Louis, Duke of Rohan


Louis de Rohan-Chabot 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, 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. His parents' marriage had caused a scandal; his mother Marguerite was a Foreign Princess as a member of the House of Rohan, 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.
Around 1700, Louis was at Court. The Guéméné branch of the House of Rohan wanted him to abandon the name and coat-of-arms of his mother's family. However, King Louis XIV confirmed his rights to the name, title and coat-of-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. 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.

Wealth

Louis was very rich, with an annual income of 50,000 ecus, but he was a miser and greedy. 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 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.

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