Hercule Mériadec, Duke of Rohan-Rohan
Encyclopedia
Hercule Mériadec de Rohan (8 May 1669 – 26 January 1749) styled the Duke of Rohan-Rohan was a member of the House of Rohan. He married twice and was the grandfather of the Maréchal de Soubise. His first wife was the daughter of Madame de Ventadour
. He is known in contemporary texts as the prince de Rohan.
. This entitled them to the style of Highness and other privileges at court.
His mother Anne Julie de Rohan was one time mistress of Louis XIV. At the time, it was suspected that his younger brother Armand Gaston Maximilien de Rohan
was in fact fathered by Louis XIV. Hercule Mériadec's mother bought the Lordship of Soubise to the family, styling themselves as Prince. Anne Julie herself was styled as the suo jure
Princess of Soubise
.
He was styled as the Prince of Maubuisson (prince de Maubuisson) till 1714 when he was made the Duke of Rohan-Rohan (duc de Rohan-Rohan) as opposed to the Dukes of Rohan his cousins who held the latter title.
The fourth of eleven children, he was the second son and became heir apparent
at the death of his older brother Louis who died in 1689 aged twenty two.
He married twice. Firstly to Anne Geneviève de Lévis
, daughter of Louis Charles de Lévis
and Charlotte de La Motte Houdancourt
(better known as Madame de Ventadour, governess of the young Louis XV). Anne Geneviève was widowed in 1692 having married Louis de La Tour d'Auvergne, son of Godefroy Maurice de La Tour d'Auvergne
and Marie Anne Mancini
. He died in battle and Hercule Mériadec and she were married in Paris on 15 February 1694.
The marriage produced five children, three of which would have progeny. He lost her only son Jules to smallpox in 1724 as well as his daughter in law Anne Julie de Melun
. His grandson, Charles, Prince of Soubise was born in 1710 and after the death of his parents, was raised by Hercule Mériadec himself to become a man of the court. Charles was later a great friend of Louis XV and the great grand father of the murdered Duke of Enghien through his eldest daughter Charlotte. His second daughter Charlotte Armande was the Abbess of Jouarre. Charlotte Armande succeeded her aunt Anne Marguerite de Rohan as abbess in 1721.
Hercule Mériadec was responsible for some interior décor at the Hôtel de Soubise
engaging Germain Boffrand
in the process. This dates from 1730 to 1740.
He outlived his wife by twenty two years, Anne Geneviève died in March 1727. The widowed Hercule Mériadec married again on 2 September 1732 to Marie Sophie de Courcillon
who was born in 1713 and had been a mistress of the famous womaniser Louis François Armand de Vignerot du Plessis. Marie Sophie was the daughter of Philippe Egon de Courcillon and Princess Sophia of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rochefort. She was also the grand daughter of Philippe de Courcillon, the marquis de Dangeau.
He died in Paris on the Rue de Paradis. His grandson, Charles succeeded him to the Rohan-Soubise titles.
Madame de Ventadour
Charlotte de La Motte Houdancourt, Duchess of Ventadour was the governess of King Louis XV of France, great-grandson of King Louis XIV. She is credited with saving Louis XV from the ministrations of the royal doctors when he was ill as a child...
. He is known in contemporary texts as the prince de Rohan.
Biography
Born in Paris, his father François de Rohan was the founder of the Soubise line of the House of Rohan. His family claimed ancestry from the regining Dukes of Brittany and at the French court, were allowed the rank of Foreign PrinceForeign 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:...
. This entitled them to the style of Highness and other privileges at court.
His mother Anne Julie de Rohan was one time mistress of Louis XIV. At the time, it was suspected that his younger brother Armand Gaston Maximilien de Rohan
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....
was in fact fathered by Louis XIV. Hercule Mériadec's mother bought the Lordship of Soubise to the family, styling themselves as Prince. Anne Julie herself was styled as the suo jure
Suo jure
Suo jure is a Latin phrase meaning "in her [or his] own right".It is commonly encountered in the context of titles of nobility, especially in cases where a wife may hold a title in her own right rather than through her marriage....
Princess of Soubise
Princess of Soubise
- Princess of Soubise :...
.
He was styled as the Prince of Maubuisson (prince de Maubuisson) till 1714 when he was made the Duke of Rohan-Rohan (duc de Rohan-Rohan) as opposed to the Dukes of Rohan his cousins who held the latter title.
The fourth of eleven children, he was the second son and became heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
at the death of his older brother Louis who died in 1689 aged twenty two.
He married twice. Firstly to Anne Geneviève de Lévis
Anne Geneviève de Lévis
Anne Geneviève de Lévis was a French noblewoman. She was Duchess of Rohan-Rohan and Princess of Soubise by marriage. Anne Geneviève was the only child of Madame de Ventadour, governess of the young Louis XV. She married twice and had children with her second husband...
, daughter of Louis Charles de Lévis
Louis Charles de Lévis
Louis Charles de Lévis was a French nobleman and Duke of Ventadour. His wife was the governess of the infant Louis XV and his only child Anne Geneviève made two prestigious marriages into contemporary nobility.-Biography:...
and Charlotte de La Motte Houdancourt
Madame de Ventadour
Charlotte de La Motte Houdancourt, Duchess of Ventadour was the governess of King Louis XV of France, great-grandson of King Louis XIV. She is credited with saving Louis XV from the ministrations of the royal doctors when he was ill as a child...
(better known as Madame de Ventadour, governess of the young Louis XV). Anne Geneviève was widowed in 1692 having married Louis de La Tour d'Auvergne, son 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...
and Marie Anne Mancini
Marie Anne Mancini
Marie Anne Mancini, duchesse de Bouillon , was the youngest of the five famous Mancini sisters, who along with two of their female Martinozzi cousins, were known at the court of King Louis XIV of France as the Mazarinettes because their uncle was the king's chief minister, Cardinal...
. He died in battle and Hercule Mériadec and she were married in Paris on 15 February 1694.
The marriage produced five children, three of which would have progeny. He lost her only son Jules to smallpox in 1724 as well as his daughter in law 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:...
. His grandson, Charles, Prince of Soubise was born in 1710 and after the death of his parents, was raised by Hercule Mériadec himself to become a man of the court. Charles was later a great friend of Louis XV and the great grand father of the murdered Duke of Enghien through his eldest daughter Charlotte. His second daughter Charlotte Armande was the Abbess of Jouarre. Charlotte Armande succeeded her aunt Anne Marguerite de Rohan as abbess in 1721.
Hercule Mériadec was responsible for some interior décor at the Hôtel de Soubise
Hôtel de Soubise
The Hôtel de Soubise is a city mansion entre cour et jardin , located at 60 rue des Francs-Bourgeois, in the IIIe arrondissement of Paris....
engaging Germain Boffrand
Germain Boffrand
Germain Boffrand was one of the most gifted French architects of his generation. A pupil of Jules Hardouin-Mansart, Germain Boffrand was one of the main creators of the precursor to Rococo called the style Régence, and in his interiors, of the Rococo itself...
in the process. This dates from 1730 to 1740.
He outlived his wife by twenty two years, Anne Geneviève died in March 1727. The widowed Hercule Mériadec married again on 2 September 1732 to Marie Sophie de Courcillon
Marie Sophie de Courcillon
Marie Sophie de Courcillon was a French noblewoman and Duchess of Rohan-Rohan as well as Princess of Soubise by marriage. She was the grand daughter of Philippe de Courcillon, better known as the marquis de Dangeau. She was praised for being a cultured woman for the age and held a fashionable...
who was born in 1713 and had been a mistress of the famous womaniser Louis François Armand de Vignerot du Plessis. Marie Sophie was the daughter of Philippe Egon de Courcillon and Princess Sophia of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rochefort. She was also the grand daughter of Philippe de Courcillon, the marquis de Dangeau.
He died in Paris on the Rue de Paradis. His grandson, Charles succeeded him to the Rohan-Soubise titles.
Issue
- Louise Françoise de Rohan (4 January 1695 – 27 July 1755) married Guy Jules Paul de La Porte Mazarin, grandson of Armand Charles de La Porte de La Meilleraye and Hortense ManciniHortense ManciniHortense Mancini, duchesse Mazarin , was the favourite niece of Cardinal Mazarin, chief minister of France, and a mistress of Charles II, King of England, Scotland and Ireland...
; had issue and were grand parents of Louise d'Aumont, as such the present Prince of MonacoAlbert II, Prince of MonacoAlbert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco is the head of the House of Grimaldi and the ruler of the Principality of Monaco. He is the son of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and the American actress Grace Kelly...
is a descendant of Anne Geneviève; - Charlotte Armande de Rohan, Abbess of Jouarre (19 January 1696 – 2 March 1733) never married;
- Jules François Louis de Rohan, Prince of Soubise (16 January 1697 – 6 May 1724) married Anne Julie de MelunAnne Julie de MelunAnne 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:...
, daughter of Louis de Melun and Élisabeth Thérèse de LorraineÉlisabeth Thérèse de LorraineÉlisabeth de Lorraine-L'islebonne was a French noblewoman and the Princess of Epinoy by marriage. She is often styled as the princesse de Lillebonne...
, and had issue; died of SmallpoxSmallpoxSmallpox 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"...
; - Marie Isabelle Gabrielle Angélique de RohanMarie Isabelle de RohanMarie Isabelle de Rohan was a French noblewoman and grand daughter of Madame de Ventadour. Marie Isabelle was the governess of the children of Louis XV and his consort Marie Leszczyńska.-Biography:Born in Paris the fourth child of five...
(17 January 1699 – 15 January 1754) married Marie Joseph d'Hostun de La Baume-Tallard, Duke of Hostun, Duke of Tallard (son of Camille d'HostunCamille d'Hostun, duc de TallardCamille d'Hostun de la Baume, duc de Tallard was a French noble, diplomat and military commander, who became Marshal of France.-Military career:...
) and had no issue; - Louise Gabrielle Julie de Rohan (11 August 1704 – Aft 12 March 1741) married Hercule Mériadec de Rohan, Prince of Guéméné, and had issue including the Prince of Guéméné.
Ancestry
Titles and styles
- 8 May 1669 – 18 December 1714 His Highness the Prince of Maubuisson
- 18 December 1714 – 26 January 1749 His Highness the Duke of Rohan-Rohan