Charles III, Duke of Elbeuf
Encyclopedia
Charles de Lorraine was the third Duke of Elbeuf and member of the House of Lorraine
. He succeeded his father Charles II, Duke of Elbeuf
, to the Duchy-Peerage of Elbeuf. His mother was an illegitimate daughter of Henry IV of France
and Gabrielle d'Estrées
. He was also a Peer of France as well as titular Duke of Guise, Count of Harcourt, Lillebonne and Rieux.
. He was the eldest son of Charles de Lorraine
, Duke of Elbeuf and his wife Catherine Henriette de Bourbon, Légitimée de France
, legitimised daughter of Henry IV of France
and Gabrielle d'Estrées
.
A member of the House of Guise founded by Claude, Duke of Guise
, he was a Prince of Lorraine as a male line descendant of René II, Duke of Lorraine
.
His paternal first cousins included the Chevalier de Lorraine
(lover of Philippe I, Duke of Orléans
), Count of Armagnac
; his maternal cousins included Louis XIV of France
and the above mentioned Duke of Orléans.
He was known as the Count of Harcourt-Elbeuf while his father was alive; from circa 1650, he styled himself as the prince d'Harcourt, the county of Harcourt being one of the subsidiary titles of his father. He served in Italy
(1641) and Picardy (1642) under the command of his uncle Henri, Count of Harcourt. Charles took great part in the Thirty Years' War
; he was with le Grand Condé (then the Duke of Enghien
) at the famous victory at Rocroi
in 1643. He was also a part of battles at Thionville and Sierck, as well as the siege of Gravelines (1644); he latter fought in the Battle of Nördlingen
(1645) as well as at Trier
.
At the death of his father in November 1657, he became the duc d'Elbeuf as well as a Peer of France. Some time after in 1661, Louis XIV started his personal reign and named Charles as the Governor General of Picardy and Artois, a post his father had previously occupied.
He married three times and had numerous illegitimate children. He died in Paris aged roughly 61. He was buried at the Église du couvent des Jacobins in Paris. He was succeeded by his third surviving son Henri
Secondly he married Élisabeth de La Tour d'Auvergne (daughter of the Duke of Bouillon
and sister of Godefroy Maurice de La Tour d'Auvergne
) on 25 August 1684 and had six children;
Thirdly Françoise de Montault de Navailles on 25 August 1684;
Charles also had three illegitimate children, including Charles bâtard de Lorraine (1645–1708), no surviving issue.
House of Lorraine
The House of Lorraine, the main and now only remaining line known as Habsburg-Lorraine, is one of the most important and was one of the longest-reigning royal houses in the history of Europe...
. He succeeded his father Charles II, Duke of Elbeuf
Charles II, Duke of Elbeuf
Charles de Lorraine was a French nobleman, the son of Charles I of Lorraine, Duke of Elbeuf by his wife, Marguerite de Chabot. He succeeded his father in the Elbeuf dukedom in 1605.- Biography :He joined the French royal court in 1607, becoming a playmate to the future King Louis XIII...
, to the Duchy-Peerage of Elbeuf. His mother was an illegitimate daughter of Henry IV of France
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
and Gabrielle d'Estrées
Gabrielle d'Estrées
Gabrielle d'Estrées, Duchess of Beaufort and Verneuil, Marchioness of Monceaux was a French mistress of King Henry IV of France, born at either the Château de la Bourdaisière in Montlouis-sur-Loire, in Touraine, or at the château de Cœuvres, in Picardy....
. He was also a Peer of France as well as titular Duke of Guise, Count of Harcourt, Lillebonne and Rieux.
Biography
Born at the Hôtel d'Elboeuf in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He was the eldest son of Charles de Lorraine
Charles II, Duke of Elbeuf
Charles de Lorraine was a French nobleman, the son of Charles I of Lorraine, Duke of Elbeuf by his wife, Marguerite de Chabot. He succeeded his father in the Elbeuf dukedom in 1605.- Biography :He joined the French royal court in 1607, becoming a playmate to the future King Louis XIII...
, Duke of Elbeuf and his wife Catherine Henriette de Bourbon, Légitimée de France
Catherine Henriette de Bourbon
Catherine Henriette de Bourbon, Légitimée de France was an illegitimate daughter of King Henri IV and his long-term maîtresse en titre Gabrielle d'Estrées. She married into the Princely House of Guise.-Early years:...
, legitimised daughter of Henry IV of France
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
and Gabrielle d'Estrées
Gabrielle d'Estrées
Gabrielle d'Estrées, Duchess of Beaufort and Verneuil, Marchioness of Monceaux was a French mistress of King Henry IV of France, born at either the Château de la Bourdaisière in Montlouis-sur-Loire, in Touraine, or at the château de Cœuvres, in Picardy....
.
A member of the House of Guise founded by Claude, Duke of Guise
Claude, Duke of Guise
Claude de Lorraine, duc de Guise was a French aristocrat and general. He became the first Duke of Guise in 1528....
, he was a Prince of Lorraine as a male line descendant of René II, Duke of Lorraine
René II, Duke of Lorraine
René II was Count of Vaudémont from 1470, Duke of Lorraine from 1473, and Duke of Bar from 1483 to 1508. He claimed the crown of the Kingdom of Naples and the County of Provence as the Duke of Calabria 1480–1493 and as King of Naples and Jerusalem 1493–1508...
.
His paternal first cousins included the Chevalier de Lorraine
Chevalier de Lorraine
Philippe of Lorraine, called the Chevalier de Lorraine was a French noble man and member of the House of Guise, cadet of the Ducal house of Lorraine. He was the renowned lover of Philippe de France, Monsieur, brother of Louis XIV.-Biography:Philippe de Lorraine was the second son of the Count and...
(lover of Philippe I, Duke of Orléans
Philippe I, Duke of Orléans
Philippe of France was the youngest son of Louis XIII of France and his queen consort Anne of Austria. His older brother was the famous Louis XIV, le roi soleil. Styled Duke of Anjou from birth, Philippe became Duke of Orléans upon the death of his uncle Gaston, Duke of Orléans...
), Count of Armagnac
Louis, Count of Armagnac
Louis of Lorraine was the Count of Armagnac from his father's death in 1666. The Grand Squire of France, he was a member of a cadet branch of the House of Guise, itself a cadet branch of the sovereign House of Lorraine...
; his maternal cousins included Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
and the above mentioned Duke of Orléans.
He was known as the Count of Harcourt-Elbeuf while his father was alive; from circa 1650, he styled himself as the prince d'Harcourt, the county of Harcourt being one of the subsidiary titles of his father. He served in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
(1641) and Picardy (1642) under the command of his uncle Henri, Count of Harcourt. Charles took great part in the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
; he was with le Grand Condé (then the Duke of Enghien
Duke of Enghien
The title of Duke of Enghien may, like many noble titles, refer to any of several historical figures.-Dukes of Enghien - first creation :...
) at the famous victory at Rocroi
Battle of Rocroi
The Battle of Rocroi was fought on 19 May 1643, late in the Thirty Years' War. It resulted in a victory of the French army under the Duc d'Enghien, against the Spanish army under General Francisco de Melo.-Prelude:...
in 1643. He was also a part of battles at Thionville and Sierck, as well as the siege of Gravelines (1644); he latter fought in the Battle of Nördlingen
Battle of Nördlingen (1645)
The second Battle of Nördlingen was fought on August 3, 1645 southeast of Nördlingen near the village of Alerheim...
(1645) as well as at Trier
Trier
Trier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....
.
At the death of his father in November 1657, he became the duc d'Elbeuf as well as a Peer of France. Some time after in 1661, Louis XIV started his personal reign and named Charles as the Governor General of Picardy and Artois, a post his father had previously occupied.
He married three times and had numerous illegitimate children. He died in Paris aged roughly 61. He was buried at the Église du couvent des Jacobins in Paris. He was succeeded by his third surviving son Henri
Henri, Duke of Elbeuf
Henri de Lorraine was the Duke of Elbeuf and member of the House of Lorraine. He succeeded his father Charles de Lorraine to the Duchy-Peerage of Elbeuf...
Issue
Charles married three times; firstly to Anne Élisabeth de Lannoy (1626–1654), daughter of Charles de Lannoy; the couple married on 7 March 1648;- Anne Élisabeth de Lorraine, Mademoiselle d'Elbeuf (6 August 1649–5 August 1714) married Charles Henri de Lorraine, a distant cousin and illegitimate son of Charles III, Duke of LorraineCharles III, Duke of LorraineCharles III , known as the Great, was Duke of Lorraine from 1545 until his death.-History:He was the eldest surviving son of Francis I, Duke of Lorraine, and Christina of Denmark...
, and had issue; - Charles de Lorraine, Chevalier d'Elboeuf (2 November 1650–1690), never married;
Secondly he married Élisabeth de La Tour d'Auvergne (daughter of the Duke of Bouillon
Frédéric Maurice de La Tour d'Auvergne, duc de Bouillon
Frédéric Maurice de La Tour d'Auvergne, duc de Bouillon was prince of the independent principality of Sedan, and general in the French royal army....
and sister of Godefroy Maurice de La Tour d'Auvergne
Godefroy Maurice de La Tour d'Auvergne
Godefroy Maurice de La Tour d'Auvergne was a French nobleman and member of the House of La Tour d'Auvergne, one of the most important families in France at the time...
) on 25 August 1684 and had six children;
- Henri Frédéric de Lorraine, Count of Islebonne (26 January 1657–21 October 1666) died in infancy;
- Marie Eléonore de Lorraine (24 February 1658–March 1731), Abbess of Saint Jacques;
- Marie Françoise de Lorraine (5 May 1659–?), Abbess of Saint Germaine;
- Henri de LorraineHenri, Duke of ElbeufHenri de Lorraine was the Duke of Elbeuf and member of the House of Lorraine. He succeeded his father Charles de Lorraine to the Duchy-Peerage of Elbeuf...
, Duke of Elbeuf (7 August 1661–17 May 1748) married Charlotte de Rochechouart de Mortemart daughter of Louis Victor de Rochechouart de MortemartLouis Victor de Rochechouart de MortemartLouis Victor de Rochechouart de Mortemart, Duke of Mortemart was a French nobleman and member of the ancient House of Rochechouart. His father Gabriel de Rochechouart de Mortemart was a childhood friend of Louis XIII...
, niece of Madame de Montespan and had issue; - Louis de Lorraine, Abbé d'Orcamp (18 September 1662–4 February 1693) had illegitimate issue;
- Emmanuel Maurice de LorraineEmmanuel Maurice, Duke of ElbeufEmmanuel Maurice de Lorraine was Duke of Elbeuf and Prince of Lorraine. He succeeded his older brother Henri de Lorrraine as duke...
, Duke of Elbeuf (30 December 1677–17 July 1763), married twice but no issue; at his death the Duchy of Elbeuf went to Charles Eugène de Lorraine, prince de Lambesc;
Thirdly Françoise de Montault de Navailles on 25 August 1684;
- Suzanne Henriette de Lorraine (1 February 1686–19 October 1710) married Ferdinand Charles, Duke of Mantua and Montferrat, no issue;
- Louise Anne de Lorraine, Princess of Navailles (10 July 1689–1762) never married.
Charles also had three illegitimate children, including Charles bâtard de Lorraine (1645–1708), no surviving issue.