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Counts and dukes of Rethel

The first counts of Rethel ruled independently, before the county passed first to the counts of Nevers, then to the counts of Flanders, and finally to the dukes of Burgundy. In 1405 the county became part of the peerage of France, and in 1581 it was elevated to a duchy. In 1663 it became the Duchy of Mazarin.

The county was active in the crusades. King Baldwin II of Jerusalem was the brother of Count Gervais and Countess Matilda of Rethel, while Beatrice of Rethel married Leo I, Prince of Armenia.

Manasses I

(?–1032)

Manasses II

(1032–1056)

Manasses III

(1065–1118)

Hugh I

(1118–1124)

Gervais

(1124–1151)

Matilda

(1124–1158), married Matilda of Rethel

Odo of Vitry

Ithier (1158–1171)

(1171–1199)

Manasses IV

(1199–1227)

Hugh II

Hugh III (1227–1242)

John (1242–1251)

Walter (1251–1262)

(1262–1272)

Manasses V

(1272–1285)

Hugh IV

(1285–1328)

Joan

(1285–1322; married Joan; also count of Nevers)

Louis I

(1322–1346; also count of Flanders and Nevers; married Margaret, countess of Artois)

Louis II

(1346–1384; also count of Flanders, Nevers, and Artois)

Louis III

(1384–1402; also countess of Flanders, Nevers, Artois, and duchess of Burgundy)

Margaret

(1384–1402; also duke of Burgundy; married Margaret of Dampierre)

Philip the Bold

(1402–1407; later duke of Brabant)

Antoine

(1407–1415; also count of Nevers)

Philip II

(1415–1464; also count of Nevers)

Charles I

(1464–1491; also count of Nevers and Eu)

John II

(1491–1500)

Charlotte

John of Albret (1491–1500; also lord of Orval; married Charlotte of Rethel)

(1500–1549)

Marie of Albret

Charles II (1500–1521; also count of Nevers; married )

Marie of Albret

(1549–1561; also duke of Nevers)

François I

(1561–1563; also duke of Nevers)

François II

(1563–1564; also duke of Nevers)

Jacques

(1564–1601; also duchess of Nevers)

Henriette of Cleves

(1566–1595; married Henriette of Cleves; first duke of Rethel)

Louis IV

(1595–1637; also duke of Nevers, Mantua, Montferrat, and Mayenne)

Charles III

(1637–1659; also duke of Nevers, Mantua and Montferrat)

Charles IV

(1659–1661); minister of Louis XIV of France; purchased Rethel from Charles IV

Jules Cardinal Mazarin

(1661–1699); the niece of Cardinal Mazarin, Duchess of Mazarin, Duchess of Mayenne, Duchess of Meilleraye, mistress of Charles II of England

Hortense Mancini

Paul-Jules de la Porte (1699–1731; also Duke of Meilleraye)

Paul de la Porte (1731–1738; also Duke of Meilleraye)

(1738–1781; also Duchess of Mayenne and Meilleraye)

Louise Jeanne de Durfort

(1781–1789; also Duchess of Mayenne and Meilleraye)

Louise d'Aumont

Nowadays, the title is still claimed by her descendants, the Sovereign Princes of Monaco.

Alan V. Murray, The crusader Kingdom of Jérusalem, A Dynastic History 1099-1125, Linacre College Oxford, 2000,  1-900934-03-5

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