Godefroy de La Tour d'Auvergne
Encyclopedia
Godefroy de La Tour d'Auvergne (Godefroy Charles Henri; 26 January 1728 – 3 December 1792) was a member of the House of La Tour d'Auvergne, the Sovereign
Duke
s of Bouillon
. He was subsequently the penultimate Duke of Bouillon
succeeding his father in 1771.
in 1728. He had an older sister, Marie Louise
(1725–1793) who later married the Prince of Guéméné
.
Styled the Prince of Turenne as the heir apparent to Bouillon, he married Louise Henriette Gabrielle de Lorraine on 27 November 1743. She was a member of the house of Lorraine
and a great grand daughter of Henri, Count of Harcourt. The couple had four children in all before Louise Henriette Gabrielle died in 1788. The widower Duke married again in 1789 to Marie Françoise Henriette de Banastre (1775–1816), a girl who was some forty-seven years younger than he. No children were produced from the marriage.
He served with distinction in the Seven Years' War
. In 1748 he was made a maréchal de camp. He was elected to the Royal Academy of Sculpture and Painting in 1777. In just three months, he squandered almost a million livres on his mistress, an opera singer, thus bringing his family to the verge of ruin.
He died at the Château de Navarre on the eve of Revolution
and was succeeded by his eldest son Jacques. His successor was the last duke of bouillon, the Princes of Guéméné today claim the Duchy of Bouillon as their own due to the marriage of Marie Louise (his only sibling) and Jules de Rohan, Prince of Guéméné. He has no known descendants.
Sovereign
A sovereign is the supreme lawmaking authority within its jurisdiction.Sovereign may also refer to:*Monarch, the sovereign of a monarchy*Sovereign Bank, banking institution in the United States*Sovereign...
Duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
s of Bouillon
Bouillon
Bouillon is a municipality in Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Luxembourg Province.The municipality, which covers 149.09 km², had 5,477 inhabitants, giving a population density of 36.7 inhabitants per km².- History :...
. He was subsequently the penultimate Duke of Bouillon
Duke of Bouillon
The Duke of Bouillon is a title of nobility. Until the nineteenth century, the Duke of Bouillon was the ruler of the semi-sovereign Duchy of Bouillon , a small state located between Luxembourg, Champagne, and the Three Bishoprics and centered on Bouillon.- History of the Duchy of Bouillon :The...
succeeding his father in 1771.
Biography
The youngest of two children, he was born to the Duke and Duchess of BouillonDuchess of Bouillon
-Ardennes-Bouillon dynasty, ?-1100:-House of La Marck, ?-1588 :-House of La Tour d'Auvergne, 1594-1794 :-House of La Tour d'Auvergne, 1794-1802 :-House of Rohan, since 1816 :...
in 1728. He had an older sister, Marie Louise
Marie Louise de La Tour d'Auvergne
Marie Louise de La Tour d'Auvergne was a French noblewoman and member of the House of La Tour d'Auvergne...
(1725–1793) who later married the Prince of Guéméné
Jules, Prince of Guéméné
Jules de Rohan was Prince of Guéméné. Born in Paris, he died in Carlsbourg. He was known as Jules.-Biography:...
.
Styled the Prince of Turenne as the heir apparent to Bouillon, he married Louise Henriette Gabrielle de Lorraine on 27 November 1743. She was a member of the house of Lorraine
House of Lorraine
The House of Lorraine, the main and now only remaining line known as Habsburg-Lorraine, is one of the most important and was one of the longest-reigning royal houses in the history of Europe...
and a great grand daughter of Henri, Count of Harcourt. The couple had four children in all before Louise Henriette Gabrielle died in 1788. The widower Duke married again in 1789 to Marie Françoise Henriette de Banastre (1775–1816), a girl who was some forty-seven years younger than he. No children were produced from the marriage.
He served with distinction in the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
. In 1748 he was made a maréchal de camp. He was elected to the Royal Academy of Sculpture and Painting in 1777. In just three months, he squandered almost a million livres on his mistress, an opera singer, thus bringing his family to the verge of ruin.
He died at the Château de Navarre on the eve of Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
and was succeeded by his eldest son Jacques. His successor was the last duke of bouillon, the Princes of Guéméné today claim the Duchy of Bouillon as their own due to the marriage of Marie Louise (his only sibling) and Jules de Rohan, Prince of Guéméné. He has no known descendants.
Issue
- Jacques Leopold Charles Godefroy de La Tour d'Auvergne (15 January 1746 – 7 February 1802) married Hedwig of Hesse-Rotenburg, grand daughter of Ernest Leopold of Hesse-RotenburgErnest Leopold, Landgrave of Hesse-RotenburgErnst Leopold of Hesse-Rotenburg was landgrave of Hessen-Rheinfels-Rotenburg between 1725 and 1749.Born in Langenschwalbach, he was a son of landgrave William of Hesse-Rotenburg and Maria Anna of Löwenstein-Wertheim .He died in Rotenburg in 1749.-Marriage and issue:He married his first cousin...
and Eleonore of Löwenstein-Wertheim-RochefortCountess Eleonore of Löwenstein-Wertheim-RochefortEleonore of Löwenstein-Wertheim was a Princess of the Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rochefort. She was the Landgravine of Hesse-Rotenburg by marriage...
; no issue; - Charles Louis Godefroi de La Tour d'Auvergne, Prince of Auvergne (22 September 1749 – 23 October 1767) never married;
- Louis Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne, Duke of Albret (20 February 1753 – 7 March 1753) died in infancy;
- X de La Tour d'Auvergne (3 April 1756) stillborn daughter.
Ancestry
Titles and styles
- 26 January 1728 – 24 October 1771 His Highness the Prince of Turenne
- 24 October 1771 – 3 December 1792 His Highness the Duke of Bouillon