Louis, Duke of Rohan

Louis de Rohan-Chabot (3 November 1652 – 17 August 1727) was a member of the House of Rohan-Chabot and Duke of Rohan. He married an heiress and acted as Louis XIV's representative in Brittany. He was styled as the Prince of Léon prior to becoming Duke of Rohan. His direct descendant is today's Josselin de Rohan (born 5 June 1938), a member of the Senate of France, representing the Morbihan department.

Biography

Early life and family

Born at the Hôtel de la rue du Temple in Paris, to Henri Chabot and his wife Marguerite de Rohan, Louis was the fifth of six children and their only surviving son^[2] His parents' marriage had caused a scandal; his mother Marguerite was a Foreign Princess as a member of the House of Rohan,^[3] and her wedding plans had caused Louis XIV to issue a decree that she was permitted to marry Henri and still hold her high rank at court.

Henri's family were allowed to bear the name of Rohan-Chabot, the hyphenation of his maternal and paternal family names.^[4]

Around 1700, Louis was at Court. The Guéméné branch of the House of Rohan wanted him to abandon the name and coat-or-arms of his mother's family. However, King Louis XIV confirmed his rights to the name, title and coat-or-arms, to which his father had been entitled since 19 September 1646, part of his parents' marriage contract.

Louis was close to his older sister Anne de Rohan-Chabot, future Princess of Soubise and mistress of Louis XIV. His youngest sister, Jeanne Pelagie, married the Prince of Epinoy, the paternal grandfather of Louis de Melun and Anne Julie de Melun, a future Princess of Soubise.^[5] Louis' nephews included Hercule Mériadec, Duke of Rohan-Rohan and the Cardinal de Soubise. Louis' godparents were the infant Louis XIV and the infant's mother Anne of Austria, Queen Regent.^[1]

Wealth

Louis was very rich, with an annual income of 50,000 ecus, but he was a miser and greedy.^[1] His greed caused him to fall out with his sister Anne, which led to bad relations with the king himself.

Military service

Louis campaigned in Flanders in 1667, and in the same year he became head of the nobility in Brittany and was the king's representative there. He was also involved in sieges at Tournai, Douai, and Lille.

Marriage

He married Marie Élisabeth de Bec-Crespin de Grimaldi, marquise de Vardes, a granddaughter of Jacqueline de Bueil, mistress of King Henri IV. Louis and Marie Élisabeth were married on 18 July 1678 at the Château de Saint-Cloud, residence of Philippe de France, Monsieur (brother of Louis XIV) and his wife Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate, Madame.

His wife brought a considerable dowry. She was the sole heiress of her father, François René du Bec-Crespin, marquis de Vardes, comte de Moret, and Catherine Nicolaï, marquise de Goussainville. Louis and Jacqueline had 11 children, of which two sons and a daughter would go on to have progeny.

Death

Louis died in Paris on 17 August 1727, aged 74. He was buried at the Château de Blain. Marie Élisabeth survived him until 27 March 1743, when she, too, died in Paris, aged 81.

Issue

• Louis Bretagne Alain de Rohan-Chabot, Duke Rohan, Prince of Léon (26 September 1679 – 10 August 1738) married Françoise de Roquelaure (daughter of Antoine Gaston de Roquelaure) and had issue;
• Marie Marguerite Françoise de Rohan-Chabot, Mademoiselle de Rohan (25 December 1680 – 28 January 1706) married Louis Pierre Engelbert de La Marck, Count of Schleiden
• Anne Henriette Charlotte de Rohan-Chabot, Mademoiselle de Léon (18 June 1682 – 12 May 1751) married Alphonse Dominique François de Berghes, 2nd Prince of Grimberghen, no issue;
• Guy Auguste de Rohan-Chabot, Count of Maillé-Seizploue (18 August 1683 – 13 September 1760) married Yvonne Sylvie du Breil de Rays and had issue; married again to Mary Apolonia Scolastica Stafford-Howard, had no issue;
• Charlotte de Rohan-Chabot, Mademoiselle de Porhoëtt (c.1684 – Jun 1710) never married;
• Françoise Gabrielle de Rohan-Chabot (5 October 1685 – ?) never married;
• Charles Annibal de Rohan-Chabot, Count of Jarnac (14 June 1687 – 5 November 1762) married Henriette Charlotte Chabot, suo jure Countess of Jarnac, no issue;
• Julie Victoire de Rohan-Chabot (3 December 1688 – 10 October 1730) never married;
• Constance Eléonore de Rohan-Chabot (14 February 1691 – 1733) never married;
• Marie Armande de Rohan-Chabot (4 October 1692 – 29 January 1742) never married;
• Marie Louise de Rohan-Chabot (24 October 1697 – ?) never married.

Ancestry

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

• 3 November 1652 – 27 February 1655 His Highness the Prince of Léon
• 27 February 1655 – 17 August 1727 His Highness the Duke of Rohan

References and notes