Albert Gaspard Grimod
Encyclopedia
Jean-François-Louis-Marie-Albert Grimaud (June 15, 1772 – 1843), comte
d'Orsay
, was a Bonapartist
general and nobleman. He was the son of the collector Pierre Gaspard, comte d'Orsay (1748–1809) and his first wife, Princess Marie Louise Amélie de Croÿ-Molembais, (1748–1772), daughter of Prince Guillaume François de Croÿ and Anne Françoise Amélie de Trazegnies. She died in giving birth to him and his father began travelling Europe for consolation, gathering famous paintings and sculptures into a notable collection.
He married again, to Princess Marie Anne of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Bartenstein
, on 22 August 1784. The couple moved to Germany in 1787, meaning that - on the outbreak of the French Revolution two years later - Albert's father was declared an émigré
and their property in France was seized. They were left in the poverty in which Albert's father died.
In 1792 Albert married Eleanore, Baroness
de Franquemont, (1771-1833) an illegitimate
daughter of the reign
ing Duke of Württemberg
by the Italian adventuress Anne Franchi. Their surviving son became the dandy
, Alfred Guillaume Gabriel, Count D'Orsay
. Their daughter Ida Grimaud d'Orsay married Antoine, 9th duc de Gramont in 1818, and became mother of Antoine, 10th duc de Gramont, a lover of Marie Duplessis
, on whose life was based the roman à clef
, La Dame aux camélias
, by Dumas, fils
.
He became a Général de brigade in Napoleon I
's Grande Armée on 19 November 1813, a year before Napoleon's abdication and first exile.http://web.genealogie.free.fr/Les_militaires/1789-1815/Terre/Generaux_Division/O.htm It is unknown what role he played in the previous and subsequent events of the Napoleonic Wars, or whether he supported Napoleon during the Hundred Days
or at Waterloo
, but he did survive the wars to see the Bourbon Restoration
and the July Monarchy
, dying five years before the end of the latter.
He was sold the chateau at Rupt-sur-Saône
(then state property) in 1820.http://www.racinescomtoises.net/Chateau-de-Rupt-sur-Saone
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
d'Orsay
Orsay
Orsay is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France. It is located in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France, from the center of Paris.Inhabitants of Orsay are known as Orcéens.-History:...
, was a Bonapartist
Bonapartist
In French political history, Bonapartism has two meanings. In a strict sense, this term refers to people who aimed to restore the French Empire under the House of Bonaparte, the Corsican family of Napoleon Bonaparte and his nephew Louis...
general and nobleman. He was the son of the collector Pierre Gaspard, comte d'Orsay (1748–1809) and his first wife, Princess Marie Louise Amélie de Croÿ-Molembais, (1748–1772), daughter of Prince Guillaume François de Croÿ and Anne Françoise Amélie de Trazegnies. She died in giving birth to him and his father began travelling Europe for consolation, gathering famous paintings and sculptures into a notable collection.
He married again, to Princess Marie Anne of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Bartenstein
Hohenlohe-Bartenstein
Hohenlohe-Bartenstein was a German Principality located in northeastern Baden-Württemberg, Germany, around Bartenstein. Hohenlohe-Bartenstein was a partition of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst and was raised from a County to a Principality in 1744...
, on 22 August 1784. The couple moved to Germany in 1787, meaning that - on the outbreak of the French Revolution two years later - Albert's father was declared an émigré
Émigré
Émigré is a French term that literally refers to a person who has "migrated out", but often carries a connotation of politico-social self-exile....
and their property in France was seized. They were left in the poverty in which Albert's father died.
In 1792 Albert married Eleanore, Baroness
Freiherr
The German titles Freiherr and Freifrau and Freiin are titles of nobility, used preceding a person's given name or, after 1919, before the surname...
de Franquemont, (1771-1833) an illegitimate
Legitimacy (law)
At common law, legitimacy is the status of a child who is born to parents who are legally married to one another; and of a child who is born shortly after the parents' divorce. In canon and in civil law, the offspring of putative marriages have been considered legitimate children...
daughter of the reign
Reign
A reign is the term used to describe the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office of monarch of a nation or of a people . In most hereditary monarchies and some elective monarchies A reign is the term used to describe the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office...
ing Duke of Württemberg
Karl Eugen, Duke of Württemberg
Charles Eugene , Duke of Württemberg was the eldest son of Duke Karl I Alexander and Princess Maria Augusta of Thurn and Taxis .-Life:...
by the Italian adventuress Anne Franchi. Their surviving son became the dandy
Dandy
A dandy is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance, refined language, and leisurely hobbies, pursued with the appearance of nonchalance in a cult of Self...
, Alfred Guillaume Gabriel, Count D'Orsay
Alfred Guillaume Gabriel, Count D'Orsay
Alfred d'Orsay, known as the comte d'Orsay was a French amateur artist, dandy, and man of fashion in the early- to mid-19th century.-Life:...
. Their daughter Ida Grimaud d'Orsay married Antoine, 9th duc de Gramont in 1818, and became mother of Antoine, 10th duc de Gramont, a lover of Marie Duplessis
Marie Duplessis
Marie Duplessis was a French courtesan and mistress to a number of prominent and wealthy men. She was the inspiration for Marguerite Gautier, the main character of La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas the younger, one of Duplessis' lovers...
, on whose life was based the roman à clef
Roman à clef
Roman à clef or roman à clé , French for "novel with a key", is a phrase used to describe a novel about real life, overlaid with a façade of fiction. The fictitious names in the novel represent real people, and the "key" is the relationship between the nonfiction and the fiction...
, La Dame aux camélias
The Lady of the Camellias
The Lady of the Camellias is a novel by Alexandre Dumas, fils, first published in 1848, and subsequently adapted for the stage. The Lady of the Camellias premiered at the Théâtre du Vaudeville in Paris, France on February 2, 1852. The play was an instant success, and Giuseppe Verdi immediately set...
, by Dumas, fils
Alexandre Dumas, fils
Alexandre Dumas, fils was a French author and dramatist. He was the son of Alexandre Dumas, père, also a writer and playwright.-Biography:...
.
He became a Général de brigade in Napoleon I
Napoleon I
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
's Grande Armée on 19 November 1813, a year before Napoleon's abdication and first exile.http://web.genealogie.free.fr/Les_militaires/1789-1815/Terre/Generaux_Division/O.htm It is unknown what role he played in the previous and subsequent events of the Napoleonic Wars, or whether he supported Napoleon during the Hundred Days
Hundred Days
The Hundred Days, sometimes known as the Hundred Days of Napoleon or Napoleon's Hundred Days for specificity, marked the period between Emperor Napoleon I of France's return from exile on Elba to Paris on 20 March 1815 and the second restoration of King Louis XVIII on 8 July 1815...
or at Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
, but he did survive the wars to see the Bourbon Restoration
Bourbon Restoration
The Bourbon Restoration is the name given to the period following the successive events of the French Revolution , the end of the First Republic , and then the forcible end of the First French Empire under Napoleon – when a coalition of European powers restored by arms the monarchy to the...
and the July Monarchy
July Monarchy
The July Monarchy , officially the Kingdom of France , was a period of liberal constitutional monarchy in France under King Louis-Philippe starting with the July Revolution of 1830 and ending with the Revolution of 1848...
, dying five years before the end of the latter.
He was sold the chateau at Rupt-sur-Saône
Rupt-sur-Saône
Rupt-sur-Saône is a commune in the Haute-Saône department in the region of Franche-Comté in eastern France.-References:*...
(then state property) in 1820.http://www.racinescomtoises.net/Chateau-de-Rupt-sur-Saone