The House of Rohan (Breton: Roc'han) is a Breton family of viscounts, later dukes and princes in the French nobility, coming from the locality of Rohan in Brittany. Their line descends from the viscounts of Porhoët and is said to trace back to the legendary Conan Meriadoc. Through the Porhoët family, the Rohans are related to the Dukes of Brittany, with whom the family intermingled again after its inception. During the Middle Ages, it was one of the most powerful families in the Duchy of Brittany. The Rohans developed ties with the French and English royal houses as well, and they played an important role in French and European history.
The only surviving line of the family is the branch of Rohan-Rochefort, Dukes of Montbazon, Dukes of Bouillon and Austrian Princes of Rohan, who migrated in the early 19th century to what is now Austria.[1][2]
The Rohans were descended from the Viscounts of Porhoët. According to J.-P. Soubigou, the first known viscount, Guethenoc (fl. 1028), was probably Viscount of Rennes as well and connected to the nobility of the Loire region, but he could have belonged to a Breton line holding estates around Josselin, where he built a castle.[6]
From the 12th century to the 15th century, the Rohans kept securing and increasing their estates through marriages, acquisitions, inheritances, bequests and exchanges. Thus they became rivals of the Dukes of Brittany all through the Middle Ages, according to their interest, sometimes carrying out the most important charges of the Duchy faithfully, sometimes rebelling, as John II of Rohan did in the last years of Breton independence. The "great viscount", then more powerful than ever, controlled nearly 200,000 Bretons on about a fifth of the Breton territory.[7] The heart of the viscounty of Rohan is made of the rohannais triangle[8] (the three large fortresses of La Chèze, Josselin and Pontivy) whose center is the village of Rohan, the family's nominal fief whose castle is abandoned in favor of the other three.[9]
To counter the power of the immense fiefs of the Rohan and Rieux families, which divided the Armorican peninsula into two equal parts, the Breton dukes denied them access to the coasts[10] and blocked them in the eastern part of the duchy through the fortresses of the Marches of Neustria#Breton March, whose main strongholds were Rennes and Nantes.[11] The Rohans, then unpopular in a very Breton-tradition environment, were neutralized for the time being, and struck back only with the French army's direct support during the campaign of 1487 in the French–Breton War, which was marked by internal divisions among the barons of Brittany (Rohan, Rieux, Laval...) who constantly changed sides.[12] In winter 1487–1488, John II was encircled by the ducal troops: his strongholds of La Chèze, Josselin, Rohan and Pontivy fell one after another in March 1488. The viscount was still coveting the ducal crown for his son but failed. In 1491, the marriage between Anne of Brittany and Charles VIII initiated the annexation of the duchy to the French crown, a union that was permanently ratified in 1532.
The Rohan family married several times into the Breton ducal family, the last time in 1407.
In the 17th century, members of the Rohan family began to use their genealogy and their power at the French Court to obtain the rank of prince étranger, thus coming second after the princes du sang before all dukes and peers. Their aim was to prove that the former Kings of Brittany effectively ruled and that the Rohans are directly descended from them.
These two assertions were difficult to establish at the time and are not used in the 21st-century historiography.[14] The Rohans then applied themselves to giving credence to this version through historians such as Dom Morice, but also through favour, forcing and violating history if needed. The Rohans had to force their claims through thanks to forged evidence (a common practice in these aristocratic families in the ancien régime).
In spite of attacks from rival families, the Rohans managed to base their power and impose their historical and genealogical views, which provided them with positions allowing them to secure their power and credit at Court. The greatest closeness to the King was then acquired and could not be questioned any more.
Descent tree
The family of Rohan has a long documented history, with close ties to the Dukes of Brittany.
Joanna of Rohan (1415 – after 1459); m. (11/02/1442) Francis I, Lord of Rieux[28] (11/08/1418–20/11/1458), Lord of Rieux and Rochefort, Baron of Malestroit, Count of Harcourt, Lord of Assérac, Viscount of Donges, Councillor and Chamberlain of Francis I of Brittany, Knight of the Order of the Ermine, Chamberlain of the Dauphin Louis
Louis II of Rohan-Guéménéthe Great (c. 1444–25/05/1508), Lord of Guéméné, Baron of Lanvaux, Lord of La Roche-Moysan, Mortiercrolles, Condé-sur-Noireau, Tracy and Vassy; m. (12/06/1463) Louise of Rieux[39] (01/03/1446 in Ancenis – ?)
John of Rohan-Guéméné (c. 1475–1524), Lord of Landal, Governor of Touraine; m. Guyonne of Lorgeril (?–1502), Lady of Lorgeril
Catherine of Rohan-Guéméné (?–1556), Lady of La Ribaudière; m. Tanneguy of Kermaven; m. Gilbert of Limoges
Margaret of Rohan-Guéméné (?–1550), Lady of Tressant and La Tourniolle; m. Louis of Malestroit, Lord of Pontcallec
Helena of Rohan-Guéméné (?–1541), Lady of Landal and Lorgeril; m. Francis of Maure[40] (1497–1556), Count of Maure
m. Isabella of La Chapelle (?–1519), Lady of La Chapelle and Molac
Margaret of Rohan-Guéméné (c. 1479–?); m. (1490) Francis of Maillé[41] (c. 1465 – May 1501), Viscount of Tours, Baron of Maillé
Louis III of Rohan-Guéméné (?–1498), Lord of Guéméné; m. (1482) Renée de Fou
Louis IV of Rohan-Guéméné (?–1527), Lord of Guéméné; m. (1511) Marie of Rohan (?–1542) (see above)
Louis V of Rohan-Guéméné (1513–1557), Lord of Guéméné; m. (1529) Margaret of Montfort-Laval[42] (1523–?), Lady of Perrier
Charlotte de Rohan-Guéméné (30/12/1680–20/09/1733); m. (1717) Antoine François Gaspard de Colins (?–1720), Count of Mortagne; m. (1729) Jean Antoine de Créquy[49] (09/11/1699–15/12/1762 in Frohen-le-Grand), Count of Canaples
Louis Henri de Rohan-Guéméné (October 1681–22/01/1689)
Berthe de Rohan-Guéméné (04/05/1782–22/02/1841); m. (1800) Louis IX Victor Mériadec de Rohan-Guéméné (1766 in Paris – 1846 in Liberec), Prince of Guéméné, Duke of Bouillon (see lower)
Marie Louise Joséphine de Rohan-Guéméné (1765 in Paris – 1839); m. (1780) Charles Louis Gaspard de Rohan-Rochefort (1765–1843), Prince of Montaubon (see lower)
Charles de Rohan-Guéméné a.k.a. Charles de Rohan-Rochefort (1693–1766), Prince of Rochefort; m. (1722) Éléonore Eugénie de Béthisy de Mézières (1706–1757)
Charlotte de Rohan-Guéméné (1661–1754); m. (May 1688) Guy-Henri Chabot (27/11/1648-06/11/1690), Count of Jarnac, Marquis of Soubran, Lord of Clion-Somsac, de Maroüette et de Grésignac; m. (1691) Pons de Pons (?–1705), Count of Roquefort
Élisabeth de Rohan-Guéméné (1663–1707); m. (1690) Alexandre de Melun, Count of Melun
Sylvie de Rohan-Guéméné (1570–1651); m. (1594) François d'Espinay (?–1598), Marquis of Broons; m. (1602) Antoine de Sillans (?–1641), Baron of Creuilly
Marguerite de Rohan-Guéméné (1574–1618); m. (1605) Charles d'Espinay[58] (?-29/01/1607), Marquis of Espinay; m. (1612) Léonard Philibert de Pompadour (?–1634), Viscount of Pompadour
Alexandre de Rohan-Guéméné (1578–1638); m. (1624) Lucette Tarneau
m. (1586) Françoise de Montmorency-Laval[60] (?–1614)
Renée de Rohan-Guéméné; m. François de Rohan-Gié (1515–1559), Lord of Gié and Verger, Viscount of Fronsac, Count of Orbec(see lower); m. (1559) René de Montmorency-Laval a.k.a. René II de Laval-Loué[61] (03/02/1546-08/10/1562), Lord then Baron of Maillé, Lord of Loué, Benais, Montsabert, Marcillé, Parvis, La Rochecorborn, La Haye and Les Écluses; m. (1563) Jean of Montmorency-Laval[62] (25/04/1542-20/09/1578), Count then Marquis of Nesle, Count of Joigny, Viscount of Brosse, Lord then Baron of Bressuire, Lord then Baron of La Motte-Sainte-Heraye, Baron of La Roche-Chabot and L'Isle-sous-Montréal, Marquis of Nesle, Baron then Count of Maillé, Lord of Loué
Françoise de Rohan-Guéméné, Lady of Marcheville and Varennes; m. Louis of Husson, Count of Tonnerre; m. Francis of Maillé[63] (c. 1465 – May 1501), Viscount of Tours, Baron of Maillé
This family is a junior branch of the Rohan-Guéméné branch through Charles de Rohan-Guémené, a.k.a. Charles de Rohan-Rochefort (1693–1766), who took the title of Prince of Rochefort.
The family of Rohan-Rochefort, which migrated to Austria in the early 19th century, is nowadays the last remaining branch of the House of Rohan. It holds the genuine titles of Duke of Montbazon (1588, France), Duke of Bouillon (1816, Congress of Vienna), Prince of Rohan and Prince of the Holy Roman Empire with the style of Serene Highness (Durchlaucht), confirmed in 1808 by Emperor Francis II for all the members of the family. The head of the family was (since 1861) a hereditary member of the House of Lords of Austria.
Rohan-Rochefort branch
...
│
└──> Charles III de Rohan-Guéméné (30/09/1655–10/10/1727), Duke of Montbazon, Prince of Guéméné, Peer of France
x (30/10/1679) Charlotte Élisabeth de Cochefilet (1657–1719), a.k.a. Mademoiselle de Vauvineux, daughter of Charles de Cochefilet, Count of Vauvineux
│
└──> Charles de Rohan-Guéméné a.k.a. Charles de Rohan-Rochefort (1693–1766), Prince of Rochefort and Montauban
x (1722) Éléonore Eugénie de Béthisy de Mézières (1706–1757)
│
├──> Éléonore de Rohan-Rochefort (1728–1792)
│ x (1742) Jean de Mérode (?–1763), Count of Mérode
│
├──> Charles Jules de Rohan-Rochefort (1729–1811)
│ x (1762) Marie Henriette d'Orléans-Rothelin (1744-?)
│ │
│ ├──> Charles Mériadec de Rohan-Rochefort (1763–1764)
│ │
│ ├──> Charles de Rohan-Rochefort (1765–1843), Prince of Montauban
│ │ x (1780) Marie Louise Joséphine de Rohan-Guéméné (1765 in Paris – 1839) (see above)
│ │ │
│ │ ├──> Hermine de Rohan-Rochefort (1785–1843)
│ │ │ x (1809) Gabriel Joseph de Froment (1747–1826), Baron of Castille
│ │ │
│ │ ├──> Armande Louise de Rohan-Rochefort (1787–1864)
│ │ │ x (1806) Alexandre de Pierre de Bernis (1777–1845), Marquis of Pierre de Bernis
│ │ │
│ │ ├──> Gasparine de Rohan-Rochefort (1798–1871)
│ │ │ x (07/01/1822 in Prague) Heinrich XIX Reuss zu Greiz (01/03/1790 in Offenbach-sur-le-Main – 31/10/1836 in Greiz)
│ │ │
│ │ ├──> Camille de Rohan-Rochefort (1800–1892), Prince of Guéméné
│ │ │ x (1826) Adelheid von Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosemberg (1806–1884)
│ │ │
│ │ └──> Benjamin de Rohan-Rochefort (1804–1846)
│ │ x (1825) Stéphanie de Croÿ (1805–1884)
│ │ │
│ │ ├──> Arthur de Rohan-Rochefort (1826–1885)
│ │ │ x (1850) Gabrielle von Waldstein-Wartenberg (1827–1890)
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ ├──> Karl de Rohan-Rochefort (1851–1852)
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ ├──> Alain I de Rohan-Rochefort (1853–1914), Prince of Guéméné
│ │ │ │ x (1885) Johanna d'Auersperg (1860–1922)
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ ├──> Gabrielle de Rohan-Rochefort (1887–1917)
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ ├──> Berthe de Rohan-Rochefort (1889–1977)
│ │ │ │ │ x (1920) Ottokar Picot de Peccaduc (1888–1965), baron de Herzogenburg
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ ├──> Johanna de Rohan-Rochefort (1890–1961)
│ │ │ │ │ x (1922) Rudolf von Colloredo-Mansfeld (?–1948), comte de Colloredo-Mansfeld
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ ├──> Alain II de Rohan-Rochefort (1893–1976), Prince of Guéméné
│ │ │ │ │ x (1921) Marguerite von Schoenburg-Hartenstein (1897–1980)
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ ├──> Marie Jeanne de Rohan-Rochefort (1922)
│ │ │ │ │ │ x (1948) Pierre Naquet
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ ├──> Marguerite de Rohan-Rochefort (1923)
│ │ │ │ │ │ x (1945) Kunata Kottulinsky, comte Kottulinsky
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ ├──> Mabile de Rohan-Rochefort (1924–1982)
│ │ │ │ │ │ x (1952) Richard de Belcredi
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ ├──> Adélaïde de Rohan-Rochefort (1927–1931)
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ ├──> Gabrielle de Rohan-Rochefort (1929–10/02/1991)
│ │ │ │ │ │ x (26/01/1953) Louis Cottafavi (07/03/1917)
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ ├──> Aliette de Rohan-Rochefort (1930–1968)
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ └──> Josseline de Rohan-Rochefort (1934)
│ │ │ │ │ x (1958) Viktor Gottfried Riedl
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ ├──> Marie de Rohan-Rochefort (1893–1966)
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ └──> Karl Anton de Rohan-Rochefort (1898–1975)
│ │ │ │ x (1933) Marie Apponyi (1899–1967)
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ ├──> Charles V de Rohan-Rochefort (1934–2008), Prince of Guéméné
│ │ │ │ │ x (1963) Ingeborg Irnberger (1939)
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ └──> Charlotte de Rohan-Rochefort (1966)
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ └──> Albert de Rohan-Rochefort a.k.a. Albert Rohan (09/05/1936 in Melk-2019), Prince of Guéméné, Austrian diplomat
│ │ │ │ x (1985) Elisabeth Burghardt (1948-03/08/1994)
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ ├──> Joseph de Rohan-Rochefort (1854–1926)
│ │ │ │ x (1883) Elisabeth Pejacsevich (1860–1884)
│ │ │ │ x (1891) Anna Lincke (1857–1925)
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ ├──> Stéphanie de Rohan-Rochefort (1892–1908)
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ ├──> Joséphine de Rohan-Rochefort (1893–1984)
│ │ │ │ │ x (1922) Friedrich Willner (1887 in Vienna – 1961)
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ ├──> Frederick (Friedrich) de Rohan Willner (1923-?)
│ │ │ │ │ │ x (1951) Edle Stranger (?-2000)
│ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ └──> Guy de Rohan Willner
│ │ │ │ │ │ x Laurence Guerre
│ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ ├──> Maud de Rohan Willner
│ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ ├──> Constance de Rohan Willner
│ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ ├──> Hugo Jonathan de Rohan Willner
│ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ ├──> Olaf Christophe de Rohan Willner
│ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ └──> Astrid Valerie de Rohan Willner
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ └──> Peter de Rohan Willner (1927)
│ │ │ │ ├──> Joseph de Rohan-Rochefort (1895–1931)
│ │ │ │ │ x (1922) Dilkuska Wrench
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ ├──> Marie de Rohan-Rochefort (1900–1907)
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ └──> Marguerite de Rohan-Rochefort (1905–?)
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ ├──> Victor de Rohan-Rochefort (1856–1882)
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ ├──> Benjamin de Rohan-Rochefort (1858–1889)
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ ├──> Ernest de Rohan-Rochefort (1863–1895)
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ ├──> Édouard de Rohan-Rochefort (1867–1892)
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ └──> Marie-Berthe Françoise Félicie Jeanne de Rohan-Rochefort (21/05/1868 in Teplice – 19/01/1945 in Vienna)
│ │ │ x (29/04/1894 in Prague) Charles de Bourbon (30/03/1848 in Ljubljana – 18/07/1909 in Varese), Duke of Madrid, heir to the royal throne of France, son of Jean de Bourbon (15/05/1822 in Aranjuez – 19/11/1887 in Hove), Count Montizón, heir to the royal throne of France
│ │ │
│ │ ├──> Victor de Rohan-Rochefort (1827–1889)
│ │ │ x (1872) Maria von Degenfeld-Schonburg (1851–1924)
│ │ │
│ │ ├──> Alain de Rohan-Rochefort (1829–1857)
│ │ │
│ │ ├──> Louis de Rohan-Rochefort (1833–1891)
│ │ │ x (1860) Hélène d'Auersperg (1836–1897)
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ ├──> Raoul de Rohan-Rochefort (1860–1931)
│ │ │ │ x (1888) Agnès Rock (1865–1926)
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ ├──> Marie de Rohan-Rochefort (1891–1977)
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ ├──> Oscar de Rohan-Rochefort (1892–1918)
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ ├──> Charles de Rohan-Rochefort (1894–1965)
│ │ │ │ │ x (1923) Marie Anna Edle de Hardtmuth (1903–1994)
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ ├──> Charles de Rohan-Rochefort (1924)
│ │ │ │ │ │ x (1949) Nancy Southgate-Jones (1927)
│ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ ├──> Élisabeth de Rohan-Rochefort (1951)
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ x (1974) Kurt Valley (1951)
│ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ ├──> Raoul de Rohan-Rochefort, Duke of Bouillon and Montbazon (1954)
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ x (1985) Patricia Ann Price (1950)
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├──> Catherine de Rohan-Rochefort (1989)
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ └──> Marie de Rohan-Rochefort (1992)
│ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ ├──> Geoffroy de Rohan-Rochefort (1958)
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ x (1981) Hélène Louise du Bosc (1958)
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├──> Rembert de Rohan-Rochefort (1986)
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ └──> Corinne de Rohan-Rochefort (1989)
│ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ x (1975) Virginia Putnam Durrell (1938)
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ ├──> Louis de Rohan-Rochefort (1927–1975)
│ │ │ │ │ │ x (1957) Félicité Ortner (1932)
│ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ ├──> Anne de Rohan-Rochefort (1959)
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ x (1983) Hugh Buchanan (1958)
│ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ ├──> Charles de Rohan-Rochefort (1961)
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ x (1989) Sarah Margerrison (1962)
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├──> Georgia de Rohan-Rochefort (31/03/1993)
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ └──> Éléonore de Rohan-Rochefort (03/09/1995)
│ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ └──> Marie Louise de Rohan-Rochefort (08/02/1967)
│ │ │ │ │ │ x (11/06/1994) William Robert Shaw (08/09/1964)
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ └──> Raoul de Rohan-Rochefort (1932–2023)[95]
│ │ │ │ │ x (1962) Annette Morley (1941)
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ ├──> Nicolas de Rohan-Rochefort (1966)
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ ├──> Anuschka de Rohan-Rochefort (1968)
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ ├──> Louis de Rohan-Rochefort (1970)
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ └──> Philippe de Rohan-Rochefort (1970)
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ ├──> Thérèse de Rohan-Rochefort (1896–1977)
│ │ │ │ │ x (1923) Adolf Ritter Weiss de Tessbach (1897–1979)
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ ├──> Raoul de Rohan-Rochefort (1897–1961)
│ │ │ │ │ x (1925) Ilona Marie Luzsensky (1906-?)
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ ├──> Béatrix de Rohan-Rochefort (1926)
│ │ │ │ │ │ x Vaclav Rysava
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ ├──> Henry de Rohan-Rochefort (1930–1955)
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ └──> Marie Antoinette de Rohan-Rochefort
│ │ │ │ │ x (1960) Karl Helmer (1935)
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ └──> Clotilde de Rohan-Rochefort (1901–1957)
│ │ │ │ x (1927) Otto Ritter Weiss de Tessbach (1898–1945)
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ ├──> Josselin de Rohan-Rochefort (1862–1864)
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ ├──> Louis de Rohan-Rochefort (1865–1887)
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ └──> Stéphanie de Rohan-Rochefort (1868–1898)
│ │ │ x (1896) Alekséï Troubetzkoï
│ │ │
│ │ └──> Benjamin de Rohan-Rochefort (1835–1900)
│ │ x (1886) Ameline Julie Marie Mahe de Kerouant (1828–1905)
│ │
│ ├──> Charlotte de Rohan-Rochefort (25/10/1767–01/05/1841)
│ │ x (18/02/1804 in Baden) Louis-Antoine de Bourbon-Condé (02/08/1772 in Chantilly – 21/03/1804 in Vincennes), Duke of Enghien, son of Louis VI de Bourbon-Condé (13/04/1756 in Hôtel de Condé – 27/08/1830), Prince of Condé, and Bathilde d'Orléans (09/07/1750 in Saint-Cloud - 10/01/1822 in Paris)
│ │
│ ├──> Louis de Rohan-Rochefort (1770–1794)
│ │
│ └──> Clémentine de Rohan-Rochefort (1786–1850)
│ x François Louis de Gaudechart (?–1832), Marquis of Querrieux
│
├──> Louise de Rohan-Rochefort (1734–1815)
│ x (1748) Louis de Lorraine a.k.a. Louis III de Guise (1725–1761), son of Louis de Lorraine a.k.a. Louis II de Guise (1692–1743), Prince of Lambesc, Count of Braine, and Jeanne Marguerite de Durfort (1691–1750)
│
└──> Eugène de Rohan-Rochefort (1737–?)
Charles de Rohan-Soubise, a.k.a. the Marshal of Soubise (1715–1787), Prince of Soubise and Marshal of France, and his daughter Charlotte Godefride Élisabeth de Rohan-Soubise (1737–1760), wife of the Prince of Condé Louis V Joseph de Bourbon-Condé (1736–1818), belonged to this branch of the family.
The Rohan-Gué-de-l’Isle branch is a junior branch said to be descended (c. 1270) from Alan VI (1232–1304), Viscount of Rohan, and his second wife Thomasse of La Roche-Bernard (c. 1245 - after 1304). It is named after the estate of Saint-Étienne-du-Gué-de-l'Isle (Côtes-d'Armor).
The branch was extinct around 1530.
Rohan-Gué-de-l'Isle branch
...
│
└──> Alan VI (1232–1304), Viscount of Rohan
x Isabeau d’Avaugour (?–1266)
x (1266) Thomasse of La Roche-Bernard[98] (c. 1245 – c. 1304)
│
└──> Odo of Rohan (Odo of Rohan-Gué-de-l'Isle) (? – after 1346), Lord of Gué-de-l'Isle
x Aliette de Coëtlogon, Lady Gué-de-l'Isle
│
├──> Richarde de Rohan-Gué-de-l'Isle
│ x Éon, Lord of Treal and Le Gouray
│
└──> Oliver I of Rohan-Gué-de-l'Isle (?–1410)
x Alaine of Botdevenu
x Havisette of La Châtaigneraie
│
├──> Joan of Rohan-Gué-de-l'Isle
│ x Jean du Cambout (?–1428)
│
├──> Isabella of Rohan-Gué-de-l'Isle (?–1434)
│ x Alan of Beaumont
│
├──> Catherine of Rohan-Gué-de-l'Isle
│ x Alan of Le Thou
│
└──> Oliver II of Rohan-Gué-de-l'Isle (?–1463)
x Marie de Rostrenen (?–1471)
│
├──> Oliver III of Rohan-Gué-de-l'Isle
│
├──> Catherine of Rohan-Gué-de-l'Isle
│ x Georges Chesnel
│
├──> Yolande of Rohan-Gué-de-l'Isle
│ x (1463) Guillaume Le Sénéchal (?–1505)
│
├──> Joan of Rohan-Gué-de-l'Isle
│ x John of Ramé
│
├──> Joan of Rohan-Gué-de-l'Isle
│ x John, Lord of La Touche-Limouzinière
│
├──> Mary of Rohan-Gué-de-l'Isle
│ x (1450) Caro Lord of Bodegat
│
└──> John I of Rohan-Gué-de-l'Isle (?–1493)
x (1453) Gilette of Rochefort
│
├──> Francis of Rohan-Gué-de-l'Isle
│ x Jacquette of Peillac
│ │
│ ├──> Vincente of Rohan-Gué-de-l'Isle, Lady of Peillac
│ │ x Maurice of Plusquellec
│ │
│ ├──> Cyprienne of Rohan-Gué-de-l'Isle
│ │ x Francis of La Feillée (?–1538), Viscount of Pléhédel
│ │
│ x Adelise de Juch
│
└──> John II of Rohan-Gué-de-l'Isle (?–1517)
x (1500) Guillemette Malor
│
├──> Gillette of Rohan-Gué-de-l'Isle (1500–1530)
│ x (1521) Marc of Carne (?–1553)
│
├──> Ponceau de Rohan-Gué-de-l'Isle
│ x (1514) Madeleine Boissot
│
├──> Tristan of Rohan-Gué-de-l'Isle (Tristan de Rohan-Polduc)
│ x Alix de Brebant
│ │
│ └──>Rohan-Polduc branch
│
├──> Joan of Rohan-Gué-de-l'Isle
│ x (1526) Pierre Ermar
│
x Françoise Laurens
This branch is said to be descended from Josselin of Rohan, son of Alan III, Viscount of Rohan and his second wife Françoise de Corbey around 1185, but its filiation has not been proven. It became extinct around 1494. Named after the estate of Montauban-de-Bretagne near Rennes. Several Seneschals and Marshals of Brittany belonged to this branch.
Henri II de Rohan (1579–1638) viscount then Duke of Rohan, Prince of Léon, Generalissimo of the Protestant armies, Ambassador of France, Colonel-général des Suisses et des Grisons.
Benjamin de Rohan, also known as “the Duke of Soubise” (1583–1642) Duke of Frontenay.
Louis de Rohan-Guéméné, also known as “the Knight of Rohan” (1635–1674), Grand Huntsman of France, Louis XIV's Colonel of the Guards.
Armand Gaston Maximilien de Rohan-Soubise (1674–1749) Prince of Rohan, Prince of Soubise, Bishop of Strasbourg, Cardinal, member of the Académie Française, Grand Almoner of France.
Charles de Rohan-Soubise, also known as “the Marshal of Soubise” (1715–1787) Prince of Soubise, Duke of Rohan-Rohan, minister of Kings Louis XV and Louis XVI, Marshal of France.
Charlotte Louise de Rohan-Guéméné, Princess of Masseran, also known as “Mademoiselle de Rohan” (1722–1786).
Louis René Édouard de Rohan-Guéméné (1734–1803), Prince of Rohan, Cardinal, Archbishop of Strasbourg, member of the Académie française, Grand Almoner of the King and Head of the Sorbonne.
Charlotte de Rohan-Soubise (1737–1760), Princess of Condé.
Several members of the Rohan-Guéméné family migrated to Sychrov Castle in northern Bohemia, then part of the Austrian Empire, and were naturalized. After this branch became extinct in 1846, the princes of Rohan-Rochefort younger branch inherited the properties in Bohemia but were deprived of them in 1945, following the Beneš decrees. They also inherited the titles Serene Highness, Prince of Rohan, Prince of Guéméné, Prince of Rochefort and Prince of the Holy-Roman-Empire (in Austria until 1919), Duke of Rohan-Rohan, Duke of Montbazon with the Peerage of France attached to it, and Duke of Bouillon.
Ferdinand de Rohan-Guéméné (Paris, 7 November 1738 - Paris, 31 October 1813), Prince of Rohan-Guéméné, Archbishop of Bordeaux in 1769, Prince-Archbishop of Cambrai in 1781 and of Liège in 1790. He was First Almoner to Empress Joséphine in the early 19th century.
Berthe de Rohan (1868–1945), titular Queen Consort of Spain, France and Navarre
Marie-Liesse de Rohan-Chabot, contracted marriage (civil 19 June 1999, religious 10 July 1999) with Prince Eudes of Orléans, Duke of Angoulême, youngest son of Henri, Count of Paris, Duke of France, the late Orleanist claimant to the throne of France.
Arms
The mascles on the arms of the House of Rohan refer to crystal twinnings, which are large crystals of chiastolite (andalusite) that develop in Ordovicianschists. They are almost square-sectioned prisms. These stones, which were for centuries called "mascles", abound in the Salles de Rohan, so much that the Viscounts of Rohan, stricken by their beauty and the likeness with the lozenge, put seven masclesor on their coat of arms; their descendants added two more in the middle of the 16th century.[100]
Used by Henry I of Rohan between 1552 and 1575. The change from the old arms to the modern ones can be explained by the change of the shape of shields from the 14th century: the base is now flat, not pointed, and the empty space is filled by two new mascles.
Motto
A plus: battle cry which may mean “without more”, that is to say, without superior, reminding the Rohans’ claim to be the second most important Breton noble family after the Ducal family, or “even more”, which would be an invitation to always surpass themselves[101] is Alan IX’s personal motto, often attributed to the whole family. It is symbolized by the letter A topped with a Ducal crown accompanying the mascles on the coat of arms.[102]
Another, apocryphal motto, modelled on that of the House of Coucy, is often attributed to the Rohans: Duc je ne daigne, Roi je ne puis, Prince de Bretaigne, de Rohan je suis (Duke I will not, King I cannot, Prince of Brittany, of Rohan I am) or more often: Roi ne puis, duc ne daigne, Rohan suis (King I cannot, Duke I will not, Rohan I am).[103] Roland Barthes will use this model in a joke:[104]Then all writers will say: “Insane I cannot, Sane I will not, neurotic I am.”.
Another motto: Rather dead than soiled (Latin: Potius mori quam foedari) which is the motto of the old Dukes of Brittany, the Rohans having been their heirs presumptive since 1532 and the treaty of perpetual Union between Brittany and France.
Titles
The members of the Rohan family were first styled viscount of Porhoët, the viscount of Rohan and were granted the following titles:
Prince de Soubise (erected in 1667 but not recorded)
Duc de Rohan-Rohan (1714, extinct 1787)
Comte de l'Empire (1808)
Pair de France (1814)
Pair héréditaire (1815)
Duc pair (1817)
Prince du Saint-Empire and Serene Highness (Austria 1808 and 1830)
Duc de Bouillon (1814 and 1816 through succession of the House of La Tour d'Auvergne)
The family's many branches held the titles of Prince de Léon, Prince de Montauban, Prince de Rochefort, etc. although none of these titles were genuinely created.[106]
The Hôtel de Rohan (also known as Hôtel de Rohan-Strasbourg for it used to be the residence of the bishops belonging the branch living in Strasbourg — see supra: Clergy) and the Hôtel de Soubise, in Le Marais, which form an ensemble that hosts part of the Archives Nationales nowadays.
Frédéric Morvan, La Chevalerie bretonne et la formation de l'armée ducale 1260–1341, Presses Universitaires de Rennes, 2009, Annexes Généalogie n°35 « les Rohan »;
Frédéric Morvan, Les Chevaliers bretons. Entre Plantagenets et Capétiens du milieu XIIe siècle au milieu du XIIIe siècle éditions Coop Breizh, Spézet 2014, « Généalogie des Rohan », 286;
Claude Muller, Le siècle des Rohan : une dynastie de cardinaux en Alsace au XVIIIème siècle, La Nuée bleue, Strasbourg, 2006;
^Fernand de Saint-Simon, Etienne de Séréville, Dictionnaire de la noblesse française, 1975, p. 869.
^ abcHenri Jougla de Morenas Raoul de Warren, Grand Armorial de France, vol. 6, p. 45, read online.
^Fernand de Saint-Simon, Etienne de Séréville, Dictionnaire de la noblesse française, 1975, p. 870.
^Henri Jougla de Morenas, Raoul de Warren, Grand Armorial de France, vol. 2, p. 366 read online.
^Jean-Yves Copy, ‘’Art, société et politique au temps des ducs de Bretagne’’, Aux Amateurs de livres, 1986, p. 1118.
^J.-P. Soubigou, "Le Léon dans la Bretagne des Xe-XIe siècles", Annales de Bretagne, no 120-4, 2013, p. 14.
^Yvonig Gicquel, Alain IX de Rohan, 1382–1462, Éditions Jean Picollec, 1986, p. 212
^The rohannais triangle corresponds to the Rochefort-Malestroit-Elven triangle of the House of Rieux.
^Yvonig Gicquel Alain IX de Rohan, 1382–1462, Éditions Jean Picollec, 1986, p. 102.
^In the north, the castle of Guingamp which covered Tréguier and Paimpol; the castles of the Léguer valley (Tonquédec castle, Coat-an-Noz castle) which covered Lannion
^Alain Guillerm, Fortifications et marine en Occident, L'Harmattan, 1994, p. 92.
^Nicolas Martin, La France fortifiée : châteaux, villes et places fortes, Nathan, 1990, p. 70.
^Jean-Loup Avril, Mille Bretons : dictionnaire biographique, Les Portes du Large, 2002, p. 387.
^Jean-Paul Soubigou, "Le Léon dans la Bretagne des Xe-XIe siècles", Annales de Bretagne, no 120-4, 2013, p. 14.
^Daughter of Raoul II of Fougères (?–24/07/1257), Baron of Fougères, Grand Seneschal of Brittany, crusader, and Joan of Dol.
^Daughter of Alan of Vitré, a.k.a. Alan II of Dinan (1155 – before 1197), Lord of Vitré, Southern-Dinan and Bécherel, Seneschal of Brittany, and Clemencia of Fougères (c. 1175–1252).
^Son of John III of Rieux (16/06/1377–08/01/1431), Lord of Rieux and Rochefort, Baron of Ancenis, Viscount of Lord of Assérac, Lord then Baron of Malestroit, and Joan of Harcourt (11/09/1399–03/03/1456).
^Beatrice of Rohan was betrothed to Gilles de Rais but the marriage contract was not followed up for some unknown reason, maybe Beatrice's death (Cazacu, Matei (2005), Gilles de Rais (in French), Paris: Tallandier, p. 54, ISBN2-84734-227-3.).
^Son of Charles of Valois a.k.a. Charles II “the Magnanimous” of Alençon (1297–26/08/1346), Count of Chartres, Perche and Alençon, et de María de La Cerda (1310–13/03/1379).
^Daughter of Francis I of Rieux (11/08/1418–20/11/1458), Lord of Rieux and Rochefort, Baron of Malestroit, Count of Harcourt, Lord of Assérac, Viscount of Donges, Councillor and Chamberlain of Francis I of Brittany, Knight of the Order of the Ermine, Chamberlain of the Dauphin Louis XI, and Joanna of Rohan (1415 – after 1459) (cited in the tree).
^Son of John VIII of Maure (?–1529), Lord of Maure, and Marie du Plessis-Angier (?–1497).
^Son of Hardouin IX of Maillé (1415–1487), Baron of Maillé, and Antoinette of Chauvigny (c. 1428–20/04/1473), Lady of Brosse.
^Daughter of Guy of Rieux (?–12/02/1591), Lord of Châteauneuf, Viscount of Donges, Governor of Brest, and Madeleine of Espinay (?–27/09/1597).
^Daughter of Charles d'Avaugour (?–1608), Count of Vertus, Goëlo, Viscount of Saint-Nazaire, Baron of Avaugour and Ingrandes, Lord of Clisson, Champtoceaux and Montfaucon, and Philippa of Saint-Amadour, Viscountess of Guiguen, Lady of Thouaré and La Touche-Limouzinière.
^Daughter of Henry III of Lenoncourt (?–1584), Lord of Lenoncourt, and Françoise of Montmorency-Laval (?–1614).
^Daughter of Louis Charles d'Albert de Luynes (1620–1690), Duke of Luynes, Duke of Chevreuse, Prince of Léon, and Anne de Rohan-Guéméné (1640–1684) (cited in the tree).
^Daughter of Charles de Cochefilet, Count of Vauvineux.
^Son of François Léonor de Créquy (?–30/10/1721), Baron of Frohans, and Marie Antoinette de Schouteeten, Lady of Robermez and Ardennes.
^Daughter of Claude I d'Avaugour (1581 in Thouaré-sur-Loire – 06/08/1637 in Paris), Count of Vertus and Goëlo, Viscount of Saint-Nazaire, Baron of Avaugour and Ingrandes, Lord of Clisson, Champtoceaux and Montfaucon, and Catherine Fouquet de La Varenne (1590–10/05/1670).
^Daughter of René II of Montmorency-Laval (?–1557), Viscount of Bresteau, Lord of Saint-Aubin, Coudrayes, Boisdauphin, Aulnay, Louaillé, Saint-Mars, La Mousse, Rouperreux, Saint-Georges, Rofay and Maugasteau, and Catherine of Baif.
^Jean-Baptiste-Pierre Jullien de Courcelles, Histoire généalogique et héraldique des pairs de France, des grands dignitaires de la couronne, des principales familles nobles du royaume et des maisons princières de l'Europe, précédée de la généalogie de la maison de France, Arthus-Bertrand, Paris, 1827, vol. 8, p. 209