Adrien de Noailles, 8th Duke of Noailles facts for kids
Adrien Maurice Victurnien Mathieu de Noailles, 8th Duke of Noailles (born September 22, 1869 – died October 23, 1953), was a French nobleman and an Olympian. He came from a very old and important family in France.
Who Was Adrien de Noailles?
Adrien de Noailles was born into a famous French family. His father was Jules Charles Victurnien de Noailles, the 7th Duke of Noailles. His mother was Clotilde Caroline Antoinette de La Ferté-Meun Molé de Champlâtreux. One of his younger brothers, Count Mathieu de Noailles, married a well-known writer named Princess Anna Elisabeth Bibesco-Bassaraba de Brancovan.
Becoming a Duke
When his father passed away in 1895, Adrien became the 8th Duke of Noailles. This meant he inherited his father's title and lands. One of the most famous places he inherited was the Château de Maintenon. This beautiful castle is known for being the private home of King Louis XIV's second wife, Madame de Maintenon.
An Olympian in Paris
Adrien de Noailles was a very skilled horseman. He even competed in the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris! He took part in the "mail coach event," which was one of the horse-riding competitions held during the games. These events were part of a big world fair called the Exposition Universelle and were later counted as part of the 1900 Summer Olympics.
Family Life
On December 5, 1892, Adrien de Noailles married Yolande Louise Marie Valentine d'Albert de Luynes. She was the daughter of the 9th Duke of Luynes. Adrien and Yolande had three children together:
- Jean Maurice Paul Jules de Noailles (1893–1945), who was known as the Duke of Ayen. He was part of the French Resistance during World War II and sadly lost his life in April 1945.
- Yolande Marie Clothilde Charlotte (1896–1976)
- Élisabeth Pauline Sabine Marie (1898–1969), who became a tennis player. She competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics and won a bronze medal!
Yolande, the Duchess, passed away in Cannes in 1952. Adrien, the Duke, died a year later in 1953. Because his only son and his son's child had passed away before him during World War II, his nephew, François de Noailles, became the next Duke.
