Emmanuel-Félicité de Durfort de Duras
Encyclopedia
Emmanuel-Félicité de Durfort, duc de Duras (19 September 1715 - 6 September 1789, Versailles
) was a French politician, diplomat, peer, marshal
and Freemason (belonging to the l'Olympique de la Parfaite Estime lodge).
in March 1775. He was then given command of Brittany
, the governorship of Franche-Comté
and the post of premier gentilhomme de la chambre du roi. In 1755, he was made governor of Château Trompette.
In 1757, he was made head of the "comédie française" and the "comédie italienne". He was elected to seat 34 of the Académie française
on 2 May 1775. It is said he contributed to the editing of the articles on military science for the Encyclopédie. Also a bibliophile, his library was dispersed at auction in 1790.
His first marriage, in May 1733, was to Charlotte Antoinette de la Porte Mazarin (1719 - 1735), only daughter of the duc de Mazarin. His second, in June 1736, was to Louise Maclovie de Coëtquen, daughter of Malo III de Coëtquen, the phantom of Combourg
mentioned by Chateaubriand. In 1761 he sold part of her dowry, including the county of Combourg
to the father of Chateaubriand.
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
) was a French politician, diplomat, peer, marshal
Marshal of France
The Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
and Freemason (belonging to the l'Olympique de la Parfaite Estime lodge).
Life
Aged 18, by his father's abdication of the title, he was already a duke and a musketeer. He took part in all Louis XV's campaigns - that in Italy (1733-1734), on the Rhine (1735 et 1743), in Bavaria (1742), in Flanders (1744-1745) and in Germany (1760-1761). He served as French ambassador to Spain (1752-55), after which he was made a peer of France in December 1755 and marshal of FranceMarshal of France
The Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
in March 1775. He was then given command of Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
, the governorship of Franche-Comté
Franche-Comté
Franche-Comté the former "Free County" of Burgundy, as distinct from the neighbouring Duchy, is an administrative region and a traditional province of eastern France...
and the post of premier gentilhomme de la chambre du roi. In 1755, he was made governor of Château Trompette.
In 1757, he was made head of the "comédie française" and the "comédie italienne". He was elected to seat 34 of the Académie française
Académie française
L'Académie française , also called the French Academy, is the pre-eminent French learned body on matters pertaining to the French language. The Académie was officially established in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu, the chief minister to King Louis XIII. Suppressed in 1793 during the French Revolution,...
on 2 May 1775. It is said he contributed to the editing of the articles on military science for the Encyclopédie. Also a bibliophile, his library was dispersed at auction in 1790.
His first marriage, in May 1733, was to Charlotte Antoinette de la Porte Mazarin (1719 - 1735), only daughter of the duc de Mazarin. His second, in June 1736, was to Louise Maclovie de Coëtquen, daughter of Malo III de Coëtquen, the phantom of Combourg
Combourg
Combourg is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Brittany in north-western France.-Demographics:Inhabitants of Combourg are called Combourgeois and, more rarely Combournais.-History:...
mentioned by Chateaubriand. In 1761 he sold part of her dowry, including the county of Combourg
Combourg
Combourg is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Brittany in north-western France.-Demographics:Inhabitants of Combourg are called Combourgeois and, more rarely Combournais.-History:...
to the father of Chateaubriand.