Victor-Marie d'Estrées
Encyclopedia
Victor Marie d'Estrées, count then duke (1723) d'Estrées (November 30, 1660, Paris – December 27, 1737, Paris) was a Marshal of France
.
(1624-1707), Victor Marie began his military career in the infantry in 1676, but joined the Navy one year later.
In the Franco-Dutch War
(1672-1678), he commanded a ship in the Battle of Tabago
(March 3, 1677) and fought afterwards in the Mediterranean.
At the beginning of the War of the Grand Alliance
, he volunteered in the army and was wounded in the siege of Philippsburg
in 1688. In 1690, he commanded 20 ships in the Battle of Beachy Head
. Then, on command of Louis XIV, he took charge of the Mediterranean fleet and supported the duc de Vendôme in the conquest of Barcelona
in 1697.
In 1698, he married Lucie Félicité de Noailles (°1683), daughter of Marshal Anne-Jules, 2nd duc de Noailles
. They had no children.
At the beginning of the War of Spanish Succession, he was ordered to sail Philip V of Spain
to Naples
to claime the throne of the Two Sicilies.
The success of this mission earned him the title of Grandee of Spain. He received the title of Marshal of France
in 1703, and commander in the Order of the Holy Spirit
in 1705.
In 1704, Victor Marie d'Estrées was appointed mentor to the Comte de Toulouse
, illegitimate son of Louis XIV and admiral of France. Together they fought the tactically indecisive Battle of Vélez-Málaga (August 24, 1704).
During the Regency of Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
, he was member of the council and minister, but he had no political skills.
After the death of his father he inherited the title of Viceroy of the American Islands and received the island of Saint Lucia
as his private property. He gathered an enormous fortune.
He spent his fortune buying art and books, accumulating it in his Paris house and castles, never unpacking a large proportion of the collection.
He was elected member of the Académie française
in 1715.
He became duc d'Estrées and pair de France in 1723, after the death of his uncle.
He died in 1737.
The cruiser Destrées
was named in his honour.
Marshal of France
The Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
.
Biography
Son of Marshal Jean II d'EstréesJean II d'Estrées
Jean II d'Estrées, , was a Marshal of France, and an important naval commander of Louis XIV.Jean d'Estrées was born in a noble family from Picardie...
(1624-1707), Victor Marie began his military career in the infantry in 1676, but joined the Navy one year later.
In the Franco-Dutch War
Franco-Dutch War
The Franco-Dutch War, often called simply the Dutch War was a war fought by France, Sweden, the Bishopric of Münster, the Archbishopric of Cologne and England against the United Netherlands, which were later joined by the Austrian Habsburg lands, Brandenburg and Spain to form a quadruple alliance...
(1672-1678), he commanded a ship in the Battle of Tabago
Action of March 1677
The action of March 1677 in the West Indies took place between a Dutch fleet under Jacob Binckes and a French force attempting to recapture the island of Tobago. There was much death and destruction on both sides...
(March 3, 1677) and fought afterwards in the Mediterranean.
At the beginning of the War of the Grand Alliance
War of the Grand Alliance
The Nine Years' War – often called the War of the Grand Alliance, the War of the Palatine Succession, or the War of the League of Augsburg – was a major war of the late 17th century fought between King Louis XIV of France, and a European-wide coalition, the Grand Alliance, led by the Anglo-Dutch...
, he volunteered in the army and was wounded in the siege of Philippsburg
Philippsburg
Philippsburg is a town in Germany, in the district of Karlsruhe in Baden-Württemberg.-History:Before 1632, Philippsburg was known as "Udenheim".The city was a possession of the Bishop of Speyer from 1371–1718...
in 1688. In 1690, he commanded 20 ships in the Battle of Beachy Head
Battle of Beachy Head (1690)
The Battle of Beachy Head was a naval engagement fought on 10 July 1690 during the Nine Years' War. The battle was the greatest French tactical naval victory over their English and Dutch opponents during the war...
. Then, on command of Louis XIV, he took charge of the Mediterranean fleet and supported the duc de Vendôme in the conquest of Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
in 1697.
In 1698, he married Lucie Félicité de Noailles (°1683), daughter of Marshal Anne-Jules, 2nd duc de Noailles
Anne-Jules, 2nd duc de Noailles
Anne Jules de Noailles, 2th Duke of Noailles was one of the chief generals of France towards the end of the reign of Louis XIV, and, after raising the regiment of Noailles in 1689, he commanded in Spain during both the War of the Grand Alliance and the War of the Spanish Succession, and was made...
. They had no children.
At the beginning of the War of Spanish Succession, he was ordered to sail Philip V of Spain
Philip V of Spain
Philip V was King of Spain from 15 November 1700 to 15 January 1724, when he abdicated in favor of his son Louis, and from 6 September 1724, when he assumed the throne again upon his son's death, to his death.Before his reign, Philip occupied an exalted place in the royal family of France as a...
to Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
to claime the throne of the Two Sicilies.
The success of this mission earned him the title of Grandee of Spain. He received the title of Marshal of France
Marshal of France
The Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
in 1703, and commander in the Order of the Holy Spirit
Order of the Holy Spirit
The Order of the Holy Spirit, also known as the Order of the Knights of the Holy Spirit, was an Order of Chivalry under the French Monarchy. It should not be confused with the Congregation of the Holy Ghost or with the Order of the Holy Ghost...
in 1705.
In 1704, Victor Marie d'Estrées was appointed mentor to the Comte de Toulouse
Louis-Alexandre de Bourbon, Comte de Toulouse
Louis Alexandre de Bourbon, comte de Toulouse , duc de Penthièvre , d'Arc, de Châteauvillain and de Rambouillet , , was the son of Louis XIV and of his mistress Madame de Montespan...
, illegitimate son of Louis XIV and admiral of France. Together they fought the tactically indecisive Battle of Vélez-Málaga (August 24, 1704).
During the Regency of Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
Philippe d'Orléans was a member of the royal family of France and served as Regent of the Kingdom from 1715 to 1723. Born at his father's palace at Saint-Cloud, he was known from birth under the title of Duke of Chartres...
, he was member of the council and minister, but he had no political skills.
After the death of his father he inherited the title of Viceroy of the American Islands and received the island of Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
as his private property. He gathered an enormous fortune.
He spent his fortune buying art and books, accumulating it in his Paris house and castles, never unpacking a large proportion of the collection.
He was elected member of the Académie française
Académie française
L'Académie française , also called the French Academy, is the pre-eminent French learned body on matters pertaining to the French language. The Académie was officially established in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu, the chief minister to King Louis XIII. Suppressed in 1793 during the French Revolution,...
in 1715.
He became duc d'Estrées and pair de France in 1723, after the death of his uncle.
He died in 1737.
The cruiser Destrées
French cruiser Destrées
The Destrées was a protected cruiser of the French Navy, named in honour of Victor-Marie d'Estrées, and lead ship of her class.After her trials in 1900, Destrées was sent to Brest, where she was used for training....
was named in his honour.