French nobility

The French nobility is - as the German - emerged from the feudal system of the Middle Ages and until the Revolution of 1789 divided into a high and a low aristocracy.

History

The High needle ( to which also sidelines of the ruling Capetian included ), led for centuries a bloody struggle against the royal power, which began with religious antagonisms and from which the victorious kingdom emerged strengthened. The last reigning Capetians, the Bourbons, and their ministers Richelieu and Mazarin finally succeeded by connecting with the Protestant powers, and by anti-Habsburg policy completely to break the power of the nobility and to turn him into a court nobility at the brilliant court of Versailles. This ultimately led to the moral and economic ruin of the majority of the country gentlemen.

The older nobility was significantly weakened during the period of the last Bourbon kings by numerous registry increases and the introduction of the service nobility ( noblesse de robe ). There were also numerous noble pretensions (France had no Adelsmatrikel ), which meant that we drove a large trade confirmation documents. The only privilege that this was proliferated nobility, and was the tax-exempt status, was detained at the until the Revolution rigid and extended the gap between the nobility and the bourgeoisie.

The nobility received by the Chambre des Pairs, the upper house of parliament, a political voice in the context of constitutional government.

Title of the French nobility

The title of the French nobility in the old monarchy corresponded to the system in the rest of Europe: Duke ( Duc), Marquis ( Marquis ), Count ( Comte ), Viscount ( Viscount ), Baron, Knight ( Chevalier ) and easier Monsieur de ... and have all been wiped out by the revolution. Napoléon Bonaparte created a new nobility, noblesse impériale, from people who served him ( with the ranks Duke, Count, Baron and Knight ), but at the same time took a part of the old nobility in his system, and gave him new titles and coats of arms. The Bourbon restoration of 1814 recognized the imperial nobility formally and put the old back in its title, but tolerated implied that members of the old gentry, the title of barons, counts and marquis accepted without course to confirm ever. This Selbstadelung is a phenomenon that exists in France today (about 10,000 families in 2004 were "false nobility ").

The bourgeois monarchy of Louis Philippe took the needle again his rights, and the short-lived second republic abolished the nobility, he was told by Napoleon III. restored to be abolished by the 3rd Republic. Since then, noble titles only as part of the name meaning, the ( real and fake ) Adel has kept its position as the most distinguished part of society.

There are several organizations that needle presuppose as a recording criterion and who have a mutual support, safeguarding the interests of the nobility and the enlargement of its sphere of influence goal. In France, in particular, the ANF ( Association d' entraide de la noblesse française ) is mentioned. At European level, the needle is represented for example by the Association Européenne de la Noblesse ..

Survivors Duke Family

From the old Capetian high nobility to this day have the following Duke families survived: Audiffret - Pasquier, Bauffremont, Blacas d' Aulps, Caylus (House Rougé ) Cossé - Brissac, Broglie, the Cars, Choiseul - Praslin, Clermont- Tonnerre, Gramont, Harcourt, de Riquet de Caraman ( 1828 Ducs de Caraman ), Caumont ( 1637 Ducs de La Force ), La Rochefoucauld, Durfort de Civrac ( Ducs de Lorges ), d' Albert ( Duke of Luynes ), Maille de la Tour - Landry, Montesquiou -Fezensac, Rochechouart ( Dukes of Mortemart ), Noailles, Polignac, Sabran - Pontevès, Rohan -Rochefort, Rohan - Chabot ( Chabot of the tribe ) and Crussol ( Dukes of Uzès ).

For other families who still bear the aristocratic name as the House of La Tour d' Auvergne - Lauraguais today (due to alleged illegitimate descent) the historical connection to the old royal nobility lines unresolved.

The Napoleonic Dukes ( six gender blooming yet), mostly descendants of marshals: Albufera Suchet, Auerstädt - Davout, Feltre - Goyon, magenta MacMahon, Montebello Lannes, Fouché d' Otrante, Rivoli - Masséna. Initially, these were boycotted by the old aristocracy, but then, given the rise of a wealthy middle class increasingly recognized during the 19th century, so that today there are numerous family ties between the two groups duke.