Cardinal de Rohan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
His Eminence
Louis René Édouard de Rohan
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Louis de Rohan
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| Grand Almoner of France | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 1777–1786 |
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| Preceded by | Charles Antoine de La Roche-Aymon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Louis-Joseph de Montmorency-Laval | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ambassador of France to Austria | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 1771–1774 |
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| Preceded by | Jacques-Abraham Durand d'Aubigny | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Jean-François Géorgel | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Louis René Édouard de Rohan (born September 25, 1734 – died February 16, 1803) was a famous French leader. He was known as Cardinal de Rohan. He came from the important Rohan family in France. This family had a long history, even tracing back to kings.
Louis de Rohan held many important jobs. He was a Bishop of Strasbourg, a top church leader. He was also a cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church. Besides his church roles, he was involved in French politics.
Contents
Who Was Cardinal de Rohan?
Louis de Rohan was born in Paris, France. His parents were Hercule Mériadec and Louise Gabrielle Julie de Rohan. The Rohan family was very powerful.
For many years, members of the Rohan family had been bishops of Strasbourg. This made them very important, almost like princes. Louis was expected to take on this role from a young age.
Early Life and Career
Louis de Rohan became a priest in 1760. Soon after, he was chosen to help his uncle, Louis Constantin de Rohan. His uncle was the bishop of Strasbourg at the time.
Even though he had church duties, Louis loved the exciting life in Paris. He also wanted to be a big part of politics. In 1761, he became a member of the Académie Française, a famous French academy.
A Diplomat in Vienna
Louis de Rohan was part of a group at the palace that didn't like France's alliance with Austria. In 1771, he was sent on a special trip to Vienna. His mission was to find out about the division of Poland.
When he arrived in Vienna in 1772, he threw many fancy parties. He spent a lot of money. Empress Maria Theresa of Austria did not like him. She thought he was trying to cause trouble between France and Austria. She also didn't like his lavish lifestyle as a church leader.
Return to France and New Roles
When King Louis XV died in 1774, Rohan was called back to Paris. He wasn't welcomed warmly by the new king. However, his family was so powerful that he still got important positions.
In 1777, he became the Grand Almoner of France. This was a high position in the royal household. In 1778, he became a cardinal. This was a very important role in the Catholic Church.
In 1779, he took over from his uncle as the Bishop of Strasbourg. Even though he was a bishop, he still preferred living in Paris. He enjoyed the fashionable life there more than his church duties.
Trouble with the Queen
Cardinal de Rohan was not popular with Queen Marie Antoinette. She was the daughter of Empress Maria Theresa, who he had upset in Vienna. He wanted to get back into the Queen's good graces.
The Diamond Necklace Affair
Because he wanted to impress the Queen, he was tricked by a group of people. One of them was the Comtesse de Lamotte. They made him believe that Queen Marie Antoinette liked him. They also made him think the Queen wanted him to buy a very expensive diamond necklace for her.
The Cardinal believed them and arranged to buy the necklace. But it was all a trick! When the scam was found out, the Cardinal was arrested. People thought he was involved in stealing the necklace.
However, during his trial in 1786, it was proven that he was innocent. He had been tricked and used by the scammers. The public was very happy when he was found not guilty. They saw it as a victory against the royal court.
After the trial, he lost his job as Grand Almoner. He was sent away to his abbey, a type of monastery, called Chaise-Dieu. He later returned to Strasbourg.
Later Life and Exile
Cardinal de Rohan was very popular with the people. In 1789, he was chosen to represent the clergy in the Estates-General. This was a big meeting in France before the French Revolution.
In 1791, he refused to take an oath that would change the church's power. Because of this, he went to live in Ettenheim, a German part of his diocese. While in exile, he used his remaining money to help poor priests who had to leave France.
He officially resigned as Bishop of Strasbourg in 1801. He stayed in Ettenheim and passed away there on February 16, 1803.
Cardinal de Rohan in Movies
Cardinal de Rohan's story has been told in movies and TV shows.
- In the 2001 movie The Affair of the Necklace, he was played by Jonathan Pryce.
- He also appears in the Japanese animated series Rose of Versailles.
- In the 1938 film Marie Antoinette, he was played by Barnett Parker.
Images for kids
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Coat of Arms of the Rohan family
See also
In Spanish: Louis-René-Édouard de Rohan para niños
