House of Beauvau facts for kids
The House of Beauvau was a very old and important family from France. They were known as "noble" because they had a high social rank and often owned a lot of land. The family started in a region called Anjou.
One part of the family, called the Beauvau du Rivau branch, lived in Brittany. Two members of this branch became bishops in a city called Nantes. Another part, known as the Craon branch, settled in Lorraine. This group became very close friends with the ruling family of Lorraine.
A Quick Look at Their History
The Beauvau family was known for being noble since at least the year 1265. This means they were part of the highest social class, often knights or lords.
In 1664, King Louis XIV gave the family leader the special title of "marquis of Beauvau." The family also had the rare right to be called "cousin du Roi" (cousin of the King). Only a few families who were allied with the royal family received this honor.
In 1722, Marc de Beauvau (1679–1754) was given the title of "Prince of the Holy Roman Empire." This was a very important title from a large empire in Europe. Because of this, the family was allowed to attend special events at the French royal court in 1775. This was called "honneurs de la Cour."
The Princes of Craon
The title "Prince of Craon" was used by the Beauvau family. They could use this title because they were also "Princes of the Holy Roman Empire" since 1722. King Louis XV of France officially recognized this title in France in 1755.
The title was passed down from father to son. It ended in 1982 because there were no more male heirs. These princes were sometimes also known as the Prince of Beauvau.
Here are the Princes of Craon:
- 1722–1754: Marc de Beauvau, Prince of Craon (1679–1754). He was also a Grandee of Spain.
- 1754–1793: Charles Juste de Beauvau, Prince of Craon (1720–1793). He also became a Marshal of France.
- 1793–1849: Marc Étienne de Beauvau, Prince of Craon (1773–1849). He was better known as the Prince of Beauvau.
- 1849–1864: Charles de Beauvau, Prince of Beauvau (1793–1864).
- 1864–1883: Marc de Beauvau, Prince of Beauvau (1816–1883).
- 1883–1942: Charles Louis de Beauvau, Prince of Beauvau (1878–1942).
- 1942–1982: Marc de Beauvau, Prince of Beauvau (1921-1982) (1921–1982).
The Beauvau Family in Lorraine
The Beauvau family had a very close relationship with the ruling family of Lorraine. They were so close that they even named one of their sons after a son of the Duke of Lorraine.
The family owned a large house in Nancy, which was the capital city of Lorraine. This house was known as the Hôtel de Craon. The Beauvau family also had another important home in Paris, called the Hôtel de Beauvau.
