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House of Harcourt
Noble House
Shield of the House of Harcourt – Gules, with two fesses or.
CountryNormandy Duchy of Normandy
England Kingdom of England
Titlesin France:
  • baron d'Harcourt
  • baron d'Elbeuf (1265)
  • comte d'Harcourt (1328)
  • comte d'Aumale
  • baron de Olonde
  • marquis de Beuvron (1528)
  • marquis de Thury
  • comte de Sézanne
  • comte de Lillebonne
  • duc d'Harcourt (1700) and peer of France (1709)
  • duc de Beuvron (1784)
  • marquis d'Olonde-Harcourt
  • marquis d'Harcourt (confirmed in 1814) and peer of France (1814), etc.

in England:

The House of Harcourt is a Norman family, and named after its seigneurie of Harcourt in Normandy. Its mottos were "Gesta verbis praeveniant" (Olonde branch), "Gesta verbis praevenient" (Beuvron branch), and "Le bon temps viendra ... de France" (English branch).

In 1280 they established the Collège d'Harcourt in Paris, now the Lycée Saint-Louis at 44 boulevard Saint-Michel.

Origins

When in 911, the Viking chief Rollo was given the territories that would make up Normandy through the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte, he distributed domains to his main supporters among those who had accompanied him on his expeditions against the English and the Neustrians. Considerable lands (notably the seigneurie of Harcourt, near Brionne) were granted to Bernard the Dane as a reward for his exploits, and from him they descended upon the lords (seigneurs) of Harcourt.

French and English branches

The Harcourt family has been perpetuated up until the present day in a French branch and an English branch. The château d'Harcourt in Harcourt, Eure, Normandy, built around 1100, survives.

English branch

See also: Earl Harcourt and Viscount Harcourt

In the 11th century, Errand of Harcourt and his three brothers followed William the Conqueror, duke of Normandy, on the Norman invasion of England, and the brothers were installed with English lands. The English Harcourt branch entered the English peerage, as barons then viscounts then earls. At first the Harcourts had lands in Leicestershire, but in 1191 Robert de Harcourt of Bosworth inherited lands of his father-in-law at Stanton in Oxfordshire, which then became known as Stanton Harcourt.[1] The manor of Stanton Harcourt has remained in the Harcourt family to the present day, although from 1756 to 1948 their main residence was at Nuneham House, also in Oxfordshire. Simon Harcourt was created Baron Harcourt in 1711 and Viscount Harcourt in 1721. The third viscount was created Earl Harcourt in 1749, but all titles were extinguished with the death of marshal William Harcourt, 3rd Earl Harcourt, in 1830. His cousin Edward Vernon, Archbishop of York, thus inherited the majority of that branch's lands and titles and took the name and heraldic shield of the English Harcourt family by royal authorisation on 15 January 1831. This created the Vernon-Harcourt branch, descended from a Harcourt woman. The title Viscount Harcourt was created a second time in 1917 for Lewis Harcourt, but the title was again extinguished on the death of his son.

French branch

In France, Errand of Harcourt's brother, Robert I of Harcourt, sire of Harcourt, continued the Harcourt line in France. His descendants are sub-divided into several branches, with the two principal ones being the Olonde and Beuvron branches, which both descend to this day. The Harcourt family of France intermarried with other members of the French aristocracy, including the de Livet family.[2] The Beuvron branch includes several marshal of France and lieutenant Generals of the ancien régime royal armies. These include

In 1966, 126 English and French Harcourts celebrated the 1000-year anniversary of the House of Harcourt at the Château du Champ de Bataille, headed by the heads of the family, the Viscount Harcourt, the Marquess of Olonde, and by the duke of Harcourt, head of the Beuvron branch.

The first lords of Harcourt

The first seigneurs of Harcourt from the early 11th to 13th centuries:

The Harcourts and the Hundred Years' War

As with several Norman lords, several Harcourt possessions in England and France were placed in a difficult position during the wars between the Capetians and Plantagenets. In this context, the Harcourt family played a game all of its own, simultaneously independent of both the king of France and king of England. Geoffroy de Harcourt led King Edward III and the English Army into Normandy during the Crecy campaign as well as being involved in a reconnaissance mission that ended in a skirmish between Geoffroy de Harcourt and his elder brother, the Comte de Harcourt, at Rouen.[3][4] Geoffroy de Harcourt was also one of those who guarded Edward, the Black Prince at the Battle of Crécy.[5] Also, after Philip II's conquest of Normandy in 1204, the Harcourts habitually became the head of feudal movements against the king of France.

Notable members of the House of Harcourt

The Harcourts have a great reputation in England and France as:

Statesmen and governors

French and English marshals

Spanish

French and British ambassadors

Governors of French and British heirs to the throne

Generals

Resistance-workers

Churchmen

Members of the Académie française

Scientists

Authors

Notes

  1. ^ Victoria County History of Oxfordshire: Stanton Harcourt
  2. ^ Dictionnaire de la noblesse 1775, p. 72.
  3. ^ a b c d e Chisholm 1911, p. 398.
  4. ^ Froissart, Jean (2015). "The Campaign of Crecy: How Sir Godfrey of Harcourt Fought with Them of Amiens before Paris". The Chronicles of Froissart. The Harvard Classics (1909–1914). Published online by bartleby.com.
  5. ^ Hunt 1889, p. 91.
  6. ^ "The treachery of a broken-hearted knight, in medieval Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte". Normandy Then and Now. 4 February 2017. Archived from the original on 5 February 2017.

References

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