Nobility of the First French Empire
Encyclopedia
Napoleon Bonaparte created titles of nobility to institute a stable elite in the First French Empire
, after the instability resulting from the French Revolution
.
Like many others, both before and since, Napoleon found that the ability to confer titles was also a useful tool of patronage
which cost the state little treasure. In all, about 2200 titles were created by Napoleon:
Napoleon also established a new knightly order in 1802, the Légion d'honneur
, which is still in existence today.
Napoleon founded the concept of nobility of Empire by an imperial decree on 1 March 1808. The purpose of this creation was to amalgamate the old nobility and the revolutionary middle-class in one peerage system. This step, which aimed at the introduction of a stable elite, is fully in line with the creation of the Legion of Honour
and of life senatorial peerages.
A council of the seals and the titles was also created and charged with establishing armorial bearings, and had a monopoly of this new nobility.
These creations are to be distinguished from an order such as the Order of the Bath
. These titles of nobility did not have any true privileges, with two exceptions:
administrations:
One could receive a title without exercising one of its enumerated functions.
The title of marquis
was not used during the First French Empire, and therefore became very fashionable after the Bourbon restoration
, as it was not perceived to be tainted by these revolutionary creations.
This nobility is essentially a nobility of service, to a large extent made up of soldiers (67.9%), some civil servants (22%) and some collaborating members of the Ancien Régime.
Napoleon's nobility was not abolished after the Restoration but disappeared gradually for natural reasons, due in part to the great number of soldiers that had been promoted and died during the Napoleonic Wars.
There were 239 remaining families belonging to the First Empire nobility in 1975. Of those, perhaps about 135 were titled. Only one princely title (Essling, since Sievers is no longer used and Pontecorvo is merged with Prince Murat) and seven ducal titles remain today.
Along with a new system of titles of nobility, the First French Empire also introduced a new system of heraldry
.
Napoleonic heraldry was based on traditional heraldry but was characterised by a stronger sense of hierarchy. It employed a rigid system of additional marks in the shield to indicate official functions and positions. Another notable difference to traditional heraldry were the toque
s which replaced coronets. The toques were surmounted by ostrich feathers: dukes had 7, counts had 5, barons 3, knights 1. The number of lambrequins was also regulated: 3, 2, 1 and none respectively. As many grantees were new men, and the arms often alluded to their life or specific actions, many new or unusual charges were also introduced.
The most charcteristic mark of Napoleonic heraldry were the additional marks in the shield
to indicate official functions and positions. These came in the form of quarters
in various colours
, and would be differenced further by marks of the specific rank or function. In this system, the arms of knights had an ordinary
gules
, charged with the emblem of the Legion of Honour
; Barons a quarter gules in chief
sinister, charged with marks of the specific rank or function; counts a quarter azure
in chief dexter, charged with marks of the specific rank or function; and dukes had a chief gules semé of stars argent.
The said 'marks of the specific rank or function' as used by Barons and Counts depended on the rank or function held by the individual: Military barons and counts had a sword on their quarter, members of the Conseil d'Etat had a chequy, ministers had a lion's head, prefects had a wall beneath an oak branch, mayors had a wall, landowners had a wheat stalk, judges had a balance, members of Academies had a palm, etc.
A decree of March 3, 1810 states: "The name, arms and livery shall pass from the father to all sons" although the distinctive marks of title could only pass to the son who inherited it. This applied only to the bearers of Napoleonic titles.
The Napoleonic system of heraldry did not outlast the First French Empire, and was thus applied only 6 years. The Second French Empire
(1852-1870) made no effort to revive it, although the official arms of France were again those of Napoleon I.
For a ducal title to be hereditary, it was necessary that the holders had at least a 200,000 franc
s annual income and that the land that generated the income must be held in a majorat
for the inheritor of the dukedom.
These titles were allotted to only Marshals of the Empire
and to certain ministers.
Senators, Ministers, and Archbishops were all counts. From 1808 until 1814, 388 titles were created.
The mayors of the large cities and the bishops were all barons. Between 1808 and 1814, 1090 titles of baron were created.
Today, the title of baron of the First French Empire is still claimed by families including d'Allemagne
, Ameil, d'Andlau, d'Astorg, Auvray, Caffarelli
, Christophe, Daru
, Dein, Dubois, Eblé, Evain, Fabvier, Fain, Géloes, Gourgaud, Guerrier de Dumast, Hamelin
, Hottinguer, Laffitte, Lefebvre
, Lepic
, Méquet, Mallet
, Marbot
, Martin de Lagarde, Massias, Nérin, Nicolas, Parmentier, Petiet, Pinoteau, Portalis, Rey, Rippert, Roederer
, de Saint-Didier, de Saint-Geniès, de Saizieu, Salmon
, de Saluce, Seillère, Testot-Ferry
, Thiry, de Villeneuve.
on the land generating the income was not obligatory.
All the knights of légion d'honneur
received the title of chevalier d'Empire or knight of Empire, but there had to be three generations of successive knights for the title to become hereditary. Between 1808 and 1814, 1600 titles of knight were created.
First French Empire
The First French Empire , also known as the Greater French Empire or Napoleonic Empire, was the empire of Napoleon I of France...
, after the instability resulting from the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
.
Like many others, both before and since, Napoleon found that the ability to confer titles was also a useful tool of patronage
Patronage
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings or popes have provided to musicians, painters, and sculptors...
which cost the state little treasure. In all, about 2200 titles were created by Napoleon:
- Princes and Dukes:
- sovereign princes (3)
- duchies grand fiefs (20)
- victory princes (4)
- victory dukedoms (10)
- other dukedoms (3)
- Counts (251)
- Barons (1516)
- Knights (385)
Napoleon also established a new knightly order in 1802, the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
, which is still in existence today.
Creation
Enoblement started in 1804 with the creation of the princely title for members of Napoleon's imperial family. Others followed. In 1806 ducal titles were created and in 1808 those of count, baron and knight.Napoleon founded the concept of nobility of Empire by an imperial decree on 1 March 1808. The purpose of this creation was to amalgamate the old nobility and the revolutionary middle-class in one peerage system. This step, which aimed at the introduction of a stable elite, is fully in line with the creation of the Legion of Honour
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
and of life senatorial peerages.
A council of the seals and the titles was also created and charged with establishing armorial bearings, and had a monopoly of this new nobility.
These creations are to be distinguished from an order such as the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
. These titles of nobility did not have any true privileges, with two exceptions:
- right of armorial bearing;
- the lands granted with the title were held in a majoratMajoratMajorat is the right of succession to property according to age . A majorat would be inherited by the oldest son, or if there was no son, the nearest relative. This law existed in some of the European countries and was designed to prevent the distribution of wealthy estates between many members of...
, transmitted jointly with the title.
Hierarchy
Inside Napoleon's nobility existed a strict and precise hierarchy of the titles, that granted office to some according to their membership of the imperial family, their rank in the army or their administrative career in the civil or clericalRoman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
administrations:
- Prince: for the members of the imperial family and certain principal leaders of the Empire (Talleyrand was a prince of Bénévent, some marshals of the EmpireMarshal of FranceThe Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
) - Duke: for the principal dignitaries and marshals of the Empire
- Count: for the ministers, senators, archbishops, councilors of State, the president of the corps legislative, some of the generals
- Baron: chairmen of the Court of Auditors, bishops, mayors of 37 good cities, some of the generals
- Knight: other functions
One could receive a title without exercising one of its enumerated functions.
The title of marquis
Marquis
Marquis is a French and Scottish title of nobility. The English equivalent is Marquess, while in German, it is Markgraf.It may also refer to:Persons:...
was not used during the First French Empire, and therefore became very fashionable after 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...
, as it was not perceived to be tainted by these revolutionary creations.
This nobility is essentially a nobility of service, to a large extent made up of soldiers (67.9%), some civil servants (22%) and some collaborating members of the Ancien Régime.
Napoleon's nobility was not abolished after the Restoration but disappeared gradually for natural reasons, due in part to the great number of soldiers that had been promoted and died during the Napoleonic Wars.
There were 239 remaining families belonging to the First Empire nobility in 1975. Of those, perhaps about 135 were titled. Only one princely title (Essling, since Sievers is no longer used and Pontecorvo is merged with Prince Murat) and seven ducal titles remain today.
Heraldry
Along with a new system of titles of nobility, the First French Empire also introduced a new system of heraldry
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
.
Napoleonic heraldry was based on traditional heraldry but was characterised by a stronger sense of hierarchy. It employed a rigid system of additional marks in the shield to indicate official functions and positions. Another notable difference to traditional heraldry were the toque
Toque
A toque is a type of hat with a narrow brim or no brim at all. They were popular from the 13th to the 16th century in Europe, especially France. Now, it is primarily known as the traditional headgear for professional cooks.- Etymology :...
s which replaced coronets. The toques were surmounted by ostrich feathers: dukes had 7, counts had 5, barons 3, knights 1. The number of lambrequins was also regulated: 3, 2, 1 and none respectively. As many grantees were new men, and the arms often alluded to their life or specific actions, many new or unusual charges were also introduced.
The most charcteristic mark of Napoleonic heraldry were the additional marks in the shield
Blazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image...
to indicate official functions and positions. These came in the form of quarters
Quartering (heraldry)
Quartering in heraldry is a method of joining several different coats of arms together in one shield by dividing the shield into equal parts and placing different coats of arms in each division....
in various colours
Tincture (heraldry)
In heraldry, tinctures are the colours used to emblazon a coat of arms. These can be divided into several categories including light tinctures called metals, dark tinctures called colours, nonstandard colours called stains, furs, and "proper". A charge tinctured proper is coloured as it would be...
, and would be differenced further by marks of the specific rank or function. In this system, the arms of knights had an ordinary
Ordinary (heraldry)
In heraldry, an ordinary is a simple geometrical figure, bounded by straight lines and running from side to side or top to bottom of the shield. There are also some geometric charges known as subordinaries, which have been given lesser status by some heraldic writers, though most have been in use...
gules
Gules
In heraldry, gules is the tincture with the colour red, and belongs to the class of dark tinctures called "colours". In engraving, it is sometimes depicted as a region of vertical lines or else marked with gu. as an abbreviation....
, charged with the emblem of the Legion of Honour
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
; Barons a quarter gules in chief
Chief (heraldry)
In heraldic blazon, a chief is a charge on a coat of arms that takes the form of a band running horizontally across the top edge of the shield. Writers disagree in how much of the shield's surface is to be covered by the chief, ranging from one-fourth to one-third. The former is more likely if the...
sinister, charged with marks of the specific rank or function; counts a quarter azure
Azure
In heraldry, azure is the tincture with the colour blue, and belongs to the class of tinctures called "colours". In engraving, it is sometimes depicted as a region of horizontal lines or else marked with either az. or b. as an abbreviation....
in chief dexter, charged with marks of the specific rank or function; and dukes had a chief gules semé of stars argent.
The said 'marks of the specific rank or function' as used by Barons and Counts depended on the rank or function held by the individual: Military barons and counts had a sword on their quarter, members of the Conseil d'Etat had a chequy, ministers had a lion's head, prefects had a wall beneath an oak branch, mayors had a wall, landowners had a wheat stalk, judges had a balance, members of Academies had a palm, etc.
A decree of March 3, 1810 states: "The name, arms and livery shall pass from the father to all sons" although the distinctive marks of title could only pass to the son who inherited it. This applied only to the bearers of Napoleonic titles.
The Napoleonic system of heraldry did not outlast the First French Empire, and was thus applied only 6 years. The Second French Empire
Second French Empire
The Second French Empire or French Empire was the Imperial Bonapartist regime of Napoleon III from 1852 to 1870, between the Second Republic and the Third Republic, in France.-Rule of Napoleon III:...
(1852-1870) made no effort to revive it, although the official arms of France were again those of Napoleon I.
Princes
There were three types of princely titles:- the princes impériaux or imperial princes: members of the imperial family
- the princes souverains or sovereign princes: which had received a vassal principality of the Empire:
- Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, Prince de BénéventBeneventoBenevento is a town and comune of Campania, Italy, capital of the province of Benevento, 50 km northeast of Naples. It is situated on a hill 130 m above sea-level at the confluence of the Calore Irpino and Sabato...
- Louis-Alexandre Berthier, Prince de Neuchâtel, 1806; see below also a victory title of Prince de Wagram
- Jean-Baptiste BernadotteCharles XIV John of SwedenCharles XIV & III John, also Carl John, Swedish and Norwegian: Karl Johan was King of Sweden and King of Norway from 1818 until his death...
Prince de PontecorvoPontecorvoPontecorvo is a town and comune in the province of Frosinone, Lazio, Italy. Its population is 13,400.- History :The village lies under Rocca Guglielma, a medieval fortification perched on an inaccessible spur...
, 1806–1810 - Prince Achille MuratPrince Achille MuratAchille Charles Louis Napoléon, Crown Prince of Naples, Hereditary Prince of Berg, 2nd Prince Murat was the eldest son of the King of Naples during the First French Empire and later in life mayor of Tallahassee, Florida in the United States.-Early life:Murat was born in the Hôtel de Brienne in...
Prince de PontecorvoPontecorvoPontecorvo is a town and comune in the province of Frosinone, Lazio, Italy. Its population is 13,400.- History :The village lies under Rocca Guglielma, a medieval fortification perched on an inaccessible spur...
, 1812–1815 - Jean LannesJean LannesJean Lannes, 1st Duc de Montebello, was a Marshal of France. He was one of Napoleon's most daring and talented generals. Napoleon once commented on Lannes: "I found him a pygmy and left him a giant"...
, Prince de SieversSieversSievers is a surname, and may refer to:* Eduard Sievers , German philologist* Eduard Wilhelm Sievers , German Shakespeare scholar* Eric Sievers , American professional football player...
; see below also a victory title of Duc de Montebello - Two other titles fall into this category, but are not as clear cut as the others. Pauline BonapartePauline BonapartePauline Bonaparte was the first sovereign Duchess of Guastalla, an imperial French Princess and the Princess consort of Sulmona and Rossano. She was the sixth child of Letizia Ramolino and Carlo Buonaparte, Corsica's representative to the court of King Louis XVI of France. Her elder brother,...
was granted the principality of GuastallaGuastallaGuastalla is a town and comune in the province of Reggio Emilia in Emilia-Romagna, Italy.-Geography:Guastalla is situated in the Po Valley, and lies on the banks of the Po River...
, with title of princess and duchess of Guastalla, but held it for less than five months (from 30 March to 14 August 1806) before its cession back to the kingdom of Italy. Eugène de BeauharnaisEugène de BeauharnaisEugène Rose de Beauharnais, Prince Français, Prince of Venice, Viceroy of the Kingdom of Italy, Hereditary Grand Duke of Frankfurt, 1st Duke of Leuchtenberg and 1st Prince of Eichstätt ad personam was the first child and only son of Alexandre, Vicomte de Beauharnais and Joséphine Tascher de la...
received the honorary title of prince of VeniceVeniceVenice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
.
- Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, Prince de Bénévent
- the titres de victoire or victory titles: granted after exploits and having only an honorary role were in most cases awarded as a 'promotion' to holders of ducal victory titles:
- Marshal Davout, Prince d'EckmühlBattle of EckmühlThe Battle of Eckmühl fought on 21 April – 22 April 1809, was the turning point of the 1809 Campaign, also known as the War of the Fifth Coalition...
, 1809 (extinct 1853); also duc d'Auerstaedt (see below) - Marshal Berthier, Prince de WagramPrince de WagramThe French noble title Prince de Wagram began with Louis Alexandre Berthier who in 1806 was created sovereign prince of Neuchâtel by Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte...
, 1809 (extinct 1918), for the battle of WagramBattle of WagramThe Battle of Wagram was the decisive military engagement of the War of the Fifth Coalition. It took place on the Marchfeld plain, on the north bank of the Danube. An important site of the battle was the village of Deutsch-Wagram, 10 kilometres northeast of Vienna, which would give its name to the...
(see above); also a sovereign title of Prince de Neuchâtel; also duc de Valengin (which was not a victory title). - Marshal Masséna, Prince d'Essling, 1810; also duc de Rivoli
- Marshal Ney, Prince de la Moskowa, 1813 (extinct 1969); also duc d'Elchingen. "Bataille de la Moskowa" is the French name for the Battle of BorodinoBattle of BorodinoThe Battle of Borodino , fought on September 7, 1812, was the largest and bloodiest single-day action of the French invasion of Russia and all Napoleonic Wars, involving more than 250,000 troops and resulting in at least 70,000 casualties...
.
- Marshal Davout, Prince d'Eckmühl
Dukes
There were three types of ducal titles:- the duchés grands-fiefs or dukes of large fiefs outside the territory of the First French Empire (but with no rights of sovereignty)
- General Arrighi de CasanovaJean-Toussaint Arrighi de CasanovaJean-Toussaint Arrighi de Casanova , duc de Padoue, was a French diplomat and soldier of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. In the late 1840s, Arrighi was also involved in politics and was elected Deputy and then Senator in the French Parliament...
, Duc de PadouePaduaPadua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
, 1808 (extinct 1888) - Marshal BessièresJean-Baptiste BessièresJean-Baptiste Bessières, 1st Duc d' Istria was a Marshal of France of the Napoleonic Era. His younger brother, Bertrand, followed in his footsteps and eventually became a Divisional General...
, Duc d'IstrieIstriaIstria , formerly Histria , is the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea. The peninsula is located at the head of the Adriatic between the Gulf of Trieste and the Bay of Kvarner...
, 1809 (extinct 1856) - Jean Jacques Régis de CambacérèsJean Jacques Régis de CambacérèsJean-Jacques-Régis de Cambacérès, 1st Duke of Parma was a French lawyer and statesman during the French Revolution and the First Empire, best remembered as the author of the Napoleonic code, which still forms the basis of French civil law.-Early career:Cambacérès was born in Montpellier, into a...
, Duc de ParmeParmaParma is a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna famous for its ham, its cheese, its architecture and the fine countryside around it. This is the home of the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world....
, 1808 (extinct 1824) - General CaulaincourtArmand Augustin Louis de CaulaincourtArmand-Augustin-Louis, marquis de Caulaincourt, 1st Duc de Vicence was a French general and diplomat.-Biography:...
, Duc de VicenzeVicenzaVicenza , a city in north-eastern Italy, is the capital of the eponymous province in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monte Berico, straddling the Bacchiglione...
, 1808 (extinct 1896) - General ClarkeHenri Jacques Guillaume ClarkeHenri-Jacques-Guillaume Clarke, 1st Count of Hunebourg, 1st Duke of Feltre , born in Landrecies, was a Marshal of France and French politician of Irish descent.Clarke entered the French army in 1782...
, Duc de FeltreFeltreFeltre is a town and comune of the province of Belluno in Veneto, northern Italy. A hill town in the southern reaches of the province, it is located on the Stizzon River, about 4 km from its junction with the Piave, and 20 km southwest from Belluno...
, 1809, also Comte d'Hunebourg - Joseph FouchéJoseph FouchéJoseph Fouché, 1st Duc d'Otrante was a French statesman and Minister of Police under Napoleon Bonaparte. In English texts his title is often translated as Duke of Otranto.-Youth:Fouché was born in Le Pellerin, a small village near Nantes...
, Duc d'OtranteDuke of Otranto.Duke of Otranto is a hereditary title in the Nobility of the First French Empire which was bestowed in 1808 by Napoleon Bonaparte upon the statesman and Minister of Police Joseph Fouché , who had been made a Count of the French Empire before....
, 1808 (extant) - General DurocGeraud DurocGéraud Christophe Michel Duroc, 1st Duc de Frioul was a French general noted for his association with Napoleon.-Life and work:...
, Duc de Frioul, 1808 (extinct 1829) - Martin-Michel-Charles GaudinMartin-Michel-Charles GaudinMartin-Michel-Charles Gaudin, 1st Duc de Gaete was a French statesman, Napoleon I Bonaparte's Minister of Finances from November 1799 to March 1814, including the Cent Jours following Napoleon's return from Elba.-Biography:...
, Duc de GaeteGaeteGaete is a hamlet in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is located in the municipality of Drimmelen, about 1 km southeast of the town of Lage Zwaluwe.-References:...
, 1809 (extinct 1841) - Charles-François LebrunCharles-François Lebrun, duc de PlaisanceCharles-François Lebrun, 1st Duke of Plaisance, prince of the Empire was a French statesman.-Ancien Régime:...
, Duc de PlaisancePiacenzaPiacenza is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Piacenza...
, 1808 (extinct 1927) - Marshal MacDonaldÉtienne-Jacques-Joseph-Alexandre MacDonaldÉtienne Jacques Joseph Alexandre MacDonald, 1st duke of Taranto was a Marshal of France and military leader during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.-Family background:...
, Duc de TarenteTarantoTaranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....
, 1809 (extinct 1912) - Hugues-Bernard MaretHugues-Bernard Maret, duc de BassanoHugues-Bernard Maret, 1st Duc de Bassano was a French statesman and journalist.-Early career:Born at Dijon , he received a solid education, and then entered the legal profession – becoming a lawyer at the King's Council in Paris...
, Duc de BassanoBassano BrescianoBassano Bresciano is a comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy. As of 2007 Bassano Bresciano had an estimated population of 2,176....
, 1809 (extinct 1906) - Marshal MonceyBon Adrien Jeannot de MonceyBon-Adrien Jeannot de Moncey , 1st Duke of Conegliano, 1st Baron of Conegliano, Peer of France , Marshal of France, was a prominent soldier in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars....
, Duc de ConeglianoConeglianoConegliano is a town and comune of the Veneto region, Italy, in the province of Treviso, about north by rail from the town of Treviso. The population of the city is of around 36,000 people. The remains of a castle that was built in the 10th century remain on a nearby hill...
, 1808 (extinct 1842) - Marshal Mortier, Duc de TréviseTrevisoTreviso is a city and comune in Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Treviso and the municipality has 82,854 inhabitants : some 3,000 live within the Venetian walls or in the historical and monumental center, some 80,000 live in the urban center proper, while the city...
, 1808 (extinct 1912) - Jean-Baptiste Nompère de ChampagnyJean-Baptiste Nompère de ChampagnyJean-Baptiste de Nompère de Champagny, 1st Duc de Cadore was a French admiral and politician.He was born in Roanne, Loire. Entering the French royal navy in 1774, he fought through the war in America and resigned in 1787...
, Duc de CadoreCadoreCadore is a "comunità montana" in the Italian region of Veneto, in the northernmost part of the province of Belluno bordering on Austria, the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. It is watered by the Piave River poured forth from the Carnic Alps...
, (extinct 1893) - Marshal OudinotNicolas OudinotNicolas Charles Oudinot, 1st Comte Oudinot, 1st Duc de Reggio , was a Marshal of France.-Early life:...
, Duc de ReggioReggio CalabriaReggio di Calabria , commonly known as Reggio Calabria or Reggio, is the biggest city and the most populated comune of Calabria, southern Italy, and is the capital of the Province of Reggio Calabria and seat of the Council of Calabrian government.Reggio is located on the "toe" of the Italian...
, 1810 - General SavaryAnne Jean Marie René SavaryAnne Jean Marie René Savary, 1st Duc de Rovigo , French general and diplomat, was born at Marcq in the Ardennes.-Biography:...
, Duc de RovigoRovigoRovigo is a town and comune in the Veneto region of North-Eastern Italy, the capital of the eponymous province. -Geography:...
(extinct 1872) - Marshal SoultNicolas Jean de Dieu SoultNicolas Jean-de-Dieu Soult, 1st Duke of Dalmatia , the Hand of Iron, was a French general and statesman, named Marshal of the Empire in 1804. He was one of only six officers in French history to receive the distinction of Marshal General of France...
, Duc de DalmatieDalmatiaDalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
, 1808 (extinct 1857) - Marshal VictorClaude Victor-Perrin, duc de BellunoClaude Victor-Perrin, First Duc de Belluno was a French soldier and military commander during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars...
, Duc de BellunoBellunoBelluno , is a town and province in the Veneto region of northern Italy. Located about 100 kilometres north of Venice, Belluno is the capital of the province of Belluno and the most important city in the Eastern Dolomiti's region. With its roughly 37,000 inhabitants, it the largest populated area...
, 1808 (extinct 1853)
- General Arrighi de Casanova
- the titres de victoires or victory titles, comparable with the princely titles of the same category:
- Marshal Ney, Duc d'ElchingenBattle of ElchingenThe Battle of Elchingen, fought on October 14, 1805, saw French forces under Michel Ney rout an Austrian corps led by Johann Sigismund Riesch. This defeat led to a large part of the Austrian army being invested in the fortress of Ulm by the army of Emperor Napoleon I of France while other...
, 1808 (extinct 1969); also Prince de la Moskowa - Marshal Lefebvre, Duc d'DantzigSiege of Danzig (1807)The Siege of Danzig was the French encirclement and capture of Danzig during the War of the Fourth Coalition. On 19 March, 1807, around 27,000 French troops under Marshall Lefebvre besieged around 11,000 Prussian and Russian troops under Marshall Kalckreuth garrisoning the city of...
, 28 May 1807 (extinct 1820). Dantzig was then still a city republic, which became part of Prussia after Napoleon's defeat, and is now Gdansk in Poland. - General Junot, Duc d'Abrantès, 1808 (extinct 1859 but extended in female line in 1869, again extinct 1985)
- Marshal Davout, Duc d'Auerstaedt, 1808 (extinct 1853, extended to collaterals); also prince d'Eckmühl
- Marshal Augereau, Duc de CastiglioneBattle of CastiglioneThe Battle of Castiglione saw the French Army of Italy under General Napoleon Bonaparte attack an army of Habsburg Austria led by Feldmarschall Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser on 5 August 1796. The outnumbered Austrians were defeated and driven back along a line of hills to the river crossing at...
, 1808 (extinct 1915) - Marshal Lannes, Duc de MontebelloBattle of Montebello (1800)The Battle of Montebello was fought on 9 June 1800 near Montebello in Lombardy. During the lead-up to the Battle of Marengo, the vanguard of the French army in Italy engaged and defeated an Austrian force in a "glorious victory".-Background:...
, 1808 - Marshal Marmont, Duc de Raguse, 1808 (extinct 1852): present-day DubrovnikDubrovnikDubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641...
, on the Croatian coast, was conquered as part of Napoleon's own Italian kingdom, soon part of France's imperial enclave the Illyrian province - Marshal Masséna, Duc de RivoliBattle of RivoliThe Battle of Rivoli was a key victory in the French campaign in Italy against Austria. Napoleon Bonaparte's 23,000 Frenchmen defeated an attack of 28,000 Austrians under Feldzeugmeister Jozsef Alvinczi, ending Austria's fourth and final attempt to relieve the Siege of Mantua...
, 1808; also Prince d'Essling - Marshal Kellermann, Duc de ValmyBattle of ValmyThe Battle of Valmy was the first major victory by the army of France during the French Revolution. The action took place on 20 September 1792 as Prussian troops commanded by the Duke of Brunswick attempted to march on Paris...
, 1808 (extinct 1868) - Marshal Suchet, Duc d'Albufera, 1813.
- General GirardJean-Baptiste Girard (soldier)Jean-Baptiste Girard , was a French soldier, général and baron d'Empire, who fought in the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars.-Biography:...
, Duc de LignyBattle of LignyThe Battle of Ligny was the last victory of the military career of Napoleon I. In this battle, French troops of the Armée du Nord under Napoleon's command, defeated a Prussian army under Field Marshal Blücher, near Ligny in present-day Belgium. The bulk of the Prussian army survived, however, and...
, 1805, not recognized by the Bourbon RestorationBourbon RestorationThe 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...
.
- Marshal Ney, Duc d'Elchingen
- the ordinary titles which: went before the name.
For a ducal title to be hereditary, it was necessary that the holders had at least a 200,000 franc
Franc
The franc is the name of several currency units, most notably the Swiss franc, still a major world currency today due to the prominence of Swiss financial institutions and the former currency of France, the French franc until the Euro was adopted in 1999...
s annual income and that the land that generated the income must be held in a majorat
Majorat
Majorat is the right of succession to property according to age . A majorat would be inherited by the oldest son, or if there was no son, the nearest relative. This law existed in some of the European countries and was designed to prevent the distribution of wealthy estates between many members of...
for the inheritor of the dukedom.
These titles were allotted to only Marshals of the Empire
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 to certain ministers.
Counts
The ordinary title of count always went in front of the name. It was subject to the same rules as the title of duke but with an income threshold of only 30,000 francs.Senators, Ministers, and Archbishops were all counts. From 1808 until 1814, 388 titles were created.
Barons
The title of baron was comparable with that of count, except that the income threshold fell to 15,000 francs.The mayors of the large cities and the bishops were all barons. Between 1808 and 1814, 1090 titles of baron were created.
Today, the title of baron of the First French Empire is still claimed by families including d'Allemagne
Claude Dallemagne
Claude Dallemagne started his career in the French army under the Bourbons, fought in the American Revolutionary War, rose in rank to become a general officer during the French Revolutionary Wars, took part in the 1796 Italian campaign under Napoleon Bonaparte, and held military posts during the...
, Ameil, d'Andlau, d'Astorg, Auvray, Caffarelli
Caffarelli
Gaetano Majorano was an Italian castrato and opera singer, who took his stage name Caffarelli from Domenico Caffaro, his patron. Like Farinelli, Caffarelli was a student of Nicola Porpora.-Early life and training:...
, Christophe, Daru
Daru
Daru is the capital of the Western Province of Papua New Guinea. The township is entirely located on an island that goes by the same name, which is located near the mouth of the Fly River on the western side of the Gulf, just north of Torres Strait and Far North Queensland...
, Dein, Dubois, Eblé, Evain, Fabvier, Fain, Géloes, Gourgaud, Guerrier de Dumast, Hamelin
Hamelin
Hamelin is a town on the river Weser in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Hamelin-Pyrmont and has a population of 58,696 ....
, Hottinguer, Laffitte, Lefebvre
Lefebvre
Lefebvre is a common northern French surname. It is also spelled Lefèvre, LeFebvre, LeFèvre, and is used in the related forms Lefeuvre , Lefébure ....
, Lepic
Louis Lepic
Louis Lepic, count, was a French commander of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, who eventually rose to the rank of général de division and held the prestigious command of the Grenadiers à Cheval de la Garde Impériale, the senior heavy cavalry regiment of the Imperial Guard.-Early...
, Méquet, Mallet
Mallet
A mallet is a kind of hammer, usually of rubber,or sometimes wood smaller than a maul or beetle and usually with a relatively large head.-Tools:Tool mallets come in different types, the most common of which are:...
, Marbot
Marbot
The Marbot family originated from the province of Quercy, near what is now the department of Corrèze in south-western France. It is of noble origin, although its members do not precede their names with any title.-History:...
, Martin de Lagarde, Massias, Nérin, Nicolas, Parmentier, Petiet, Pinoteau, Portalis, Rey, Rippert, Roederer
Pierre Louis Roederer
Comte Pierre Louis Roederer was a French politician, economist, and historian, politically active in the era of the French Revolution and First French Republic...
, de Saint-Didier, de Saint-Geniès, de Saizieu, Salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
, de Saluce, Seillère, Testot-Ferry
Claude Testot-Ferry
Général Baron Claude Testot-Ferry was a cavalry veteran of the armies of the First French Republic, First French Empire and Bourbon Restoration.-Origins:...
, Thiry, de Villeneuve.
Knights
The title of knight also went in front of the name, there was an obligation to have an income of at least 3,000 francs and a majoratMajorat
Majorat is the right of succession to property according to age . A majorat would be inherited by the oldest son, or if there was no son, the nearest relative. This law existed in some of the European countries and was designed to prevent the distribution of wealthy estates between many members of...
on the land generating the income was not obligatory.
All the knights of légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
received the title of chevalier d'Empire or knight of Empire, but there had to be three generations of successive knights for the title to become hereditary. Between 1808 and 1814, 1600 titles of knight were created.