 | This article is largely based on an article in the out-of-copyright Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, which was produced in 1911.(March 2016) |
The Durfort family is an old French noble family, distinguished in French and English history. It originated as feudal lords of Durfort, Tarn, a village of south-western France. [1]
Though earlier lords are known, the pedigree of the family is only clearly traceable to
The greatness of the family dates, however, from the 17th century.
The family of Durfort was later represented in France by the branch of Durfort-Civrac, dating from the 16th century.
Louis de Rouvroy, duc de Saint-Simon, GE, was a French soldier, diplomat, and memoirist. He was born in Paris at the Hôtel Selvois, 6 rue Taranne. The family's ducal peerage (duché-pairie), granted in 1635 to his father Claude de Rouvroy (1608–1693), served as both perspective and theme in Saint-Simon's life and writings. He was the second and last Duke of Saint-Simon.
Marshal of France is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished (1793–1804) and for a period dormant (1870–1916). It was one of the Great Officers of the Crown of France during the Ancien Régime and Bourbon Restoration, and one of the Grand Dignitaries of the Empire during the First French Empire.
The House of Aumont is an ancient French noble house which takes its name from Aumont, a small commune in the department of the Somme. The dukedom of Aumont in the peerage of France was created in 1665 for Antoine d'Aumont de Rochebaron (1601–1669), Marquis of Isles. For over two centuries, the Dukes of Aumont held the position of First Gentleman of the Bedchamber to the king.
Jacques Henri de Durfort, 1st Duke of Duras was Marshal of France.
Guy Aldonce de Durfort, 1st Duke of Lorges, Marshal of France, (1630–1702) fought in the Franco-Dutch War mostly on the Rhine under his uncle Marshal Turenne, but in 1673 he was seconded to the Siege of Maastricht. Back on the Rhine, he fought at Entzheim in 1674, at Turckheim in January 1675, and at Sasbach in July 1675, where Turenne fell. He distinguished himself at the retreat from Sasbach and the ensuing Battle of Altenheim.
Angélique Victoire de Durfort-Civrac, Countess of Chastellux, was a French courtier. She served as dame d'honneur to Madame Victoire, daughter of King Louis XV, from 1786 to 1799.
The Gardes du Corps du Roi was the senior formation of the King of France's household cavalry within the maison militaire du roi de France.
A Colonel General was an officer of the French army during the Ancien Régime, the French Revolution, the Napoleonic era and the Bourbon Restoration.
The title of Duke of La Force, Peer of France, in the peerage of France, was created in 1637 for members of the Caumont family, who were lords of the village of La Force in the Dordogne region.
Colonel Louis de Duras, 2nd Earl of Feversham, KG was a French, naturalised English, officer and peer. Born in the Kingdom of France, he was marquis de Blanquefort and sixth son of Guy Aldonce, Marquis of Duras and Count of Rozan, from the noble Durfort family. His mother was Elizabeth de la Tour d'Auvergne, the sister of one of the greatest military commanders in history Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne, Viscount of Turenne. His two brothers Jacques Henri and Guy Aldonce were both appointed as Marshal of France. He was a Huguenot.
Jean-Antoine de Mesmes, comte d'Avaux (1661–1723) was a premier president of the Parlement of Paris and member of the Académie française. As premier president he presided at the rescinding of the will of Louis XIV and in 1720 at the remonstrance against the regent, Philippe of Orléans, for allowing Law's disastrous financial scheme and appointing Guillaume Dubois as archbishop of Cambrai.
Jean Bretagne Charles de La Trémoille, 8th Duke of Thouars, 8th Duke of Thouars, was a French soldier and the son of Charles Armand René de La Trémoille and his wife, Marie Hortense de La Tour d'Auvergne.
Emmanuel Félicité de Durfort, duc de Duras was a French politician, diplomat, peer, marshal and Freemason.
Louis Charles Pierre Casimir de Blacas d'Aulps, 2nd Duke of Blacas, 2nd Prince of Blacas was a French nobleman and antiquarian.
Louis de Pardaillan de Gondrin, Duke of Antin, was a French courtier, freemason and male-line great-grandson of Madame de Montespan.
Guy Michel de Durfort, 2nd Duke of Lorges was a French general and nobleman. He was duke of Lorges and duke of Randan and was made a marshal of France in 1768.
Gaillard II de Durfort, Lord of Duras, Blanquefort, and Villandraut, and Seneschal of Gascony, was a 13th-14th century Gascon nobleman of the Durfort family.
Jean Baptiste de Durfort, duc de Duras was a French nobleman as duc de Duras and was created a Marshal of France while also having the additional rank of a Peer of France.
The land of Lorges, located in Lorges (Loir-et-Cher) in the Canton of La Beauce, was, under the Ancien régime, a seigneury then a county and a duchy, having belonged to the Montgomery family then to the House of Durfort.