Prince of Essling () is a

hereditary title Hereditary titles, in a general sense, are nobility titles, positions or styles that are hereditary and thus tend or are bound to remain in particular families. Though both monarchs and nobles usually inherit their titles, the mechanisms often d ...

in the

Nobility of the First French Empire As Emperor of the French, Napoleon I created titles in a newly established ' (imperial nobility) to institute a stable elite in the First French Empire, after the instability resulting from the French Revolution. Like many others, both befo ...

. It was granted by Emperor

Napoleon I 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 ...

Marshal of the Empire Marshal of the Empire () was a civil dignity during the First French Empire. It was established by on 18 May 1804 and to a large extent reinstated the formerly abolished title of Marshal of France. According to the ''Sénatus-consulte'', a Mar ...

André Masséna André Masséna, prince d'Essling, duc de Rivoli (; born Andrea Massena; 6 May 1758 – 4 April 1817), was a French military commander of the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He was one of the original eighteen Marshal of the ...

in 1809 as a

victory title A victory title is an honorific title adopted by a successful military commander to commemorate his defeat of an enemy nation. The practice is first known in Ancient Rome and is still most commonly associated with the Romans, but it was also adop ...

after the

Battle of Essling In the Battle of Aspern-Essling (21–22 May 1809), Napoleon crossed the Danube near Vienna, but the French and their allies were attacked and forced back across the river by the Austrians under Archduke Charles. It was the first time Napoleo ...

. The creation of the title was finalised 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 ...

of 31 January 1810.Révérend pp. 200–201 The year before, Marshal Masséna had already been created Duke of Rivoli () after his victorious

Battle of Rivoli The Battle of Rivoli (14 January 1797) was a key military engagement during the War of the First Coalition near the village of Rivoli Veronese, Rivoli, then part of the Republic of Venice. In the climax of the Italian Campaign of 1796-1797, It ...

. Both titles are hereditary by primogeniture and have been united since Marshal Masséna received them. As of 2021, ''Prince d'Essling'' is the only princely title created by Napoleon still in existence, without having become merged with titles created by other rulers.

List of titleholders

Between 1810 and today, there have been the following titleholders:Révérend pp. 200–201 * 1810–1817: André Masséna, 1st Prince d'Essling, 1st Duc de Rivoli (16 May 1758 – 4 April 1817) * 1817–1821: Jacques Prosper Masséna, 2nd Prince d'Essling, 2nd Duc de Rivoli (25 June 1793 – 1821) * 1821–1863: François Masséna, 3rd Prince d'Essling, 3rd Duc de Rivoli (2 April 1799 – 16 April 1863) * 1863–1898: André Prosper Victor Masséna, 4th Prince d'Essling, 4th Duc de Rivoli (1829–1898) * 1898–1910: Victor Masséna, 5th Prince d'Essling, 5th Duc de Rivoli (14 January 1836 – 28 October 1910) * 1910–1974: André Prosper Victor Eugène Napoléon Masséna, 6th Prince d'Essling, 6th Duc de Rivoli (1891–1974) * 1974–present: Victor-André Masséna, 7th Prince d'Essling, 7th Duc de Rivoli (29 April 1950 – living)

Coat of arms

The

heraldic achievement In heraldry, an achievement, armorial achievement or heraldic achievement (historical: hatchment) is a full display or depiction of all the heraldic components to which the bearer of a coat of arms is entitled. An achievement comprises not only ...

of the Princes d'Essling, Ducs de Rivoli comprises the following: "Or, the winged Victoria, holding in one hand a palm and in the other an olive crown, the whole Vert, accompanied in a point of a dog lying Sable;Révérend pp. 200–201 all beneath the chief of Princes of the Empire (azure with the golden eagle, the flight extended, head rounded, encroaching a thunderbolt with two lightning bolts, on either side). The shield surrounded by the collar 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 ...

, with its pointed decoration; the whole set in the mantle of Princes of the Empire (azure, lined with ermine, adorned with gold) and crowned with the crown of Princes of the Empire (gold, cap azure, surmounted by a globe, circled, crisscross, gold)."

Footnotes

References

* Princes of Essling Lists of French nobility Lists of princes Noble titles created in 1810 {{Heraldry-stub