David-Louis Constant de Rebecque

David-Louis Constant d'Hermenches 1780 as Maréchal de camp of Île de Ré portrait in 'Musée des Suisses dans le monde' in Pregny-Chambésy.

David-Louis, Baron de Constant de Rebecque, seigneur d'Hermenches and Villars-Mendraz, a.k.a. David-Louis Constant d'Hermenches (17 November 1722 in Lausanne 25 February 1785 in Paris) was a colonel and commandant of a Swiss regiment in the Dutch Republic and Maréchal de camp in French service with Swiss regiments. He is also known for his contact with Voltaire and his correspondence with Isabelle de Charrière.

Early life

He was the eldest son of Samuel Constant de Rebecque (1676–1756) and his wife, Rose Suzanne née de Saussure de Bercher (1698–1782).[1] His father became member of the Dutch States Army in 1699. Later he started a small Swiss regiment in the Dutch States Army. He bought the seignories Hermenches in 1725 and Villars-Mendraz in 1753.

Career

Constant d'Hermenches started in the regiment of his father in 1738. They fought at the battle of Fontenoy, where Constant d'Hermenches was wounded. He covered the scar above his left eye with a black band across his forehead. He entered an arranged marriage in 1744 with the daughter of the mayor of Lausanne Louise Anna Jeanne Françoise de Seigneux (1715–1772). In The Hague in 1750 they had a son Guillaume Anne de Constant Rebecque de Villars with as godparents William IV, Prince of Orange and his wife Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange.

He kept up a long correspondence (1760-1776) with Isabelle van Tuyll van Serooskerken, the future Isabelle de Charrière.

Family

David-Louis Constant de Rebecque (1722-1785)

From is first marriage to Louise Anna Jeanne Françoise de Seigneux (1715-1772):

In 1776 he remarried Marie Catherine Philippine de Préseau, née Taisnes de Rémonval (1743-1779). From this marriage:

Works and correspondences

References

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