The House of Montmorency (pronounced[mɔ̃.mɔ.ʁɑ̃.si]) was one of the oldest and most distinguished noble families in France.
Origins
The family name Montmorency derived from their castle in the pays de France, recorded in Latin as Mons Maurentiacus, in 993. Maurentiacus, the name of the area surrounding the castle, meant "estate of Maurentius", probably a Gallo-Roman landowner.
The village that grew up in the vicinity of the castle was also known as Montmorency, and is eponymous of the modern commune of Montmorency, Val-d'Oisedépartement, in the immediate neighborhood of Enghien-les-Bains and Saint-Denis, about 15 km (9 mi) northwest of Paris.[1]
History
The family, since its first appearance in history in the person of Bouchard I of Montmorency in the 10th century, has furnished six constables and twelve marshals of France, several admirals and cardinals, numerous grand officers of the Crown and grand masters of various knightly orders. Henry IV of France once said, that if ever the House of Bourbon should fail (i.e., become extinct), no European family deserved the French crown more than the House of Montmorency. Bouchard I's son Thibaud of Montmorency was the ancestor of the lords of Montlhéry.[1]
Matthieu II of Montmorency had an important share in the victory of Bouvines (1214). As he captured 12 enemy flags at Bouvines, he was permitted by the king to display 12 eagles on his coat of arms. He was also made constable in 1218. During the reign of Louis VIII he distinguished himself chiefly in the south of France (Niort, La Rochelle, Bordeaux). On the accession of Louis IX, he was one of the chief supports of the queen-regent Blanche of Castile, and was successful in reducing all vassals to obedience. He died in 1230.[1]
Another son, Henri I de Montmorency (1534–1614), who became duc de Montmorency on his brother's death in 1579, had been governor of Languedoc since 1563. As a leader of the party called the Politiques he took a prominent part in the French Wars of Religion. In 1593 he was made constable, but Henry IV showed some anxiety to keep him away from Languedoc, which he ruled like a sovereign prince.[1]
Henri II de Montmorency (1595 – October 30, 1632), son of Duke Henri I, succeeded to the title in 1614, having previously been made Grand Admiral. He also was governor of Languedoc. In 1625 he defeated the French Protestant fleet under Soubise, and seized the islands of Ré and Oleron, but the jealousy of Richelieu deprived him of the means of following up these advantages. In 1628-1629 he was allowed to command against the Duke of Rohan in Languedoc; in 1630 he defeated the Piedmontese, and captured Carlo Doria, at Avigliana, and took Saluzzo.
Charles François Frédéric de Montmorency-Luxembourg, son of the marshal, was created Duc de Beaufort in 1688 and Duke of Montmorency in 1689.[1]
In 1767 the title of Duke of Beaufort-Montmorency passed by marriage to another branch of the Montmorency-Fosseux. This branch becoming extinct in 1862, the title was taken by the Duc de Valencay, who belonged to the Talleyrand-Périgord family and married one of the two heiresses of this branch (1864). There were many other branches of the Montmorency family, among others that of the seigneurs of Laval.[1]
In the 19th century the Irish Morres family highlighted a claim to descent from the Montmorency family. Morres descendants persisted in asserting the connection, obtaining a Royal license to change their name,[2] despite objections expressed in the 1860s by undisputed descendants of the Montmorency family in France.[citation needed]