François de Nicolay
Encyclopedia
Count François de Nicolay (31 August 1919 - 21 November 1963) was a member of the House of Nicolay in France who was a farm manager, arboriculturist, and a politician who was elected to the Senate of France.
Part of the French nobility
, he was born in the town of Le Lude
in the Sarthe
department of France
, a descendant of the Talhouët family. His grandfather was the mayor of Le Lude for more than fifty years. His great-uncle, Augustus Talhouët, owner of the Château du Lude
, served as Minister of Public Works
in the Second French Empire
, and was a Senator for Sarthe between 1876 and 1882.
After graduating from the ESSEC Business school
in Paris, François de Nicolay remained in the city where he went to work as an executive with the women's magazine, Femmes d'aujourd'hui. At the outbreak of World War II
, he joined the French military
and served until the Armistice
was signed and the German Occupation began. Back home in Le Lude, he oversaw forestry and farming operations which included the breeding of Thoroughbred
horses.
of Sarthe and was its President in 1952 and 1958.
In 1959, François de Nicolay was elected to the Senate of France as an Independent Republican
. Among his responsibilities, he served on the Committee for Foreign Affairs, Defense and Armed Forces. While still in office, he died at age forty-four in 1963 as a result of a traffic accident. The Avenue François-de-Nicolay in Sablé-sur-Sarthe
and Place François de Nicolay in Le Lude are named in his memory.
baron Egmont Van Zuylen van Nyevelt, who owned De Haar Castle
in Haarzuilens
. Marie-Hélène van Zuylen van Nijevelt was also a descendent of the Rothschild family
(the grand-daughter of Salomon James de Rothschild). François and Marie-Hélène had one son and heir (before their marriage was dissolved in 1956): Count Philippe de Nicolay, who is a director of Paris Orleans PA, a French investment bank belonging to the Rothschild family. Count Philippe de Nicolay (b. 1955) married Princess Sophie de Ligne, the daughter of Belgium's
Antoine, Prince of Ligne
.
Part of the French nobility
French nobility
The French nobility was the privileged order of France in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern periods.In the political system of the Estates General, the nobility made up the Second Estate...
, he was born in the town of Le Lude
Le Lude
Le Lude is a commune in the Sarthe department in the region of Pays-de-la-Loire in north-western France.-External links:*...
in the Sarthe
Sarthe
Sarthe is a French department, named after the Sarthe River.- History :The department was created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790, pursuant to the law of December 22, 1789, starting from a part of the province of Maine which was divided into two departments, Sarthe to the east and...
department of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, a descendant of the Talhouët family. His grandfather was the mayor of Le Lude for more than fifty years. His great-uncle, Augustus Talhouët, owner of the Château du Lude
Château du Lude
The Château du Lude is one of the many great châteaux of the Loire Valley in France. The chateau is situated in the commune of Le Lude in the Sarthe department in the region of Pays-de-la-Loire and stands at the crossroads of Anjou, Maine and Touraine.-History:The original fortress was built...
, served as Minister of Public Works
Minister of Public Works (France)
The Minister of Public Works was a cabinet member in the Government of France. Formerly known as "Ministre des Travaux Publics" , in 1870, it was largely subsumed by the position of Minister of Transportation. Since the 1960s, the positions of Minister of Public Works has reappeared, often...
in the Second French Empire
Second French Empire
The Second French Empire or French Empire was the Imperial Bonapartist regime of Napoleon III from 1852 to 1870, between the Second Republic and the Third Republic, in France.-Rule of Napoleon III:...
, and was a Senator for Sarthe between 1876 and 1882.
After graduating from the ESSEC Business school
Business school
A business school is a university-level institution that confers degrees in Business Administration. It teaches topics such as accounting, administration, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, information systems, marketing, organizational behavior, public relations, strategy, human resource...
in Paris, François de Nicolay remained in the city where he went to work as an executive with the women's magazine, Femmes d'aujourd'hui. At the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he joined the French military
Military of France
The French Armed Forces encompass the French Army, the French Navy, the French Air Force and the National Gendarmerie. The President of the Republic heads the armed forces, with the title "chef des armées" . The President is the supreme authority for military matters and is the sole official who...
and served until the Armistice
Armistice with France (Second Compiègne)
The Second Armistice at Compiègne was signed at 18:50 on 22 June 1940 near Compiègne, in the department of Oise, between Nazi Germany and France...
was signed and the German Occupation began. Back home in Le Lude, he oversaw forestry and farming operations which included the breeding of Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
horses.
Political career
Following the end of the War, on May 8, 1945 François de Nicolay was elected as a council member for Le Lude and subsequently served as deputy mayor. In 1949 he was elected to the General CouncilGeneral councils (France)
The General councils are assemblies of the French departments. They are elected by universal suffrage.-List of the Presidents of the General councils:-External links:*...
of Sarthe and was its President in 1952 and 1958.
In 1959, François de Nicolay was elected to the Senate of France as an Independent Republican
Independent Republicans
The Independent Republicans were a French liberal-conservative political group founded in 1962, which became a political party in 1966 . The leader was Valéry Giscard d'Estaing....
. Among his responsibilities, he served on the Committee for Foreign Affairs, Defense and Armed Forces. While still in office, he died at age forty-four in 1963 as a result of a traffic accident. The Avenue François-de-Nicolay in Sablé-sur-Sarthe
Sablé-sur-Sarthe
Sablé-sur-Sarthe, commonly referred to as Sablé, is a commune in the Sarthe department in the Pays de la Loire region in west France.-Geography:...
and Place François de Nicolay in Le Lude are named in his memory.
Marriage
In 1950, François de Nicolay married the American born Marie-Hélène van Zuylen van Nijevelt, daughter of the DutchNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
baron Egmont Van Zuylen van Nyevelt, who owned De Haar Castle
Kasteel de Haar
Castle De Haar is located near Haarzuilens, in the province of Utrecht in the Netherlands. The current buildings, except for the chapel, date from 1892 and are the work of Dutch architect P.J.H. Cuypers, in a restoration project funded by the Rothschild family....
in Haarzuilens
Haarzuilens
Haarzuilens is a small village in the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is a part of the municipality of Utrecht, and lies about 8 km west of Utrecht. It was a separate municipality until 1954, when it was joined to the municipality of Vleuten....
. Marie-Hélène van Zuylen van Nijevelt was also a descendent of the Rothschild family
Rothschild family
The Rothschild family , known as The House of Rothschild, or more simply as the Rothschilds, is a Jewish-German family that established European banking and finance houses starting in the late 18th century...
(the grand-daughter of Salomon James de Rothschild). François and Marie-Hélène had one son and heir (before their marriage was dissolved in 1956): Count Philippe de Nicolay, who is a director of Paris Orleans PA, a French investment bank belonging to the Rothschild family. Count Philippe de Nicolay (b. 1955) married Princess Sophie de Ligne, the daughter of Belgium's
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
Antoine, Prince of Ligne
Antoine, 13th Prince of Ligne
Antoine Maria Joachim Lamoral, Prince of Ligne, Prince of Épinoy, Prince of Amblise, Grandee of Spain was born on 8 March 1925 in Brussels, Belgium. He was the son of Eugène, 11th Prince of Ligne and Philippine de Noailles...
.