THE HISTORY OF SAINTONGE AND NOBILITY
The Chateaux SAINTONGE
In the 15thand 16thcenturies, the Mortemart branch of the family dominated their region, providing successive bishops of Saintes (capital of Saintonge), and captains and governors of many towns, including the important seaport of La Rochelle. They were close to the royal family and prominent at court: a second son, Louis, Seigneur de Montpipeau (d. 1566), joined the household of Francis I and was appointed a Gentleman of the Chamber, Pantler of the King (head of the kitchens), and ultimately the extremely influential position of Governor of the Royal Children de France. Unlike many noble grandees of this area, they did not become Protestants and remained close to the Crown, René de Rochechouart, Baron de Mortemart, serving as a royal commander in most of the campaigns of the Wars of Religion.René de Rochechouart, Baron de Mortemart. They continued to acquire feudal lands, and began to augment their status by playing up their semi-mythical princely origins by adopting the title ‘Prince of Tonnay-Charente’. There was in fact no principality of Tonnay-Charente, and the princely title—like others assumed in this period by noble families of this region, like the La Rochefoucaulds at nearby Marcillac, or Mortagne for the Richelieu family—was never formally created, and entailed no special juridical or legal privileges, but was tolerated by French monarchs who understood that the more glittering titles worn by (loyal) members of their court, the brighter the sparkle to foreign visitors. The coat-of-arms adopted by the Mortemart branch also flaunted their semi-royal status, quartering the Rochechaourt arms with those of the Visconti of Milan, the dukes of Brittany and the kings of Navarre.
Although the Palace of Saitntomge does not exist anymore, we are searching for a suitable property in France or possibly Portugal to reinstate a new dynasty for the family's Palace.
GENERAL
What happened to the nobles after the French Revolution?
Table of Contents
1. What happened to the nobles after the French Revolution?
2. Are there any nobles left?
3. Can an American citizen have a title of nobility?
4. Were all aristocrats killed in the French Revolution?
The French Revolution abolished all titles of nobility. It also executed large numbers of the noble class though not all. When he became Emperor, Napoleon created a new group of Noble titles. After the final Bourbon restoration in 1815, many of Napoleon’s creations were honored by King Louis XVIII to keep the peace.
Can nobility be removed?
Revocation of nobility is the removal of the noble status of a person. This was accompanied by various edicts which declared certain elements of the outfit (heraldry, armaments, decorations, etc.) to be permitted only for nobility.
When was the nobility abolished?
The National Constituent Assembly, acting on the night of 4 August 1789, announced, “The National Assembly abolishes the feudal system entirely.” It abolished both the seigneurial rights of the Second Estate (the nobility) and the tithes gathered by the First Estate (the Catholic clergy).
Are there any nobles left?
In fact, in sheer numbers there may be more nobles today than there were before the Revolution. “We reckon there are 4,000 families today that can call themselves noble. True, at the Revolution there were 12,000 families.
What happened to the French nobles? Nobility and tittles of nobility were abolished in 1848 during the French Revolution of 1848, but hereditary titles were restored by decree in 1852 by decree of the emperor Napoleon III.
When was nobility abolished? 19 June 1790. The major principle underlying the 4 August decree found legislative expression in the decree of 19 June 1790, which legally abolished the nobility, all its privileges, and, as the excerpt demonstrates, those aspects that seemed particularly contrary to reason.Can an American citizen have a title of nobility? No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.
How many nobles died in the French Revolution?
85 per cent of those guillotined were commoners rather than nobles – Robespierre denounced ‘the bourgeoisie’ in June 1793 – but in proportion to their number, nobles and clergy suffered most. Some 1,200 nobles were executed.
Does the UK still have nobles?
According to a 2010 report for Country Life, a third of Britain’s land still belongs to the aristocracy. Notwithstanding the extinction of some titles and the sales of land early in the 20th century, the lists of major aristocratic landowners in 1872 and in 2001 remain remarkably similar.
Were all aristocrats killed in the French Revolution?
False. Though nobility was abolished in June 1790 it was never illegal to have been a noble. Some high-profile nobles did die, and many more came under suspicion. Those who fled the country, and became émigrés were subject to execution if they returned. Courtesy Historic Society.
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STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION