Duke of Richelieu () was a title of

French nobility The French nobility () was an Aristocracy, aristocratic social class in France from the France in the Middle Ages, Middle Ages until its abolition on 23 June 1790 during the French Revolution. From 1808 to 1815 during the First French Empire, ...

. 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 his great-nephew, Armand Jean de Vignerot,The surname ''Vignerot'', held by the brother-in-law of Cardinal Richelieu and his descendants, was also spelled ''Vignerod''. grandson of his elder sister Françoise du Plessis (1577–1615), who had married René de Vignerot, ''Seigneur de Pontcourlay'' († 1625). In 1751 they obtained the

Imperial County Imperial County is a county located on the southeast border of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 179,702, ranking as the least populous county in Southern California. The county seat and largest city is ...

of Rixingen, or Rechicourt-le-chateau, between Alsace and Lorraine. Armand Jean de Vignerot added the cardinal's surname of "du Plessis" to his own, adopted the cardinal's coat of arms and received the titles of Duke of Richelieu and

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 ...

by letters patent in 1657. Two new reversions of the title occurred in 1822 and 1879. The 5th Duke of Richelieu died without an heir, but he gained permission for the title of Duke of Richelieu to pass to the son of his half-sister Simplicie, wife of Antoine-Pierre Chapelle, Marquis de Jumilhac, with reversion to the descendants of his younger brother should he die without a male heir, thus effectively passing the title to his nephew. The title became extinct in 1952 upon the death of the 8th Duke of Richelieu, Marie Odet Jean Armand Chapelle de Jumilhac, son of the 7th Duke of Richelieu and of

Alice Heine Marie Alice Heine (10 February 1857 – 22 December 1925) was an American-born Princess consort of Monaco, Princess of Monaco, by marriage to Prince Albert I, Prince of Monaco, Albert I of Monaco. Marcel Proust used her as a model for the Princes ...

(1858–1925). Alice was widowed in 1880 and remarried to Prince Albert I of Monaco in 1889.

List of dukes of Richelieu

* Armand Jean du Plessis de Richelieu (1585–1642), cardinal, 1st Duke of Richelieu, first minister under

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. ...

. * Armand Jean de Vignerot du Plessis (1629–1715), 2nd Duke of Richelieu, great-nephew of the cardinal. * Louis François Armand de Vignerot du Plessis (1696–1788), 3rd Duke of Richelieu,

marshal of France Marshal of France (, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to General officer, generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished (1793–1804) ...

, son of the second Duke. *

Louis Antoine Sophie de Vignerot du Plessis Louis Antoine Sophie de Vignerot du Plessis, 4th Duke of Richelieu (4 February 1736 – 1791), was a French nobleman and general. He was known by the courtesy title of Duke of Fronsac before 1788. He also held the titles of Prince de Mortagne, M ...

(1736–1791), 4th Duke of Richelieu, son of the third Duke. * Armand Emmanuel de Vignerot du Plessis (1766–1822), 5th Duke of Richelieu, président du Conseil and

Foreign Minister In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral r ...

, Governor-General of New Russia, son of the fourth Duke. * Armand François Odet Chapelle de Jumilhac (1804–1879), 6th Duke of Richelieu, nephew of the fifth Duke. * Marie Odet Richard Armand Chapelle de Jumilhac (1847–1880), 7th Duke of Richelieu, nephew of the sixth Duke. * Marie Odet Jean Armand Chapelle de Jumilhac (1875–1952), 8th Duke of Richelieu, son of the seventh Duke.

Notes and references

External links

*
European Heraldry page
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