Gaston, Count of Marsan
Encyclopedia
Gaston de Lorraine was a French nobleman and member of a cadet branch of the House of Lorraine
. He was the last Count of Marsan. His wife was Marie Louise de Rohan.
His father was known as the prince de Pons and Gaston was styled the Count of Marsan (comte de Marsan) from birth. As a male line descendant of the House of Guise (cadet branch of the House of Lorraine
) he was a Foreign Prince
residing at the royal court of Versailles
and had the right to the style of Highness
.
His older sister Louise Henriette Gabrielle
married into the prestigious House of La Tour d'Auvergne, sovereigns of the Duchy of Bouillon.
At the age fifteen, he was married to Marie Louise de Rohan. Marie Louise was the daughter of Jules, Prince of Soubise
and his wife Anne Julie de Melun
. The only daughter of five children, her older brother was the famous maréchal de Soubise. The couple were married on 4 June 1736. The wedding nuptials were carried out in the chapel of the hôtel de Mayenne by her great uncle the Cardinal de Soubise
.
In 1736, the year of his marriage, Gaston was put on campaign as a Aide-de-camp
to his father. The previous year, he was given his own regiment the Marsan regiment. On 20 February 1743 he was created a Brigadier
of the Kings armies. Some three months later he died of Smallpox
in Strasbourg
leaving his childless wife a widow at the age of twenty two. He was buried in the Strasbourg Cathedral
.
His wife never remarried and outlived him till 1801. She was the future later the Governess to the Children of France and as such, the governess of the future Louis XVI, Louis XVIII add Charles X
the grandsons of Louis XV. His wife's parents also died of smallpox within a week of each other in May 1724.
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 was the last Count of Marsan. His wife was Marie Louise de Rohan.
Biography
The eldest son of Charles Louis de Lorraine and his wife Élisabeth de Roquelaure, he was one of four children. He bore the first names [Gaston Jean Bapiste] as his great grandfather Gaston Jean Baptiste de Roquelaure, father of the maréchal de Roquelaure.His father was known as the prince de Pons and Gaston was styled the Count of Marsan (comte de Marsan) from birth. As a male line descendant of the House of Guise (cadet branch of the House of Lorraine
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 was a Foreign Prince
Foreign Prince
Foreign Prince is the English translation of prince étranger, a high, though somewhat ambiguous, rank at the French royal court of the ancien régime.-Terminology:...
residing at the royal court of Versailles
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...
and had the right to the style of Highness
Highness
Highness, often used with a possessive adjective , is an attribute referring to the rank of the dynasty in an address...
.
His older sister Louise Henriette Gabrielle
Louise de Lorraine
Louise of Lorraine was a French noblewoman and member of the House of Lorraine. She married into the House of La Tour d'Auvergne and was Duchess of Bouillon.-Biography:...
married into the prestigious House of La Tour d'Auvergne, sovereigns of the Duchy of Bouillon.
At the age fifteen, he was married to Marie Louise de Rohan. Marie Louise was the daughter of Jules, Prince of Soubise
Jules, Prince of Soubise
Jules de Rohan was a French nobleman and Prince of Soubise. He died of smallpox aged twenty-seven.-Biography:...
and his wife Anne Julie de Melun
Anne Julie de Melun
Anne Julie de Melun was a French noblewoman and mother of Charles de Rohan, the famous general of Louis XV as well as Madame de Marsan. She died of smallpox in her twenties.-Biography:...
. The only daughter of five children, her older brother was the famous maréchal de Soubise. The couple were married on 4 June 1736. The wedding nuptials were carried out in the chapel of the hôtel de Mayenne by her great uncle the Cardinal de Soubise
Armand Gaston Maximilien de Rohan
Armand de Rohan was a French churchman and politician. He became bishop of Strasbourg in 1704, Cardinal in 1712 then grand almoner of France in 1713 and member of the regency council in 1722....
.
In 1736, the year of his marriage, Gaston was put on campaign as a Aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to his father. The previous year, he was given his own regiment the Marsan regiment. On 20 February 1743 he was created a Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
of the Kings armies. Some three months later he died of Smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
in Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
leaving his childless wife a widow at the age of twenty two. He was buried in the Strasbourg Cathedral
Strasbourg Cathedral
Strasbourg Cathedral or the Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Strasbourg, France. Although considerable parts of it are still in Romanesque architecture, it is widely consideredSusan Bernstein: , The Johns Hopkins University Press to be among the finest...
.
His wife never remarried and outlived him till 1801. She was the future later the Governess to the Children of France and as such, the governess of the future Louis XVI, Louis XVIII add Charles X
Charles X of France
Charles X was known for most of his life as the Comte d'Artois before he reigned as King of France and of Navarre from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. A younger brother to Kings Louis XVI and Louis XVIII, he supported the latter in exile and eventually succeeded him...
the grandsons of Louis XV. His wife's parents also died of smallpox within a week of each other in May 1724.
Ancestry
Titles and styles
- 7 February 1721 – 2 May 1743 His Highness the Count of Marsan