the Duchy of La Rochefoucauld became united with the lordships of Verteuil, Daunart, Joussaume, Vivier, Montignac, Touriers, Celfroin, Saint Clos, La Mothe, and Saint-Angeau. Later, in 1732, the Duchy was further united with the lordships of Marcillac, Anville, Génac, and Ambérac. However, in 1765, these additions were separated from the Duchy. ::The former County of La Rochefoucauld had been established in 1528 through the union of the

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 ...

of La Rochefoucauld, the Barony of Marthon, and the Châtellenies of Blanzac, Montignac, Verteuil,

Saint-Laurent-de-Céris Saint-Laurent-de-Céris () is a commune in the Charente department in southwestern France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories i ...

, and Cellefrouin. Earlier titles held by the family included

Baron Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often Hereditary title, hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than ...

(13th century) and

Count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

(1528), the latter granted to (1450–1541), godfather of King François I. François V of La Rochefoucauld (1588–1650) married Gabrielle du Plessis-Liancourt (1592–1672) ( – ), daughter of Antoinette of Pons (1560–1632), and their son François VI (1613–1680) became a leading figure of La Fronde and is celebrated as the author of the ''Maxims''. During the 17th and 18th centuries, the family continued to ascend socially and politically. They were titled as in the 16th century, while François VII, a close friend of

Louis XIV LouisXIV (Louis-Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715. His verified reign of 72 years and 110 days is the List of longest-reign ...

, married Jeanne du Plessis-Liancourt (1644–1669). Their son, François VIII (1663–1728), became the Duke of La Roche-Guyon in 1679 and married Marie Madeleine Charlotte Le Tellier (1664–1735) ( – ), the daughter of

François Michel Le Tellier François () is a French masculine given name and surname, equivalent to the English name Francis. People with the given name * François Amoudruz (1926–2020), French resistance fighter * François-Marie Arouet (better known as Voltaire; 1 ...

(1641–1691) of Louvois, prime minister to Louis XIV. In the 18th century, the family acquired several additional titles, including Duke of Liancourt, Duke of Enville, and Duke of Estissac. François XII (1747–1827), an eminent philanthropist, is famously remembered for his statement to

Louis XVI Louis XVI (Louis-Auguste; ; 23 August 1754 – 21 January 1793) was the last king of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. The son of Louis, Dauphin of France (1729–1765), Louis, Dauphin of France (son and heir- ...

during the French Revolution: "Sir, it's not a revolt; it's a revolution." Over time, they also became the Prince of La Rochefoucauld-Montbel, Duke of Doudeauville,

Duke of Estrées Duke of Estrées ( Fr.: ''duc d'Estrées'') was a title of nobility in the peerage of France that was created for François Annibal d'Estrées in 1663 by Louis XIV of France. This title became extinct in 1771. In 1892, Alfonso XIII of Spain revived ...

, and Duke of Bisaccia. The La Rochefoucauld family held numerous other titles and roles, including Marquises of (i) Montendre (), (ii) Barbezieux, (iii) Surgères (), and (iv) Bayers (); and Counts of (i) Duretal, (ii) Roye, and (iii)

Roucy Roucy () is a small commune in the Aisne department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Notable features of this town include the wide central plaza on which village fetes occur every summer. Population See also * Communes of the Aisne ...

; and Baron of Verteuil. Family members were also prominent in the Catholic Church, producing cardinals and bishops; and two family members, (1744–1792) and (1736–1792), were massacred during the French Revolution and later

beatified Beatification (from Latin , "blessed" and , "to make") is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a deceased person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in their name. ''Beati'' is the ...

. The family's legacy extends beyond nobility, with members serving as ambassadors, generals, ministers, and heroes, including (i) Robert de La Rochefoucauld (1923–2012), a WWII spy and third great-grandson of François of La Rochefoucauld (1765–1848), the 8th Duke of La Rochefoucauld () and (ii) a UK field marshal. They also held prestigious positions such as Grand Hospitaller of the Order of Malta and founded notable clubs like the Jockey Club de Paris. Many were elevated in the National Order of the Legion of Honour, and approximately 40 members have been, or still are, part of the

Sovereign Military Order of Malta The Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM), officially the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta, and commonly known as the Order of Malta or the Knights of Malta, is a Catholic lay religious ...

. The family's ancestral seat, the , has been in their possession since the 10th century. Additionally, the La Rochefoucauld-Montbel family owned the

Lascaux Cave Lascaux ( , ; , "Lascaux Cave") is a network of caves near the village of Montignac, Dordogne, Montignac, in the Departments of France, department of Dordogne in southwestern France. Over 600 Parietal art, parietal cave painting, wall paintin ...

at the time of their discovery and maintain ties to the Pellevoisin sanctuary, a site of Marian apparitions (reported supernatural appearances of the Virgin Mary - recognition by nihil obstat in 2024) in France.

Origins of the name

Authors have advanced, albeit with piecemeal evidence, that the first member of this family was Adémar, known as Amaury or Esmerin, by Viscounty of Limoges, or the son of the lord Hugh I of Lusignan. This latter hypothesis could be reinforced by the armorial bearings of the family. The late historian, (1926–1996), attributes the origins of the House of La Rochefoucauld to the House of Montbron in the 12th century, contrasting with theories that link their ancestry to Adémar (Amaury/Esmerin) or the Lusignan family. The

seigniory In English law, seignory or seigniory, spelled ''signiory'' in Early Modern English (; ; ), is the lordship (authority) remaining to a grantor after the grant of an estate in fee simple. '' Nulle terre sans seigneur'' ("No land without a lord") ...

(lordship) of La Roche was originally 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 the 13th century. The descendants of (''c.'' 978–1046) and his wife, Jarsande of Châtellérault (''c.'' 994–1026), united their name Foucauld (''La Roche + Foucauld'').

Lords then Barons of La Rochefoucauld (10th–15th centuries)

1st House of La Rochefoucauld: Lords of La Roche

Adémar of La Roche (952–1037).
Foucauld I of La Roche (978–1047) (son of preceding), Lord of La Rochefoucauld; married to Jarsande and had four children.
Guy I of La Roche (1010–1060) (son of preceding), Lord of La Rochefoucauld, founded in 1060 the priory of Saint-Florent de La Rochefoucauld.
Guy II of La Roche (1035–1081) (son of preceding), Lord of La Rochefoucauld; married Eve and had three children.
Guy III of La Roche (1060–1120) (son of preceding), Lord of La Rochefoucauld.
Aymar of La Roche (1060–1140) (son of preceding), Lord of La Rochefoucauld and of Verteuil, led several wars against Wulgrin II,
Count of Angoulême Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
, married Mathilde of Chabanais (''c.'' 1100 – ''c.'' 1140) and had a daughter, Emma de La Rochefoucauld (born about 1115), who married Robert of Marthon (born about 1090), Lord of Marthon.

2nd House of La Rochefoucauld: Lords of Marthon

Guy IV of La Rochefoucauld (son of preceding), took his mother's name and became Lord of La Rochefoucauld, Verteuil, Marthon, Blanzac. He took part in the wars against William, Count of Angoulême; married the daughter of Aimery, Viscount of
Rochechouart Rochechouart (, ; , earlier ) is a commune in the Haute-Vienne department, region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, west central France. It is a subprefecture of the department. The name of the town comes from Latin ''roca cavardi'', which roughly transl ...
, and had two children.
Foucauld II of La Rochefoucauld (son of preceding), Lord of La Rochefoucauld, Verteuil, Blanzac, Marthon, he served in the army of the King
Philip II Augustus Philip II (21 August 1165 – 14 July 1223), also known as Philip Augustus (), was King of France from 1180 to 1223. His predecessors had been known as kings of the Franks (Latin: ''rex Francorum''), but from 1190 onward, Philip became the firs ...
and was made prisoner in 1198 at the Battle of Gisors. He was father of four children.
Guy V of La Rochefoucauld (son of preceding), founded the
Cordeliers Convent There were several Cordeliers Convents (French: ''Couvent des Cordeliers'') in France. ''Cordeliers'' was the name given in France to the Conventual Franciscans. Cordeliers Convent in Paris The Cordeliers Convent in Paris is located 15 rue de l ...
d'Angoulême in 1230.

Aimery I of La Rochefoucauld (1190–1249) (brother of preceding and son of Foucauld II), Lord of La Rochefoucauld in 1219, and of Verteuil, Count of La Marche; married Létice de Parthenay and had five children.

Guy VI of La Rochefoucauld (son of preceding), Lord of La Rochefoucauld, of Verteuil, of Marthon, of Saint Claud, of Saint Laurent, of Blanzac and of Cellefrouin (d. 1295), rallied to the cause of Hugues VII of Lusignan, Count of La Marche, against King
Louis IX Louis IX (25 April 1214 – 25 August 1270), also known as Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death in 1270. He is widely recognized as the most distinguished of the Direct Capetians. Following the death of his father, Louis ...
, retired to Grosbos Abbey; married Agnès de
Rochechouart Rochechouart (, ; , earlier ) is a commune in the Haute-Vienne department, region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, west central France. It is a subprefecture of the department. The name of the town comes from Latin ''roca cavardi'', which roughly transl ...
and had nine children.
Aimery II of La Rochefoucauld (son of preceding), Baron of La Rochefoucauld, Lord of Verteuil, of Marthon, of Saint Claud, of Saint Laurent, of Blanzac, of Monteil and of Cellefrouin (–1295); married Dauphine de
La Tour-d'Auvergne La Tour-d'Auvergne (, before 1961: ''Latour'', ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Puy-de-Dôme Departments of France, department in Auvergne (region), Auvergne in central France. Geography The commune of La Tour-d'Auvergne is located on t ...
in 1280, and had five children.
Guy VII of La Rochefoucauld (1285–1356) (son of preceding), Baron of La Rochefoucauld; he (i) in 1309, married Agnès de Culant (''c.'' 1285 – ''c.'' 1353) and had nine children, (ii) served King Philip V against the
County of Flanders The County of Flanders was one of the most powerful political entities in the medieval Low Countries, located on the North Sea coast of modern-day Belgium and north-eastern France. Unlike the neighbouring states of Duchy of Brabant, Brabant and ...
from 1317 to 1318, (iii) was
excommunicated Excommunication is an institutional act of religious censure used to deprive, suspend, or limit membership in a religious community or to restrict certain rights within it, in particular those of being in communion with other members of the con ...
by
Bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...
Aiguelin de Blaye, (iv) founded the Couvent des Carmes de La Rochefoucauld in 1329, and (v) was killed September 19, 1356, next to the King Jean II during the
Battle of Poitiers The Battle of Poitiers was fought on 19September 1356 between a Kingdom of France, French army commanded by King John II of France, King JohnII and an Kingdom of England, Anglo-Gascony, Gascon force under Edward the Black Prince, Edward, the ...
.
Aimery III de La Rochefoucauld (died 1362) (son of preceding), Baron of La Rochefoucauld (d. 1362), who served King Philippe VI in 1338; married Rogette de Grailly.
Guy VIII de La Rochefoucauld (son of preceding), Baron of La Rochefoucauld, governor of l'Angoumois, Councillor and
Grand Chamberlain of France The Grand Chamberlain of France () was one of the Great Officers of the Crown of France, a member of the ''Maison du Roi'' ("King's Household"), and one of the Great Offices of the Maison du Roi during the Ancien Régime. It is similar in name ...
of Kings
Charles V Charles V may refer to: Kings and Emperors * Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558) * Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain * Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise Others * Charles V, Duke ...
, Charles VI and of
Philip II of Burgundy Philip II the Bold (; ; 17 January 1342 – 27 April 1404) was Duke of Burgundy and ''jure uxoris'' Count of Flanders, Artois and Burgundy. He was the fourth and youngest son of King John II of France and Bonne of Luxembourg. Philip was the f ...
, he acquired the lands of Marcillac and Montignac; married (i) Jeanne de Luxembourg, and (ii) Marguerite de Craon and had eight children.
Foucauld III de La Rochefoucauld (died 1467) (son of preceding), Baron of La Rochefoucauld, Councillor, chamberlain of King Charles VII, participated in the Siege of Fronsac, rescued King Charles VII at the
battle of Castillon The Battle of Castillon was a battle between the forces of England and France which took place on 17 July 1453 in Gascony near the town of Castillon-sur-Dordogne (later Castillon-la-Bataille). On the day of the battle, the English commande ...
(which marked the end of the
Hundred Years War The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a conflict between the kingdoms of England and France and a civil war in France during the Late Middle Ages. It emerged from feudal disputes over the Duchy of Aquitaine and was triggered by a c ...
); married Jeanne de
Rochechouart Rochechouart (, ; , earlier ) is a commune in the Haute-Vienne department, region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, west central France. It is a subprefecture of the department. The name of the town comes from Latin ''roca cavardi'', which roughly transl ...
.
(1430–1471) (son of preceding), Baron of La Rochefoucauld, Marthon, Blanzac, Bayers, Montignac, Marcillac, Councillor and
Grand Chamberlain of France The Grand Chamberlain of France () was one of the Great Officers of the Crown of France, a member of the ''Maison du Roi'' ("King's Household"), and one of the Great Offices of the Maison du Roi during the Ancien Régime. It is similar in name ...
for Kings
Louis XI Louis XI (3 July 1423 – 30 August 1483), called "Louis the Prudent" (), was King of France from 1461 to 1483. He succeeded his father, Charles VII. Louis entered into open rebellion against his father in a short-lived revolt known as the ...
and Charles VIII, and governor of
Bayonne Bayonne () is a city in southwestern France near the France–Spain border, Spanish border. It is a communes of France, commune and one of two subprefectures in France, subprefectures in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques departments of France, departm ...
, in August 27, 1446, married his cousin Marguerite de La Rochefoucauld (died 1533), Lady of Barbezieux and Montendre.

Counts of La Rochefoucauld (and Princes of Marcillac) (16th century)

In April 1528, King Francis I gave his godfather, François I of La Rochefoucauld (son of Jean I of La Rochefoucauld), the title of Count of La Rochefoucauld ().

François I of La Rochefoucauld (1450–1516) (son of preceding), Count of La Rochefoucauld, Chambellan of Kings Charles VIII and
Louis XII Louis XII (27 June 14621 January 1515), also known as Louis of Orléans was King of France from 1498 to 1515 and King of Naples (as Louis III) from 1501 to 1504. The son of Charles, Duke of Orléans, and Marie of Cleves, he succeeded his second ...
, on April 30, 1470, married Louise of Crussol (1450–1473), daughter of (1425–1473). In 1500, he married Barbe Jeanne of Fiennes du Bois d'Esquerdes (1480–1528) ( – )
(1494–1533) (son of preceding), Count of La Rochefoucauld, , Baron of Verteuil, in 1518, married (1495–1554) ( – ), Lady of Randan and Beaumont.
François III of La Rochefoucauld (1521–1572) (son of preceding), Count of La Rochefoucauld, , Count of Roucy, Baron of Verteuil, he was killed at the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre, in 1552, married Sylvie Pic of La Mirandole (1530–1554), and in 1557, married Charlotte of Roye (1537–1571) ( – ), Countess of Roucy (sister-in-law to Louis I of Bourbon-Condé).
François IV of La Rochefoucauld (1554–1591) (son of preceding), Count of La Rochefoucauld, , Baron of Verteuil, a
Protestant 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 ...
, he was killed at Saint-Yrieix by the Catholic League; married Claude d'Estissac in 1587.

Dukes of La Rochefoucauld (17th–21st centuries)

Elder branch

On 22 April 1622, King

raised the Count of La Rochefoucauld into a Duchy-peerage as the Duke of La Rochefoucauld ().

François V of La Rochefoucauld (Frans of La Rochefoucauld; 1588–1650) (son of preceding), 1st Duke of La Rochefoucauld, in 1611 he married Gabrielle of Plessis-Liancourt (1595–1672), daughter of
Antoinette de Pons Antoinette de Pons-Ribérac, comtesse de La Roche-Guyon and marquise de Guercheville (1560 - 16 January 1632) was a French court official. She served as ''Première dame d'honneur'' to the queen of France, Marie de' Medici, from 1600 until 1632. Sh ...
, sister of (1598–1674), Duke of Liancourt.
François VI of La Rochefoucauld (1613–1680) (son of preceding), 2nd Duke of La Rochefoucauld, Prince of Marcillac, moralist writer:

And, he also wrote a history of the
Fronde The Fronde () was a series of civil wars in the Kingdom of France between 1648 and 1653, occurring in the midst of the Franco-Spanish War, which had begun in 1635. The government of the young King Louis XIV confronted the combined opposition ...
.

Vivonne

François VII of La Rochefoucauld (1634–1714) (son of preceding), 3rd Duke of La Rochefoucauld, Prince of Marcillac, Grand veneur de France, grand maître de la garde robe of the king, one of Louis XIV closest friend, married his cousin Jeanne Charlotte of Plessis-Liancourt (1638–1710), great granddaughter of
Antoinette de Pons Antoinette de Pons-Ribérac, comtesse de La Roche-Guyon and marquise de Guercheville (1560 - 16 January 1632) was a French court official. She served as ''Première dame d'honneur'' to the queen of France, Marie de' Medici, from 1600 until 1632. Sh ...
and heiress of the Duke of La Roche-Guyon. She brought the domains of
La Roche-Guyon La Roche-Guyon () is a commune in the Val-d'Oise department in Île-de-France in northern France. It is located in the , and is a member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (The Most Beautiful Villages of France) Association. The commune g ...
and
Liancourt Liancourt () is a commune in the Oise department in northern France. Population See also * Communes of the Oise department The following is a list of the 680 Communes of France, communes of the Oise Departments of France, department of ...
in the La Rochefoucauld family.
François VIII of La Rochefoucauld (1663–1728) (son of preceding), 4th Duke of La Rochefoucauld, grand maître de la garde robe of the King, Duke of La Roche-Guyon in 1679, Prince of Marcillac; married to Magdeleine Charlotte of Tellier (1664–1735), daughter of
François Michel Le Tellier de Louvois François () is a French masculine given name and surname, equivalent to the English name Francis. People with the given name * François Amoudruz (1926–2020), French resistance fighter * François-Marie Arouet (better known as Voltaire; ...
.

Alexandre I of La Rochefoucauld (''né'' Alexandre Louis de La Rochefoucauld; 1690–1762) (son of François VIII), 5th Duke of La Rochefoucauld, grand maître de la garde robe of the King, duke of La Roche-Guyon, Prince of Marcillac, married, in 1715, Elisabeth Marie Louise Nicole van Bermond of Caylar (1691–1752) of Toiras in
Amboise Amboise (; ) is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France. Today a small market town, it was once home to the French royal court. Geography Amboise lies on the banks of the river Loire, east of Tours. It is also about awa ...
.

Roye branch

This branch was founded by Charles de La Rochefoucauld (1560–1605) Lord of Roye, Count of Roucy, younger son of François III of La Rochefoucauld (1521–1572), Count of La Rochefoucauld, and Charlotte of Roye (1537–1572) ( – ), Countess of Roucy, who sister married Condé. This branch through different unions are descendants of a sister of King Francis 1st, William the 1st of Orange-Nassau, the chancelor Séguier, the Maréchal of Aloigny and Madame de Sablé and parents of Turenne (descendants of two of his sisters).

Dukes of Enville (1732), then Duke of La Rochefoucauld (1762)

:: Jean-Baptiste Louis Frédéric of La Rochefoucauld of Roye (1707–1746), Marquis of Roucy, ''created'' Duke of Enville upon his 1732 marriage to his cousin, Marie Louise Nicole Elisabeth of La Rochefoucauld (1716–1797), eldest daughter of Alexandre, the last Duke of La Rochfoucauld. As Alexandre had no surviving male heir, by letters patent of

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 ...

, the title Duke of La Rochefoucauld was transmitted to the male issue of Marie Louise Nicole Elisabeth on the condition that she married a member of the La Rochefoucauld family.

Louis-Alexandre of La Rochefoucauld (son of preceding) (1743–1792), 6th Duke of La Rochefoucauld upon the death of his maternal grandfather in 1762 and 2nd Duke of Enville upon the death of his father in 1746. He was known as Duke of La Rochefoucauld-Enville. Member of the
Académie des sciences The French Academy of Sciences (, ) is a learned society, founded in 1666 by Louis XIV at the suggestion of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, to encourage and protect the spirit of French Scientific method, scientific research. It was at the forefron ...
, member of the
Assembly of notables An Assembly of Notables () was a group of high-ranking nobles, ecclesiastics, and state functionaries convened by the King of France on extraordinary occasions to consult on matters of state. Assemblymen were prominent men, usually of the aristo ...
in 1787, deputy of the nobility at the
French States-General In France under the Ancien Régime, the Estates General ( ) or States-General was a legislative and consultative assembly of the different classes (or estates) of French subjects. It had a separate assembly for each of the three estates (clergy ...
of 1789. He was assassinated during the
September massacres The September Massacres were a series of killings and summary executions of prisoners in Paris that occurred in 1792 from 2 September to 6 September during the French Revolution. Between 1,176 and 1,614 people were killed by ''sans-culottes'' ...
in
Gisors Gisors () is a Communes of France, commune in the Departments of France, French department of Eure, Normandy (administrative region), Normandy, France. It is located northwest from the Kilometre Zero, centre of Paris. Gisors, together with the ...
; married (1) Pauline de Gand de Mérode in 1762, (2) Alexandrine Charlotte de Rohan-Chabot in 1780. As he died without heir, the title passed to his first cousin.

Dukes of Estissac (1737), Dukes of Liancourt (1765), then Dukes of La Rochefoucauld (1792 - confirmed at the restauration) and Duke of Anville (courtesy nowadays)

:: Louis François Armand of La Rochefoucauld (1695–1783) ( – ) of the younger branch of Roye, count of Roye, count of Roucy and count of Blanzac, ''created'' Duke of Estissac upon his 1737 marriage to his cousin, Marie-Elisabeth of La Rochefoucauld (1718–1789) ( – ), youngest daughter of Alexandre, the last Duke of La Rochfoucauld.

François XII of La Rochefoucauld (Frans Alexander Frederik; 1747–1827) (son of preceding), 7th Duke of La Rochefoucauld, ''created'' 1st Duke of Liancourt in 1765, 2nd duke of Estissac, and inherited the Duke of La Rochefoucauld title from his cousin in 1792; married Félicité-Sophie of Lannion in 1764.
François XIII of La Rochefoucauld (''né'' François Armand Fréderic of La Rochefoucauld; 1765–1848) (son of preceding), 8th Duke of La Rochefoucauld, Duke of Estissac, then Duke of Liancourt (in 1828, he was authorized to substitute the title of Duke of Liancourt for that of Duke of Estissac and gave his brother Alexandre, the title of Duke of Estissac, who thus founded the Estissac branch);

Alexandre-François married Adélaïde Pyvart de Chastullé, cousin of Joséphine de Beauharnais, she was first lady of the empress and we can see in the coronation painting of Napoléon, holding the gown of Joséphine. Their daughter Adèle Marie Hortense Françoise of Rochefoucauld (1793–1877) ( – ), married (1776–1839) – a brother-in-law of Pauline Marie Bonaparte (1780–1825). Pauline, a sister of

Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

, became ''Princess Borghese'' through her marriage to Camillo Filippo Ludovico Borghese (1775–1832),

Prince of Sulmona Prince of Sulmona (Italian language, Italian: ''Principe di Sulmona'') is a nobility, noble title of Italian origin. The title derives its name from Sulmona, a town in Abruzzo. It was originally granted in 1526 with Grandee, Grandeeship of Spain, d ...

and

Duke of Guastalla This is a list of rulers of Guastalla, a town in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, on the right bank of the Po River. The County of Guastalla was established in 1406 for the Torelli family. In 1456, the county was partitioned, with county of Montechiarugolo ...

. Alexandre-François served as the French Ambassador to

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

(in Austria) (1805) and later to The Hague (fr) (in the

Kingdom of Holland The Kingdom of Holland ( (contemporary), (modern); ) was the successor state of the Batavian Republic. It was created by Napoleon Bonaparte in March 1806 in order to strengthen control over the Netherlands by replacing the republican governmen ...

) (1808–1810), where he negotiated the union of the Kingdom of Holland with France. During the "

Hundred Days The Hundred Days ( ), also known as the War of the Seventh Coalition (), marked the period between Napoleon's return from eleven months of exile on the island of Elba to Paris on20 March 1815 and the second restoration of King Louis XVIII o ...

", Napoleon appointed him as a

peer of France The Peerage of France () was a hereditary distinction within the French nobility which appeared in 1180 during the Middle Ages. The prestigious title and position of Peer of France () was held by the greatest, highest-ranking members of the Fr ...

, a prestigious title that granted him a seat in the Chamber of Peers, a legislative body composed of individuals chosen by the ruler (Napoleon) for their loyalty, influence, or status. He subsequently devoted himself to philanthropic work. In 1822, he became a deputy to the

Chamber of Deputies The chamber of deputies is the lower house in many bicameral legislatures and the sole house in some unicameral legislatures. Description Historically, French Chamber of Deputies was the lower house of the French Parliament during the Bourb ...

and aligned himself with the

constitutional royalists Constitutional monarchy, also known as limited monarchy, parliamentary monarchy or democratic monarchy, is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not alone in making decisions. ...

. He was again raised to the peerage in 1831. Alexandre-François's descendants became

Dukes Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of Royal family, royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobi ...

Estissac Estissac () is a commune in the Aube department in north-central France. Population See also *Communes of the Aube department The following is a list of the 431 communes of the Aube department of France France, officially the F ...

and Princes of La Rochefoucauld-Montbel. His other brother, the youngest of three siblings, Frédéric Gaëtan (1779–1863), became Marquis of La Rochefoucauld-Liancourt, and, in 1793, married to Marie-Françoise de Tott.

François XIV of La Rochefoucauld (''né'' François Marie Auguste Armand of La Rochefoucauld; 1794–1874) (son of preceding), 9th Duke of La Rochefoucauld, in 1817, married to Zénaide Chapt of Rastignac (1798–1875) ( – and ).
François XV of La Rochefoucauld (''né'' François Augustin Ernest Marie; 1818–1879) (son of preceding), 10th Duke of La Rochefoucauld, in 1852, married Radegonde-Euphrasie Bouvery (1832–1901) ( – ).
François XVI of La Rochefoucauld (''né'' François Alfred Gaston of La Rochefoucauld; 1853–1925) (son of preceding), 11th Duke of La Rochefoucauld, in 1892, married Mattie-Elizabeth Mitchell (1866–1933) ( – ) (daughter of
U.S. Senator The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...

John H. Mitchell John Hipple Mitchell (born John Mitchell Hipple; June 23, 1835December 8, 1905) was an American lawyer, politician. He served as a United States Republican Party, Republican United States Senate, United States Senator from Oregon on three occasi ...
).
Alfred Gabriel Marie François of La Rochefoucauld (''né'' Alfred Gabriel Marie François; 1854–1926) ( – ) (brother of preceding), 12th Duke of La Rochefoucauld, the ducal title was transferred to him, in 1884, married Pauline Louise Marie Anne Albenais Fortunee Piscalory of Vaufreland (1864–1934).
(1887–1970) (son of preceding), 13th Duke of La Rochefoucauld, 8th Duke of Liancourt, Prince of Marcillac, Duke of Anville (courtesy) in 1917, married Edmée Frish of Fels (1896–1991).
(''né'' François Marie Edmond Hubert of La Rochefoucauld; 1920–2011) (son of preceding), 14th Duke of La Rochefoucauld, 9th Duke of Liancourt, Prince of Marcillac, Duke of Anville (courtesy), (i) in 1946, married Marie-Louise Lucienne Meriaux (Jeannine Renée Petit; 1907–1995) (divorced in 1948), (ii) in 1950, married Sonia Marie Matossian (born 1931) ( – ) (divorced in 1961), and (iii) in 1967, married Jeanne-Marie Ruth Dorothée Églantine of Villiers of Terrage (1921–2004). Jeanne-Marie was a great-great granddaughter of
Édouard de Villiers du Terrage Édouard de Villiers du Terrage (; 26 April 1780 – 19 April 1855) was a French engineer who together with Jean-Baptiste Prosper Jollois journeyed with Napoleon to Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a count ...
(1780–1855). François XVIII was a composer and violinist. He had been a violin student of Carmen Forté (1886–1964) at the
Paris Conservatory The Conservatoire de Paris (), or the Paris Conservatory, is a college of music and dance founded in 1795. Officially known as the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (; CNSMDP), it is situated in the avenue Jean Ja ...
.

Solange Fasquelle (''née'' Solange Marie Andrée of La Rochefoucauld; 1933–2016), a writer of novels, was the younger sister of François XVIII and wife (married 1954) of publisher Jean-Claude Fasquelle (1930–2021) (divorced 2000).

François XIX of La Rochefoucauld (François-Alexandre Marie Joseph of La Rochefoucauld; born 1958) (son of preceding and his 2nd wife, Sonia Marie Matossian), 15th Duke of La Rochefoucauld, 10th Duke of Liancourt, Duke of Anville (courtesy), Prince of Marcillac, in 1984, married Michèle Suzanne Etter (born 1948), who was previously married to Philippe Paul Michel Augier (born 1949).
François XX of La Rochefoucauld (François-Xavier of La Rochefoucauld; born 1986) (son of preceding), 11th Duke of Liancourt, Prince of Marcillac, duc d'Anville (courtesy), heir to the ducal title of La Rochefoucauld and house chief seat. On June 29, 2024, he married Inga Grigorenko (maiden), born in
Tallinn, Estonia Tallinn is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Estonia, most populous city of Estonia. Situated on a Tallinn Bay, bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, it has a population of (as of 2025) and ...
.

Dukes of Estissac (since 1839)

This branch comes from the younger branch of the Counts of Roye. Louis François Armand de la Rochefoucauld Count of Roye and of Roucy and of Blanzac, was created Duke with a patent (non-hereditary) in 1737, hereditary on 1758, and called Duke of Estissac. His grandson, Alexandre François de la Rochefoucauld (1761–1841), Count of the Empire, Ambassador for the Emperor, and brother of the Duke of La Rochefoucauld (of the Restoration) received the Duchy of Estissac from his elder brother in May 1839. His son, Alexandre Jules de La Rochefoucauld (1796–1856), was authorized by royal decree of 2 July 1840 to take the title of Duke of Estissac, however, this order was not followed by

letters patent Letters patent (plurale tantum, plural form for singular and plural) are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch, President (government title), president or other head of state, generally granti ...

(1796–1856) ( – ), Duke of Estissac in 1840. Officer of the
Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...
; married in 1822 to Hélène-Charlotte Pauline of Solles (1803–1864) ( – ) (daughter of Jean Joseph of Solles, 1st Marquis Desolles).
Roger Paul Alexandre Louis of La Rochefoucauld (1826–1889) (son of preceding), Duke of Estissac; married to Juliette de Ségur in 1858.
Alexandre Jules Paul Philippe François of La Rochefoucauld (1854–1930) (son of preceding), Duke of Estissac; married to Jeanne de Rochechouart-Mortemart in 1883.
Louis François Alexandre of La Rochefoucauld (1885–1950) (son of preceding), Duke of Estissac; married to Nathalie de Clermont-Tonnerre in 1911.
Alexandre Louis Marie François of La Rochefoucauld (1917–2008) (son of preceding), Duke of Estissac, President of the
Jockey Club The Jockey Club is the largest commercial horse racing organisation in the United Kingdom. It owns 15 of Britain's famous racecourses, including Aintree Racecourse, Aintree, Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Epsom Downs Racecourse, Epsom ...
; married to Antoinette de Moustier in 1943.
Pierre-Louis François Léonel Alexandre of La Rochefoucauld (born 1947) (son of preceding), Count of La Rochefoucauld and 7th Duke of Estissac, in 1980, married Sabine Henriette Marie Bernadette Françoise of La Rochefoucauld (born 1958).
Alexandre of La Rochefoucauld (born 1984), count of, heir to the duke of Estissac title.

Bernard de La Rochefoucauld (1922–2017), co-founder of the , former honorary president of the

Institut Montaigne Institut Montaigne is a think tank based in Paris, France, founded in 2000. Institut Montaigne makes public policy recommendations to advance its agenda, which broadly reflects that of the large French companies that fund it. It contracts experts ...

and former mayor of Ingrannes comes from this branch.

Branch La Rochefoucauld-Montbel, counts de La Rochefoucauld and princes (Bavaria 1909)

François August Ernest Marie (Arthur) of La Rochefoucauld (1831–1888) ( – ), mayor of Pellevoisin — second son of (1796–1856), Duke of Estissac and Hélène Charlotte Pauline of Dessolles (1803–1864) — married in 1854 Marie-Luce of Montbel (1835–1920), grand-daughter of , Officer of the
Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...
, field marshal, Premier Chambellan for
Charles X Charles X may refer to: * Charles X of France (1757–1836) * Charles X Gustav (1622–1660), King of Sweden * Charles, Cardinal de Bourbon (1523–1590), recognized as Charles X of France but renounced the royal title See also * * King Charle ...
. Marie-Luce was linked with the building of the Shrine of Our Lady of Pellevoisin (Nihil obstat in 2024). She funded the covent of the dominicans there and became a tertiary nun under the name of Catherine of Sienna.
Jules of La Rochefoucauld-Montbel (1857–1945) ( – ) Count of La Rochefoucauld, Mayor of Pellevoisin, received in Bavaria on the 22nd July 1909 from Ludwig III of Bavaria the title of Fürst (Prince). He was authorized the 22 March 1922 to add his mother's name to his name. Thus the branch of La Rochefoucauld-Montbel (cadets of the dukes of Estissac). He married in 1881 Jeanne Louise Marie Nathalie Lebeuf of Montgermont.

Note: Aimery count de La Rochefoucauld (1843–1928), received also the Bavarian Prince title on the same date. His only son Gabriel II (''né'' Gabriel Marie François Hippolyte Ferri Eugène of La Rochefoucauld; 1875–1942) ( – ), writer and great friend of

Marcel Proust Valentin Louis Georges Eugène Marcel Proust ( ; ; 10 July 1871 – 18 November 1922) was a French novelist, literary critic, and essayist who wrote the novel (in French – translated in English as ''Remembrance of Things Past'' and more r ...

(1871–1922), married to Odile Marie Auguste Septimanie Chapelle of Jumilhac (1879–1974) — daughter of Armand Marie Odet Richard of Chapelle of Jumilhac (1847–1880), 7th

Duke of Richelieu Duke of Richelieu () was a title of French nobility. It was created on 26 November 1629 for Armand Jean du Plessis de Richelieu (known as Cardinal Richelieu) who, as a Catholic clergyman, had no issue to pass it down to. It instead passed to hi ...

and American-born Marie Alice Heine (1857–1925) — had one child, Anne Alice Élisabeth Amélie of La Rochefoucauld (1906–1980) ( – ) founded in 1952 of the association . Anne was a godmother of Dominique of La Rochefoucauld-Montbel. Anne's second husband (married in 1948), John Julius of Amodio (''aka'' Jules François Joseph Juan Philippe Maurice Fernando of Amodio; 1909–2003), was Marquise of Amodio.

Emmanuel Arthur Adrien Joseph Marie of La Rochefoucauld-Montbel (1883–1974), Count of La Rochefoucauld, Prince in Bavaria, Ambassador, Commander of the
Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...
, Bailiff Grand Cross of Honor and Devotion of the
Sovereign Military Order of Malta The Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM), officially the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta, and commonly known as the Order of Malta or the Knights of Malta, is a Catholic lay religious ...
, married in 1913 Simone of . They owned the Lascaux caves.
Charles-Emmanuel (Charles-Emmanuel Jules Aymé Marie of La Rochefoucauld-Montbel; 1914–2000), Count of La Rochefoucauld, Prince in Bavaria; married (i) in 1943, Flora d'Huart Saint-Mauris (1925–1995) ( – ) (divorced); and (ii) in June 1949, Joanna-Isabelle Forbes (1918–1998) (with descendants). He donated the Lascaux cave to France and the lands and buildings of the Pellevoisin sanctuary to the diocese of Bourges. Including :

Guy-Emmanuel Jean Marie Joseph of La Rochefoucauld-Montbel (1944–1991) who, in 1973, married Éléonore Edmond-Blanc. Without descendants.
Dominique Louis Gabriel of La Rochefoucauld-Montbel - See below

Dominique of La Rochefoucauld-Montbel (born 1950), Count of La Rochefoucauld, Prince in Bavaria, Officer of Légion d'honneur, Grand Cross of
Order of Merit of the Italian Republic The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic () is the most senior Italian order of merit. It was established in 1951 by the second President of Italy, President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi. The highest-ranking honour of the Republi ...
,
Grand Cross Grand Cross is the highest class in many orders, and manifested in its insignia. Exceptionally, the highest class may be referred to as Grand Cordon or equivalent. In other cases, there may exist a rank even higher than Grand Cross, e.g. Gran ...
of the
Order of Isabella the Catholic The Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic (; Abbreviation, Abbr.: OYC) is a knighthood and one of the three preeminent Order of merit, orders of merit bestowed by the Kingdom of Spain, alongside the Order of Charles III (established in 1771) and ...
and Grand Cross of the
Order of St. Gregory the Great The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great (; ) was established on 1 September 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election as Pope. The order is one of the five Papal order of knighthood, orders of knighthood of th ...
. In January 1984, he married Pascale Subtil. Member of the Sovereign Council and Grand Hospitaller of the Sovereign Order of Malta (elected May 31, 2014 -year term re-elected May 2, 2019 erm concluded May 2024. Bailiff Grand Cross of Honor and Devotion of the
Sovereign Military Order of Malta The Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM), officially the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta, and commonly known as the Order of Malta or the Knights of Malta, is a Catholic lay religious ...
and Grand Cross of the Order pro ''Merito Melitensi''. He was also President of the Association and Vice-President of Ordre de Malte France. He is still Vice-President of the fondation. He is Bailiff Grand Cross of Justice of the
Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George The Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George (; ), also historically referred to as the Imperial Constantinian Order of Saint George and the Order of the Constantinian Angelic Knights of Saint George, is a dynastic order of knighthood ...
. In February 2025, he was part of the visit of the holy see nuncio to France Celestino Migliore to the sanctuary of Pellevoisin after the Vatican nihil obstat of the marial apparitions to Estelle Faguette.
Gabriel of La Rochefoucauld-Montbel (b. 1987), count of La Rochefoucauld, heir to the Prince in Bavaria title.

Dukes of Roche-Guyon (1679–1762)

François VIII de La Rochefoucauld (1663–1728) was created Duke of La Roche-Guyon by letters of November 1679. The 1st Duchy-peerage of La Rochefoucauld and, the title of Duke of La Roche-Guyon, died out in 1762 with Alexandre, 5th Duke of La Rochefoucauld and 2nd Duke of La Roche-Guyon, who had only two daughters who married their cousins from the branch of the Counts of Roye and Roucy.

Dukes of La Roche-Guyon (courtesy title) (19th–21st centuries)

Alfred de La Rochefoucauld (1819–1883), a

cadet branch A cadet branch consists of the male-line descendants of a monarch's or patriarch's younger sons ( cadets). In the ruling dynasties and noble families of much of Europe and Asia, the family's major assets (realm, titles, fiefs, property and incom ...

from the cadet branch of Roye, took over ''

motu proprio In law, (Latin for 'on his own impulse') describes an official act taken without a formal request from another party. Some jurisdictions use the term for the same concept. In Catholic canon law, it refers to a document issued by the pope on h ...

'' in the 19th century, without letters of confirmation, the title of Duke of La Roche-Guyon, which had extinguished in 1762. This courtesy title of "Duke of La Roche-Guyon" has been borne by his descendants ever since.

Alfred Pierre Marie René of La Rochefoucauld (1819–1883), known as Duke of La Roche-Guyon ( – ), in 1851, married Isabelle Camille Nivière (1833–1911) ( – ), writer and poet, author of many poems published by Alphonse Lemerre, from 1877 until her death. Their second son – Antoine de La Rochefoucauld (1862–1959) – was a painter.
Pierre de La Rochefoucauld (1853–1930) ( – ) (son of preceding), Duke of La Roche-Guyon, in 1888, married Gildippe Odoard of Hazey of Versainville (1867–1925) ( – ). Their third son,
Bernard Bernard ('' Bernhard'') is a French and West Germanic masculine given name. It has West Germanic origin and is also a surname. The name is attested from at least the 9th century. West Germanic ''Bernhard'' is composed from the two elements ''be ...
(1901–1944), was a member of the
French Resistance The French Resistance ( ) was a collection of groups that fought the German military administration in occupied France during World War II, Nazi occupation and the Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy#France, collaborationist Vic ...
in Falaise and died in the
Flossenbürg concentration camp Flossenbürg was a Nazi concentration camp built in May 1938 by the SS Main Economic and Administrative Office. Unlike other concentration camps, it was located in a remote area, in the Fichtel Mountains of Bavaria, adjacent to the town of Flos ...
in 1944.
Gilbert Camille Alfred Alexandre of La Rochefoucauld (1889–1964) (son of preceding), known as Duke of La Roche-Guyon, married (i) Princess Hélène Marie of La Trémoïlle (1899–1972) ( – ) (divorced and annulled in 1927) and (ii) Marie-Louise Lerche (1899–1984) ( – ) in 1927.
Alfred Henri Gaston of La Rochefoucauld (1928–2013) (son of preceding), known as Duke of La Roche-Guyon, in 1952, married Lydie Alix Marie-Thérèse Jacobé of Haut of Sigy (born 1932), paternal granddaughter of (1876–1960).
Guy-Antoine de La Rochefoucauld (born 1958) (son of preceding), known as Duke of La Roche-Guyon, married Yolaine Françoise Marie Leclerc de Hauteclocque (born 1961), paternal granddaughter of
Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque Philippe François Marie Leclerc de Hauteclocque (22 November 1902 – 28 November 1947) was a Free France, Free-French general during World War II. He became Marshal of France posthumously in 1952, and is known in France simply as or ju ...
(1902–1947).
Louis-Antoine de La Rochefoucauld (b. 1988), count of, heir to the duke of La Roche-Guyon title.

Count Bernard Gaston Mathieu Gilbert of La Rochefoucauld (1901–1944), the director Jean-Dominique Marie Henri of La Rochefoucauld-Guyon (1931–2011), along with daughters (born 1965) and (born 1972) are descendants of this branch.

Marquises of Montendre and Surgères

These branches were formed by Louis de La Rochefoucauld, Lord of Montendre, Montguyon, Roissac and des Salles, who was a younger son of François I de La Rochefoucauld (1450–1541), comte de La Rochefoucauld, by his second marriage to Barbe du Bois (a French name meaning "Barbara of the Woods"). He married Jacquette de Mortemer in 1534. His son was François de La Rochefoucauld (d. 1600), Lord of Montguyon, Baron of Montendre, who married Hélène de Goulard (only daughter and heiress of Egmond Goulard, Lord of Marsay). His son, Isaac de La Rochefoucauld (d. ), Lord of Montguyon, Baron of Montendre, married Hélène de Fonsèque (daughter of Charles de Fonsèque, Lord of

Surgères Surgères () is a Communes of France, commune in the Charente-Maritime Departments of France, department, southwestern France. It is the home of the Surgères 48 Hour Race. History Middle ages The site of Surgères was occupied in Neolithic tim ...

) in 1600. Among others, they were the parents of Charles, progenitor of the Montendre branch and François, progenitor of the Surgères branch.

Marquis of Montendre

Charles of La Rochefoucauld, 1st Marquis of Montendre (son of Isaac); married to Renée Thévin in 1633.

Charles-Louis of La Rochefoucauld, 2nd Marquis of Montendre; married to Anne de Pithou (daughter of Pierre de Pithou, Lord of Luyere).

Isaac Charles of La Rochefoucauld (''c.'' 1670–1702), Count of Montendre, fought in the Siege of Mainz, the Battle of Fleurus, the Siege of Mons, the Siege of Barcelona, the Battle of Cremona (where he was wounded), and the
Battle of Luzzara The Battle of Luzzara took place in Lombardy on 15 August 1702 during the War of the Spanish Succession, between a combined French and Savoyard army under Louis Joseph, duc de Vendôme, and an Imperial force under Prince Eugene. Conflict in ...
, where, on August 15, 1702, he was killed. He had no issue.
François of La Rochefoucauld (1672–1739) ( – ), 3rd Marquis of Montendre; married to Marie-Anne von Spanheim (daughter of Baron Ezéchiel von Spanheim, Prussian Ambassador to England), no issue.
Louis of La Rochefoucauld (''
circa Circa is a Latin word meaning "around, approximately". Circa or CIRCA may also refer to: * CIRCA (art platform), in London * Circa (band), a progressive rock supergroup * Circa (company), an American skateboard footwear company * Circa (contempora ...
'' 1669–1742), 4th Marquis of Montendre; married to Suzanne d'Argouges in 1710, no issue.

Marquis of Surgères

François de La Rochefoucauld (–), 1st Marquis of Surgères; married to Anne de Philippier

Charles-François de La Rochefoucauld (–), 2nd Marquis of Surgères; married to Anne de La Rochefoucauld (daughter of Benjamin de La Rochefoucauld, Baron of Estissac) in 1662.

François de La Rochefoucauld (1664–1731), 3rd Marquis of Surgères; married to Angélique Lee (widow of François Lucas de Démuin) in 1704.

Alexandre-Nicolas de La Rochefoucauld (1709–1760), 4th Marquis of Surgères, Lieutenant General of the King's Armies; married to Jeanne-Thérèse Fleuriau de Morville (daughter of Charles-Jean-Baptiste Fleuriau de Morville) in 1728.

Jean-François de La Rochefoucauld (1735–1789), 5th Marquis of Surgères, governor of Chartres; married to Anne Chauvelin de Grosbois, daughter of Germain Louis Chauvelin, Marquis of Grosbois) in 1752.

Dukes of Doudeauville (1782–1995), of Bisaccia (1851–1995), and of Estrées (1892–1907)

The title Duke of Doudeauville (''Duc de Doudeauville'') was created for Ambroise-Polycarpe, 6th Marquis of Surgères (premier Baron of the Boulonnais), in 1780 by King

in the

Peerage of France The Peerage of France () was a hereditary distinction within the French nobility which appeared in 1180 during the Middle Ages. The prestigious title and position of Peer of France () was held by the greatest, highest-ranking members of the Fr ...

. It was also created in 1782 by

Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...

in the

Kingdom of Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

(through his wife as heir to the title of Duke of Doudeauville of the Le Tellier de Courtanvaux family), granting him the Rank of

Grandee of Spain Grandee (; , ) is an official royal and noble ranks, aristocratic title conferred on some Spanish nobility. Holders of this dignity enjoyed similar privileges to those of the peerage of France during the , though in neither country did they ha ...

, 1st Class. The title was recognized by the peerage ordinance of 4 June 1814; a

Hereditary peer The hereditary peers form part of the peerage in the United Kingdom. As of April 2025, there are 800 hereditary peers: 30 dukes (including six royal dukes), 34 marquesses, 189 earls, 108 viscounts, and 439 barons (not counting subsidiary ...

of France on 19 August 1815, Hereditary Duke-Peer on 31 August 1817 by King

Louis XVIII Louis XVIII (Louis Stanislas Xavier; 17 November 1755 – 16 September 1824), known as the Desired (), was King of France from 1814 to 1824, except for a brief interruption during the Hundred Days in 1815. Before his reign, he spent 23 y ...

during his 2nd reign. The title became extinct in 1995 upon the death of the 7th Duke. The Duke of Bisaccia (''Duca di Bisaccia'') title was created for Sosthènes II on 16 May 1851 by King Ferdinand II in the peerage of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (second creation; through his grandmother's family, the Montmorency-Lavals). Inscription among the Bavarian nobility as Princes under the title Duke of Bisaccia (''

Herzog (; feminine ; masculine plural ; feminine plural ) is a German hereditary title held by one who rules a territorial duchy, exercises feudal authority over an estate called a duchy, or possesses a right by law or tradition to be referred to ...

von Bisaccia''), on 24 November 1855 by King Maximilian II. It also became extinct in 1995. The designation of the title of Duke of Doudeauville was changed to

in Spain in 1893 by King

Alfonso XIII Alfonso XIII (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Alfonso León Fernando María Jaime Isidro Pascual Antonio de Borbón y Habsburgo-Lorena''; French language, French: ''Alphonse Léon Ferdinand Marie Jacques Isidore Pascal Antoine de Bourbon''; 17 May ...

when it was transferred to Sosthènes II's second son, Charles, but became extinct upon the Duke's death, without male issue, in 1907.

Ambroise-Polycarpe of La Rochefoucauld (1765–1841) (son of 5th Marquis of Surgères), 1st Duke of Doudeauville, 6th Marquis of Surgères,
Grandee of Spain Grandee (; , ) is an official royal and noble ranks, aristocratic title conferred on some Spanish nobility. Holders of this dignity enjoyed similar privileges to those of the peerage of France during the , though in neither country did they ha ...
(under the title Duke of Doudeauville); married to Bénigne Augustine Françoise Le Tellier (1764–1849), Lady of Montmirail (founder of the in 1822).

Sosthènes I of La Rochefoucauld (1785–1864), 2nd Duke of Doudeauville; married to Élisabeth de Montmorency-Laval (1790–1834) (a daughter of Minister of Foreign Affairs Duke Mathieu de Montmorency).

Stanislas of La Rochefoucauld (1822–1887), 3rd Duke of Doudeauville; married to Marie de Colbert-Chabanais.
Sosthènes II of La Rochefoucauld (1825–1908), 4th Duke of Doudeauville, 1st Duke of Bisaccia, on April 6, 1848, in Paris, married Yolande Justine Victoire Marie of Polignac (1830–1855) ( – ) (daughter of Prime Minister Prince Jules de Polignac) and then, on July 8, 1862, in Beloeil, Belgium, married Marie Georgine Sophie Hedwige Eugenie of
Ligne The ''ligne'' ( ), or line or Paris line, is a historic unit of length used in France and elsewhere prior to the adoption of the metric system in the late 18th century, and used in various sciences after that time. The ''loi du 19 frimaire an V ...
(1843–1898) ( – ).

Charles Marie François of La Rochefoucauld (1863–1907),
Duke of Estrées Duke of Estrées ( Fr.: ''duc d'Estrées'') was a title of nobility in the peerage of France that was created for François Annibal d'Estrées in 1663 by Louis XIV of France. This title became extinct in 1771. In 1892, Alfonso XIII of Spain revived ...
(took the Spanish title, not recognized in France, by transfer); married to Princess Charlotte of La Trémoïlle (daughter of Prince Louis Charles de La Trémoille).
Armand François Jules Marie of La Rochefoucauld (1870–1963) ( – ), 5th Duke of Doudeauville, President of the Jockey-Club de Paris and the Polo de Paris; married to Princess Marié Lise Radziwill

Sosthènes III of La Rochefoucauld (1897–1970), 6th Duke of Doudeauville, married Eleanor (Leonora) Lucía María Josepha (Josefa) Romula of Saavedra and of Collado (1900–1955) ( – ), Countess of Torrehermosa of Viana and daughter of José of Saavedra (1870–1927), 2nd Marquess of Viana.
Armand Charles François Marie of La Rochefoucauld (1902–1995) ( – ), 7th Duke of Doudeauville, married Esther Millicent Clarke and had a natural son with Clémentine Elisabeth Brandt.

Armand Sosthènes of La Rochefoucauld (born 1944); married to Geneviève Rose Blanche Fourny.

Édouard François Marie of La Rochefoucauld (1874–1968), 2nd Duke of Bisaccia, on June 19, 1901, in Paris, married Camille Marie Françoise of Colbert-Chabanais (1883–1969).

Marie-Carmen of La Rochefoucauld (1902–1999); married to Count of Mailly-Nesles in 1928.
Stanislas of La Rochefoucauld (1903–1965), Count, in 1926, married Sophie Alice Cocea, and in 1947, married Princess Jeanne Princess of San Felice de Viggiano.
Élisabeth of La Rochefoucauld (1909–2006), in 1929, married Elliot Robert Le Gras du Luart of Montsaulnin, and in 1958, married Mario Fausto Maria Pinci.

Marquis of Bayers; Baron of La Rochefoucauld-Bayers (1817)

This branch was originated by Geoffroy de La Rochefoucauld, Lord of Verteuil (d. ) from whom descended Guillaume de La Rochefoucauld, Lord of Nouans (d. ). One of his sons, Guillaume de La Rochefoucauld (d. ) founded the branch by Bayers building the Château de Bayers becoming Lord of Bayers (''Seigneur de Bayers''). His descendant, Louis-Antoine de La Rochefoucauld-Bayers, obtained the title, Marquis of Bayers. The male line of this branch became extinct in 1940 upon the death of Raoul-Gustave Marie de La Rochefoucauld, Marquis of Bayers (1845–1940), who died without issue from his marriage to Élisabeth of Griffon-Sénéjac (1865–1928). The female line ended with Victoria Françoise Anne Marie of La Rochefoucauld-Bayers (1880–1950), the daughter of a cousin of Raoul-Gustave, who died unmarried (and without issue). * (1736–1792), brother of next, Bishop-Count of Beauvais in 1772 and

, deputy of the clergy of Clermont at the

Estates General of 1789 The Estates General of 1789 () was a general assembly representing the French estates of the realm: the clergy (First Estate), the nobility (Second Estate), and the commoners (Third Estate). It was the last of the Estates General of the Kingdom ...

– on September 2, 1792, with his brother and others, at Carmes Prison, was assassinated. * (1744–1792), brother of the previous, Bishop of Saintes, deputy of the clergy of Saintes in the Estates General of 1789 – on September 2, 1792, with his brother and others, at Carmes Prison, was assassinated. * (1753–1819), deputy to the

. * Jean de La Rochefoucauld-Bayers (1757–1834), a soldier and politician; created Baron of La Rochefoucauld-Bayers in 1817.

Armorial

Bibliography

Annotations

Notes

References

* Retrieved January 15, 2025. ; .

* ; ; .

* * Originally retrieved January 7, 2018. Archived link retrieved January 2, 2025.

This static url → ← leads to the current Grand Hospitaller and is no longer valid for La Rochefoucauld-Montbel, whose term concluded May 2024.

* ; ; . * Retrieved October 4, 2024. .

''Article about the 7 Vol. set → L'Allemagne dynastique '' 'Dynastic Germany''' (in French)''

''Related article →

House of Oldenburg The House of Oldenburg is a Germans, German dynasty whose members rule or have ruled in Danish Realm, Denmark, Kingdom of Iceland, Iceland, Kingdom of Greece, Greece, Norway, Russian Empire, Russia, Sweden, United Kingdom, the United Kingdom, King ...

* ; . * , ; , and . * ; . * .

* .

"Les armes de La Rochefoucauld ''burellé d'argent et d'azur de dix pièces, à trois chevrons de gueules brochant sur le tout''" he arms of La Rochefoucauld are: ''barruly argent and azure, overall three chevrons gules, the uppermost écimé''

* Retrieved June 19, 2024. ; .

* . * (print), (online); .

* * ; ; .

* . * ; .

* Gouda: G.B. van Goor Zonen (Gerard Benjamin van Goor; 1816–1871) ( – , , , and ). Retrieved January 31, 2025.

LCCN The Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN) is a serially based system of numbering cataloged records in the Library of Congress, in the United States. It is not related to the contents of any book, and should not be confused with Library of ...

; .

* . ::''See: Johannes Baptista Rietstap (1828–1891)'' ::

* Retrieved September 30, 2024. .

* .

* Retrieved September 30, 2024. ; ; , , .

* ; . * Gallicabr>btv1b8470172t
.

External links

Château de La Rochefoucauld

{{DEFAULTSORT:La Rochefoucauld Dukes of La Rochefoucauld Noble titles created in 1622