The title of Duke de La Rochefoucauld is a French peerage, from the great House La Rochefoucauld, cadets of an ancient House of Lusignan, whose origins go back to Lord Rochefoucauld in Charente in the 10th century with Foucauld 1st (973–1047), first Lord of La Roche then La Rochefoucauld, possibly son of Adémar, Lord of La Roche (952–1037). They got the title of Baron in the 13th century, then became Count in 1528 with François I de La Rochefoucauld, godfather of King François I and in 1622, François V de La Rochefoucauld, whose son François VI was a leading figure of La Fronde and the author of the Maxims, was made Duke by Louis XIII. They are also, since 16th century, Prince of Marcillac. Then they become during the 18th century: Duke of Liancourt (François XII, eminent philanthropist, saying to Louis XVI: “Sir, it’s not a revolt, it’s a revolution”), Duke of Enville and Duke of Estissac. Afterwards: Prince de La Rochefoucauld-Montbel, Duke of Doudeauville, Duke of Estrées and Duke of Bisaccia. They are also: Marquises of Montendre, of Barbezieux, of Surgères and Bayers; also Count de Duretal, Count de La Rochefoucauld-Montbel and Baron de Verteuil. They were: Blessed of the Catholic Church (the two brothers bishops massacred together at the French Revolution: Pierre-Louis and François-Joseph de La Rochefoucauld-Bayers), cardinals (François, Dominique, …), bishops, grand maîtres de la garde-robe and Grand Huntsman of France, chambellans, ministers, lieutenants general of the armies, UK field marshal, Denmark marshal, ambassadors, grand hospitaller of the Order of Malta, presidents and founders of multiple clubs (jockey club, polo, …). Many of them were elevated in the Order of the Légion d'Honneur and around 40 of them were/are members of the Sovereign Order of Malta (including 10 nowadays). The castle of La Rochefoucauld has been in the family since the 10th century. The La Rochefoucauld-Montbel owned the Lascaux caves at the moment of their discovery and are closely linked to the Pellevoisin sanctuary (holy Mary apparitions) in France.

Origins of the name

Authors have advanced, but without evidence, that the first member of this family, Adémar, known as Amaury or Esmerin, by Viscounty of Limoges, or the son of the lord Hugh I of Lusignan. This latter hypothesis could be reinforced by the armorial bearings of the family. The work of André Debord leaves it to the house of Montbron in the 12th century. The seigniory (lordship) of La Roche was originally a barony in the 13th century. The descendants of Foucauld I de La Roche and of Jarsande, united their name Foucauld.

Lords then Barons of La Rochefoucauld (10th–15th centuries)

1st House of La Rochefoucauld: Lords of La Roche

2nd House of La Rochefoucauld: Lords of Marthon

Counts of La Rochefoucauld (and Princes of Marcillac) (16th century)

In April 1528, King Francis I gave his godfather, François I de La Rochefoucauld (son of Jean I de La Rochefoucauld), the title of Count of La Rochefoucauld.

Dukes of La Rochefoucauld (17th–21st centuries)

Elder branch

On 22 April 1622, King Louis XIII raised the Count of La Rochefoucauld into a Duchy-peerage as the Duke of La Rochefoucauld.

Roye branch

This branch was founded by Charles de La Rochefoucauld, known as de Roye (d. 1605), younger son of François III de La Rochefoucauld, Count of La Rochefoucauld, and Charlotte de Roye, Countess of Roucy.

Dukes of Enville (1732), then Duke of La Rochefoucauld (1762)

Dukes of Estissac (1737), Dukes of Liancourt (1765), then Dukes of La Rochefoucauld (1792)

Dukes of Estissac (since 1839)/ Prince de La Rochefoucauld-Montbel

This branch comes from the younger branch of the Counts of Roye. Louis François Armand de la Rochefoucauld Count of Roye was created Duke with a patent (non-hereditary) in 1737 and called Duke of Estissac. His grandson, Alexandre François de la Rochefoucauld (1761–1841), Count of the Empire, Ambassador for the Emperor, and brother of the Duke of La Rochefoucauld (of the Restoration) received the Duchy of Estissac from his elder brother in May 1839. His son, Alexandre Jules de La Rochefoucauld (1796–1856), was authorized by royal decree of 2 July 1840 to take the title of Duke of Estissac, however, this order was not followed by letters patent. Bernard de La Rochefoucauld (1922–2017), co-founder of the La Boétie Institute, former honorary president of the Institut Montaigne and former mayor of Ingrannes comes from this branch.

Branch La Rochefoucauld-Montbel, counts de La Rochefoucauld and princes (Bavaria 1909)

Dukes of Roche-Guyon (1679–1762)

François VIII de La Rochefoucauld (1663–1728) was created Duke of La Roche-Guyon by letters of November 1679. The 1st Duchy-peerage of La Rochefoucauld and, the title of Duke of La Roche-Guyon, died out in 1762 with Alexandre, 5th Duke of La Rochefoucauld and 2nd Duke of La Roche-Guyon, who had only two daughters who married their cousins from the branch of the Counts of Roye and Roucy.

Dukes of La Roche-Guyon (courtesy title) (19th–21st centuries)

Alfred de La Rochefoucauld (1819–1883), a cadet branch from the cadet branch of Roye, took over motu proprio in the 19th century, without letters of confirmation, the title of Duke of La Roche-Guyon which had extinguished in 1762. This courtesy title of "Duke of La Roche-Guyon" has been borne by his descendants ever since. Count Bernard de La Rochefoucauld, the director Jean-Dominique de La Rochefoucauld (1931–2011) and his daughters Sophie (b. 1965) and Claire (b. 1972) come from this branch.

Marquises of Montendre and Surgères

These branches were formed by Louis de La Rochefoucauld, Lord of Montendre, Montguyon, Roissac and des Salles, who was a younger son of François I de La Rochefoucauld, comte de La Rochefoucauld (d. 1541), by his second marriage Barbe du Bois. He married Jacquette de Mortemer in 1534. His son was François de La Rochefoucauld (d. 1600), Lord of Montguyon, Baron of Montendre, who married Hélène de Goulard (only daughter and heiress of Egmond Goulard, Lord of Marsay). His son, Isaac de La Rochefoucauld (d. c. 1626), Lord of Montguyon, Baron of Montendre, married Hélène de Fonsèque (daughter of Charles de Fonsèque, Lord of Surgères) in 1600. Among others, they were the parents of Charles, progenitor of the Montendre branch and François, progenitor of the Surgères branch.

Marquis of Montendre

Marquis of Surgères

Dukes of Doudeaville (1782–1995), of Bisaccia (1851–1995), and of Estrées (1892–1907)

The title Duke of Doudeauville (Duc de Doudeauville) was created for Ambroise-Polycarpe, 6th Marquis of Surgères (premier Baron of the Boulonnais), in 1780 by King Louis XVI in the Peerage of France. It was also created in 1782 by Charles III in the Kingdom of Spain (through his wife as heir to the title of Duke of Doudeauville of the Le Tellier de Courtanvaux family), granting him the Rank of Grandee of Spain, 1st Class. The title was recognized by the peerage ordinance of 4 June 1814; a Hereditary peer of France on 19 August 1815, Hereditary Duke-Peer on 31 August 1817 by King Louis XVIII during his 2nd reign. The title became extinct in 1995 upon the death of the 7th Duke. The Duke of Bisaccia (Duca di Bisaccia) title was created for Sosthènes II on 16 May 1851 by King Ferdinand II in the peerage of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (second creation; through his grandmother's family, the Montmorency-Lavals). Inscription among the Bavarian nobility as Princes under the title Duke of Bisaccia (Herzog von Bisaccia), on 24 November 1855 by King Maximilian II. It also became extinct in 1995. The designation of the title of Duke of Doudeauville was changed to Duke of Estrées in Spain in 1893 by King Alfonso XIII when it was transferred to Sosthènes II's second son, Charles, but became extinct upon the Duke's death, without male issue, in 1907.

Marquis of Bayers; Baron of La Rochefoucauld-Bayers (1817)

This branch was originated by Geoffroy de La Rochefoucauld, Lord of Verteuil (d. c. 1329) from whom descended Guillaume de La Rochefoucauld, Lord of Nouans (d. c. 1487). One of his sons, Guillaume de La Rochefoucauld (d. c. 1512) founded the branch by Bayers building the Château de Bayers becoming Lord of Bayers (Seigneur de Bayers). His descendant, Louis-Antoine de La Rochefoucauld-Bayers, obtained the title, Marquis of Bayers. The male line of this branch became extinct in 1940 upon the death of Raoul-Gustave de La Rochefoucauld, Marquis of Bayers (1845–1940), who died without issue from his marriage to Elisabeth de Griffon-Sénéjac. The female line ended with Victoria de La Rochefoucauld-Bayers (1880-1950), the daughter of a cousin of Raoul-Gustave, who died unmarried in 1950.

Armorial