House of Roquefeuil-Blanquefort

Last updated
de Roquefeuil-Blanquefort Family
Roquefeuil Bouquet & Montpeyroux.svg
CountryFrance
Founded1393;632 years ago (1393)
FounderJean de Blanquefort
TitlesMarquess du Bousquet
MottoHonour me resto, resto m'a basto!
Cadet branchesRoquefeuil du Bousquet
Roquefeuil Montpeyroux
Roquefeuil Cahuzac

The House of Roquefeuil-Blanquefort is an old French noble family originating in the late 14th century through the union of the Roquefeuil and Blanquefort families. Proven filiation began in 1393 when Jean of Blanquefort married Catherine de Roquefeuil. [1] Established in the region of Rouergue and Guyenne, the family gained prominence through military leadership, naval service, and regional governance. Notably, they are associated with the construction of the Château de Bonaguil, one of the last and largest medieval fortresses in France. Over the centuries, members of the family have held high-ranking positions such as vice-admirals of France, governors, and royal chamberlains, and their noble status was confirmed multiple times during the Ancien Régime. The Roquefeuil-Blanquefort family is a member of the Society of the Cincinnati.

Contents

Origin

The House of Roquefeuil-Blanquefort originated in 1380 from the marriage of Jean de Blanquefort, lord of Blanquefort, and Catherine de Roquefeuil-Anduze, daughter and heiress of Arnaud IV de Roquefeuil-Anduze. Their son, Antoine de Roquefeuil, took his mother's surname, founding the Roquefeuil-Blanquefort branch, which combined the heritage and titles of both families. [1]

According to genealogist Aubert de La Chesnaye-Desbois, Jean de Blanquefort may have descended from a younger son of the Roquefeuil family who acquired the lordship of Blanquefort; however, this remains unproven due to the existence of several lordships named Blanquefort in the Guyenne region. Louis de La Roque noted in 1879 that the multiplicity of lordships called Blanquefort complicates precise determination of the family's origins [2] ,. [3]

History

The eldest branch of the family is notably associated with Bérenger, lord of Roquefeuil and Blanquefort, who initiated the construction of the Château de Bonaguil in the late 15th century. The castle, completed after more than forty years of construction, is considered the last and largest medieval fortress built in France. It exemplifies the military architecture of the time and symbolizes the power and influence of the family in the region [4] ,. [5]

A cadet branch was founded by Antoine de Roquefeuil, brother of Jean II de Roquefeuil. This branch took the surname of Roquefeuil-Padies and later Roquefeuil du Bousquet or Roquefeuil-Montpeyroux and distinguished itself in naval service. Prominent members include Jacques Aymar de Roquefeuil, hereditary governor of Rodez and lieutenant general of the French Navy, and Aymar Joseph de Roquefeuil, governor of Brest and vice-admiral of France commanding the Levant Fleet [6] ,. [2]

The Cahuzac branch produced Camille de Roquefeuil, a naval officer and governor of Réunion Island, credited with completing the first circumnavigation of the globe after the French Revolution.

Branches

Eldest branch (extinct):

Branches of Padiès, Bousquet and Montpeyroux:

Castle du Bousquet Le chateau du Bousquet.jpg
Castle du Bousquet

This cadet branch was created by Antoine de Roquefeuil, brother of Jean II de Roquefeuil and became the main branch after Antoine-Alexandre de Roquefeuil's death. Settled in Montpeyroux the branch owned the castle du Bousquet and included several officers and sailors.

Pierre de Roquefeuil-Montpeyroux took part in the American Revolutionary War through the battle of Ushant and the battle of the Saintes. He was member of the Society of the Cincinnati with two of his cousins.

Branch of Cahuzac :

Ancestry from Roquefeuil to the Rockefeller family are suggested, via Goddard Rockenfeller (born 1590) [8]

Titles and honors

The family was granted the title of Marquis in 1618.

During the Ancien Régime, family members held prestigious positions such as

Also, they also achieved military ranks including:

The noble status of the Roquefeuil-Blanquefort family was officially confirmed multiple times: in Languedoc in 1701, in Guyenne in 1704, and again in Guyenne in 1786. These confirmations were based on documentation proving noble lineage dating back to the early 15th century. [9] [10]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Grand Armorial de France Supplément (PDF) (in French). Vol. 6. Paris: Société du Grand Armorial de France. 1948. p. 58.
  2. 1 2 François-Alexandre Aubert de La Chesnaye Des Bois (1761). Dictionnaire généalogique. Duchesne. p. 638 - 645. Retrieved 2025-04-07.
  3. ↑ Louis de La Roque (1879). Bulletin de la Société héraldique et genéalogique de France . Retrieved 2025-04-07.
  4. ↑ Émile Auguste Bégin, Biographie de la Moselle, vol. 2, Metz, 1862, pp. 281–283.
  5. ↑ Collectif; Auzias, Dominique; Labourdette, Jean-Paul (2011-04-20). Les 100 plus beaux châteaux de France 2011 (in French). Petit Futé. ISBN   978-2-7469-3914-1.
  6. ↑ Émile Auguste Bégin, ibid.
  7. ↑ Hippolyte de Barrau, Documents historiques et généalogiques sur les familles et les hommes remarquables du Rouergue, tome I, 1853, page 682 à 692.
  8. ↑ Times, By Israel Shenker; Special to The New York (1977-02-12). "Rockefeller Archive Contains a Wealth on Wealth". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2019-12-18.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ↑ Antoine Bonal de Ganges, Recherches sur la noblesse de Languedoc, 1879, pp. 104–105.
  10. ↑ Archives Départementales de la Dordogne, references 1E 64/36, 1E 64/39.

Bibliography

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