House of Rohan
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.
For other uses, see Rohan.
House of Rohan
Maison de Rohan
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1116
Charles VI Raoul de Rohan, Duke of Montbazon
A plus
Rohan-Guéméné
Rohan-Rochefort
Rohan-Soubise
Rohan-Gié
Rohan-Gué-de-l'Isle
Rohan-Polduc
Rohan-Montauban
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]
Following his marriage in 1645 with Marguerite de Rohan, only daughter of Henri II de Rohan, first Duke of Rohan (who died in 1638 with no male heir), Henri Chabot, a descendant of the eldest branch of the House of Chabot from Poitou, was made Duke of Rohan in 1648 and allowed to use the name of Rohan-Chabot instead of his own, thus giving rise to the House of Rohan-Chabot.[3][4]
Origins[edit]
The family of Rohan claimed descent from the first kings of Brittany, and even from the legendary ruler Conan Meriadoc.[5]
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]
Guethenoc's son Josselin I († 1074) took part in the Norman Conquest of England. He was granted lands in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Gloucestershire, as well as the town of Caerwent. He was the father of Mainguy, Bishop of Vannes, and Odo I, Viscount of Porhoët, Rohan and Guéméné († after 1092), who married Anne of Léon and had several sons – Geoffrey, who inherited the viscounty of Porhoët, and Alain I the Black (1084-1147), Viscount of Rohan and Castelnoec (fl. 1127), who built the castle of Rohan and was the first member of the House of Rohan.[2]
House of Rohan-Chabot[edit]
The House of Rohan-Chabot is the eldest branch of the Chabot family, from Poitou. It is descended from the House of Rohan in female line through the marriage of Marguerite de Rohan (1617-1684) (only daughter and heiress of Henry II, Duke of Rohan) with Henri Chabot (1616-1655), from the eldest branch of the Chabot de Jarnac family, in 1645. Henri Chabot was created Duke of Rohan in 1648 by Louis XIV, and his descendants bear the name Rohan-Chabot.
Marguerite de Rohan (v. 1330–1406) and her husband the Constable of Clisson.
Pierre de Rohan-Guéméné, also known as Marshal of Gié (1451-1513), Marshal of France.
Jacqueline de Rohan-Gié (1520-1587), Lady of Blandy-les-Tours, Marchionness of Rothelin, Princess of Neuchâtel.
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.
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.
Louis César Constantin de Rohan-Guéméné, also known as “the Cardinal de Rohan” (1697-1779), Bishop of Strasbourg, Cardinal.
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).
Emmanuel de Rohan-Polduc (1725-1797), ambassador, Général des galères, Knight Hospitaller, Magister Magnus of the Knights Hospitaller.
Louise de Rohan-Rochefort (1734-1815).
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.
Victoire Armande Josèphe de Rohan-Soubise also known as “Madame de Guéméné” (1743-1807), Princess of Maubuisson.
Charles Alain Gabriel de Rohan-Guéméné (1764-1836), Duke of Montbazon, Prince of Guéméné, Duke of Bouillon.
Jules Armand Louis de Rohan-Guéméné (1768-1836).
Marie Victoire de Rohan (1779-1836).
The members of the Rohan family were first styled viscount of Porhoët, the viscount of Rohan and were granted the following titles:
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]