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French noble family
Coat of arms of Dukes of Durfort-Duras
The Durfort family is an old French noble family, distinguished in French and English history. It originated as feudal lords of Durfort, Tarn, a village of south-western France.[1]
Middle Ages
Though earlier lords are known, the pedigree of the family is only clearly traceable to
Arnaud de Durfort (fl. 1305), who acquired the fief of Duras by his marriage with a niece of Pope Clement V.
The greatness of the family dates, however, from the 17th century.
Guy Aldonce (1605–1665), marquis de Duras and comte de Rozan, had, by his wife Elizabeth de la Tour d'Auvergne, sister of Marshal Turenne, six sons, three of whom played a distinguished part.
Guy Aldonce, the second son (1630–1702), comte de Lorges and duc de Quintin (known as the duc de Lorges), became a marshal of France in 1676, commanded the army in Germany from 1690 to 1695, and captured Heidelberg in 1693.
Jean Baptiste (1684–1770), duc de Duras, son of Jacques Henri, was also a marshal of France. In 1733 he resigned the dukedom of Duras to his son, Emmanuel Felicité, himself receiving the brevet title of duc de Durfort.
Emmanuel Felicité (1715–1789), duc de Duras, took part in all the wars of Louis XV and was made a marshal of France in 1775.
His grandson, Amedée Bretagne Maio (1771–1838), duc de Duras, is mainly known as the husband of Claire Louise Rose Bonne de Coetnempren de Kersaint (1778–1828), daughter of Armand Guy Simon de Coetnempren Kersaint, who, as duchesse de Duras, presided over a once celebrated salon and wrote several novels once widely read.[1]
Durfort-Civrac
The family of Durfort was later represented in France by the branch of Durfort-Civrac, dating from the 16th century.
Jean Laurent (1746–1826), marquis de Civrac, married his cousin, the daughter of the duc de Lorges; his son,
Guy Emeric Anne (1767–1837), duc de Civrac, became afterwards duc de Lorges.
Henri, marquis de Durfort-Civrac (1812–1884), was a well-known politician, and was several times elected vice-president of the Chamber of Deputies.[1]
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