The History of HRH Colin Edward the Prince of Saintonge

Recently Prince C. Edward Saintonge was appointed the Ambassador to the Order of The International Court of Nobility

Established in 1793

www.courtofnobility.org

Prince de Saintonge in South West France

The Tonge family were present at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 with William The Conqueror. Along with many mercenaries that came over with William the Conqueror. One of the first recorded names of the Tonge family was from 1066, as over the years the name has been known as Tong, Tongs, Tongue, Tonge. Tunge.  

The     name     originated     from     South     West     France     Saintonge 

(Saintonge French pronunciation, historically spelled Xaintonge and Xainctonge. Once governed by Princes. Since the invasion in 1066, England and France were constantly at war with each other for centuries. Descendants of William the Conqueror’s army settled in England would often change their name to hide their French ancestral origin. During the Medieval period surnames were uncommon, mostly your town of origin was used like a surname.

Example:

John of  Saintonge  became  JOHN  SAINTONGE

John the Blacksmith became John Smith.

During such times, few people could read and write, only Monks and Government Officials. In various documents, officials would spell a name how it sounded, this led to all different spellings of the same name. During the medieval period noble families with titles were fighting to defend their lands and status, if they lost to an attacking force, they were given the choice of recognising the victor as their new leader and superior or facing death. Most chose to save their lives. 

This resulted in many Princes, Dukes, Marquises, Counts and Barons losing their titles throughout the medieval period through regime changes. A de-throned Prince or any de-throned Titled person would often change their name through shame.

Today under the Republic of France nobility is forbidden, due to the French revolution, however the French government do recognise and allow the use of bygone Titles of a noble family name “TITLED NAMES” with appropriate Coats of Arms showing their Titles through heraldic symbols. 

In short, if you are descendant from Princes in Saintonge it is still legal to use such a “TITLED NAME” with a Coat of Arms in France. French Princes had “Fons Honorum” (the right to grant Titles), therefore, the current descendant of the Princes of Saintonge by ancestral heritage has the right to grant titles.

Recorded English history of the Tonge family

As early as 1188 Wluricus Tunge was recorded in the Domesday Book as a resident of Suffolk. As time progressed the family progressed through Suffolk, Kent, Hampshire and to the northern parts of the UK. A great majority of the family settling in the County of Hampshire, and at the mid part of the 1800’s part of the Tonge/Tongs family extended itself to the Island of Guernsey, Channel Islands, where Victor Hugo was to become exiled from France in 1855 and spent 15 years in the Island and provided the inspiration for Les Misérables and Toilers of the Sea, which we believe a Tongs was part of the cast.  The Tongs family and as early as the 1900’s Lillian Tongs, changed her name to Lillian Tonge, most likely as to what it was originally.  Philipp Tonge a great friend of Noel Coward an actor in London who went on to appear in many Hollywood films in the 1950's.

The Tongs family in Guernsey became known for their craft of the making of fishing creels, baskets, bird cages, chairs and anything that could be made from wicker or cane. The business in Guernsey ceased in 1958, after over 100 years, when Alfred Tongs, died on the Island of Guernsey after being established in the mid 1800’s by his father John William Jaz Tongs born in Romsey, Hampshire. However, the business continued in Southampton at Orchard Lane, where it flourished up to about the 1980's. During the 60's the present Prince C. Edward de Saintonge joined the Royal Corp of Signals of the British Army and was stationed in East Yorkshire, Beverley. He was invited to join the British Exploring Society as Radio Operator and accompanied David the Earl of Winchelsea on this expedition, whose Chief Leader was Major T.D Stroud.

See:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Exploring_Society

Later, Prince Colin Edward was posted to West Germany, then later to East Africa, Nairobi. Then his regiment the 24^th Flying Brigade in Nairobi were dispatched to Aden in Southern Arabia where the war continues to this day. Ever since the British occupied Aden in 1839, British troops were subjected to attacks and from an early time up and until 1962, Britain was engaged in a conflict in the protectorate. 

Post military honourable discharge, Prince Colin Edward de Saintonge returned to Guernsey, and eventually immigrated to South Africa, where in a relatively short time became a millionaire in property development. In 1972 – 78 the South Africa economy suffered due to the pending freedom cause, exacerbated by terrorism and eventual freedom in the early 1990’s. In 1978, Prince Edward travelled to the United States, and commenced another property company and built several communities one of which was St. James Park near Disney World in Florida.  Meeting a former Governor of Florida, who was a frequent visitor to St. James’s Park, Governor Claude Kirk, introduced Prince de Saintonge into the politics of the USA, and in 1987 he became an adviser to Congress under President Ronald Reagan, he also became a member of the American Security Council’s National Advisory Board.

Prince Tonge has many honours awarded him, one of which was a Knighthood from the Portuguese

Government, the Order of Henry the Navigator.  Recognition awards from the US government. Many of his awards cannot be discussed due to the classified nature of his work resulting in such awards. Prince Edward De Saintonge historical background is Diplomatic together with property related businesses. Whilst he is a Prince by ancestral descendance, he is a very private person who has allowed our company to promote granted titles by him based on disclosure of identity only to title purchasers. The title has been confirmed by the Order of the International Court of Nobility (established in the year anno domini 1793)  www.courtofnobility.org

Provenance Researched by:

The Lord Graham, Barron Fothergill

At London this 23 day of September 2018.

The award of Henry The Navigator