Louis Constantin de Rohan (1697–1779)


Louis César Constantin de Rohan was a French prelate of the House of Rohan.

Biography

Origin and Youth

Louis Caesar Constantine de Rohan-Guemene belonged to the House of Rohan, an ancient and powerful family of the nobility of Brittany which dates back to the xi th century. Son of Charles III de Rohan, cousin of Armand-Gaston-Maximilien de Rohan and his second wife, Charlotte-Elisabeth de Cochefilet, he is the fourteenth and last child of the couple.
His brother Armand-Jules de Rohan-Guémené, future archbishop of Reims, had chosen the ecclesiastical state. Louis-César-Constantin de Rohan embraced at first the career of arms. He was first a Knight of Malta before entering as a naval officer in the Royal Navy. He was promoted to capitaine de vaisseau in 1720.

Serving The Church

In 1732, at the age of 35, he was named canon and grand-provost of Strasbourg, and entered the ecclesiastical career. In 1734 he was appointed abbot of Lyre near Evreux, then first chaplain to the King in 1748, Abbot of Saint-Epvre the following year, and prelate-commander of the Holy Spirit in 1753.
He was appointed Prince-Bishop of Strasbourg and Graf of Alsace in 1756 on the death of his uncle Armand de Rohan-Soubise. He was created cardinal by Pope Clement XIII at the Consistory of 23 November 1761, but will not be great chaplain unlike the other Rohan, bishops of Strasbourg.
He did not take part in the conclave of 1769, summoned at the death of Pope Clement XIII, nor to the conclave of 1774-1775, summoned at the death of Pope Clement XIV.
His cousin and successor, Louis-René de Rohan-Guéméné, cardinal-bishop of Strasbourg, would be compromised in the affair of the queen's necklace.

Coat of Arms

Blazon :
Quarterly: in 1 and 4: from gules to a strip of silver loaded with a cotice of Vert; In 2 and 3: Gules to the silver band rubbed with two blossoms of the same ; On the whole, quartered: in 1 and 4: Gules with golden chains placed in orle, cross and saltire, loaded in the heart of an emerald in the natural ; In 2 and 3: Azure with fleur-de-lys of gold; On the whole: part: in 1: Gules with nine twins, laid 3, 3, 3 ; And in 2 of ermine.
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