Creations: New Dukedoms during Louis XV

During Louis XV's reign, 24 new dukedoms were erected for favoured courtiers; only one of these were created during his minority. A title of duke was the highest honour the king could bestow on his courtiers, as the higher-ranking titles were reserved for those born into them.

Duc de Valentinois

Creation: 1716
For: Jacques I of Monaco

Family: Grimaldi

Status: extant
Anecdote:

Jacques I only acceded to that title by marriage - he was chosen by the then-reigning Antonio I of Monaco for his eldest daughter, as Antonio had no male heirs. The candidature was supported by Louis XIV who might very well have intended to bestow the dukedom himself but died beforehand. It was the very first title bestowed by the then six-year old Louis XV.

Duc de Lévis

Creation: 1723
For: Charles Eugène de Lévis

Family: Lévis

Status: extinct in 1734
Anecdote:

When Louis XV bestowed this title upon Charles, it was intended as a hereditary duchy. However, in a tragic turn of events, all three of Charles' sons died before their father. This meant that the duchy passed into the house of Castries when his sole surviving child - a daughter, Marie-Françoise - married into it. That particular house went on to sell the title to the famed architect Jacques Hardouin-Mansart in 1752.

Duc de Mercœur

Creation: 1723
For: Louis François de Bourbon-Conti

Family: Conti

Status: sold in 1770 to the crown
Anecdote:

Initially showing talent as a military leader, he was later by-passed when the Seven Years' War broke out; it has widely been speculated that this was the work of Madame de Pompadour. Either way, it left the king's cousin so angry that he began using his influence to directly work against the king's government which eventually left to his exile.

Prince de Conti

Duc d'Alincourt

Creation: 1729
For: François Camille de Neufville de Villeroy

Family: Neufville de Villeroy

Status: extinct in 1732
Anecdote:

François was the second son of the Duc de Villeroy and with his elder brother still living, he was not expected to become a duke. However, the king kindly bestowed another duchy on the family. Sadly, for François he would only hold it for three years before dying.

Duc de Châtellerault

Creation: 1730
For: Anne-Charles-Frédéric de La Trémoille

Family: La Trémoille

Status: extinct in 1759
Anecdote:

This particular title does not appear to have ever remained long with the same family - by 1730, it had been created no less than eight times since 1515. When it was created for Anne-Charles-Frédéric that trend appears to have continued as it would not be passed on to another until the following century.

Duc de Lauraguais

Creation: 1731
For: Louis II de Brancas

Family: Brancas
Anecdote:

Louis received his second dukedom - being already Duc de Villars - upon his first marriage in 1731. His young wife died tragically following childbirth at the age of 19, after which he married the king's former mistress, Diane-Adélaide de Mailly. 

Duc de Fleury

Creation: 1736

For: André-Hercule de Rosset de Rocozel

Family: Rosset

Status: extinct in 1815
Anecdote:

Not to be confused with his vastly powerful uncle, Cardinal Fleury, André-Hercule appears to have divided his time somewhat equally between serving in the king's army and in the king's court. In the former he achieved the rank of lieutenant-general and at court he was nominated as one of the king's four Premier Gentilhommes de la Chambre

Duc de Boutteville

Creation: 1736
For: Charles Paul Sigismond de Montmorency-Luxembourg

Family: Montmorency

Status: extinct in 1785
Anecdote:

Known primarily as the Duc de Châtillon, Charles was also a descendant of Hugues Capet and as such were related to royalty; it is therefore no wonder that he held a whole array of titles besides his dukedoms: Marquis de Royan, Comte de Hallot, Comte d'Olonne, Governor of Maine, Governor of du Perche and Governor of Laval.

Duc d'Estissac

Creation: 1737
For: Louis François Armand de La Rochefoucauld de Roye

Family: La Rochefoucauld

Status: extant
Anecdote:

Originally, this was a title bestowed à brevet, meaning solely for the recipient. However, in 1758 Louis XV further ennobled him by making the title hereditary.

Duc d'Ayen

Creation: 1737
For: Louis de Noailles

Family: Noailles
Anecdote:

Being already the son and heir of the Duc de Noailles, Louis probably owed his further advancement to the fact that his mother was a certain Françoise Charlotte d'Aubigné - Madame de Maintenon's beloved niece. He managed to die of natural causes in 1793 while four members of his immediate family were guillotined.

Duc d'Ayen

Duc de Lesparre

Creation: 1739
For: Antoine de Gramont

Family: Gramont

Status: extant
Anecdote:

This was a dukedom bestowed à brevet, meaning that it was a mark of royal favour but was not initially intended to be passed on to his heirs. However, this was apparently changed, as his descendants did - and still do - carry the title.

Duc de Gisors

Creation: 1742
For: Charles Louis Auguste Fouquet

Family: Fouquet
Anecdote:

Grandson of the notorious Nicolas Fouquet, the disgraced Superintendent of Finances, Charles determined to regain royal favour by diligent military service which he happened to be particularly well-suited for. He was very successful in his field and became Maréchal de France the year prior to receiving his dukedom.

Duc de Gisors

Duc d'Anville

Creation: 1746
For: Jean-Baptiste Louis Frédéric de La Rochefoucauld

Family: La Rochefoucauld
Anecdote:

Jean-Baptiste pursued the mandatory military career but little could he have known that his greatest claim to fame would be the disastrous expedition to Acacdia - it was even named after him, as the Duc d'Anville Expedition. Utterly unprepared to lead a fleet, the situation was worsened by terrible weather when crossing the Atlantic Ocean. This further lead to the sinking of several ships with some even turning back to France. Jean-Baptiste was amongst those who landed at the planned destination but the remaining soldiers soon suffered a typhoid outbreak - this would eventually kill the newly made Duc d'Anville.

The unfortunate Duc d'Anville

Duc de Coigny

Creation: 1747
For: François de Franquette de Coigny

Family: Coigny
Anecdote:

Once again, it was most likely the military exploits that would later result in the elevation of François from count to duke. His successes in the Wars of the Polish and Austrian Successions also earned him the rank of Maréchal de France.

Duc de Mirepoix

Creation: 1751
For: Gaston Pierre de Lévis

Family: Lévis

Status: extinct 1757
Anecdote:

Perceived as a somewhat non-entity, it was rumoured that he owed his advancement to the fact that Louis XV was interested in his wife - this could also account for his choice as ambassador to Great Britain.

Duc de Mirepoix

Duc de Rochechouart

Creation: 1753
For: Jean-Victor de Rochechouart

Family: Rochechouart

Status: 
Anecdote:

He would later also be given the title of Duc de Mortemart and was from the same family as the celebrated Madame de Montespan.

Duc de Choiseul

Creation: 1758
For: Étienne François de Choiseul

Family: Choiseul

Status: 
Anecdote:

Known for his staunch pro-Austrian position, he was widely seen as the driving force at the French court for the match between Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. After having been in almost supreme power for years, he suddenly fell from grace and was exiled from the court of Louis XV - largely due to the influence of Madame du Barry and her supporters who loathed him.

Duc de Choiseul

Duc de Clermont-Tonnerre

Creation: 1758
For: Gaspard de Clermont-Tonnerre

Family: Clermont-Tonnerre
Anecdote:

Gaspard was rather unique in one particular aspect: he lived during all three kings of Versailles. Having been born in 1688 at the court of Louis XIV, he would be elevated during Louis XV and finally died during Louis XVI.

Duc de Gontaut

Creation: 1758
For: Charles-Antoine de Gontaut Biron

Family: Gontaut-Biron

Status: extinct in 1862
Anecdote:

Having spent the majority of his life as an officer in the army, the ageing Duc de Gontaut had given his title of Duc de Biron to his only son, Armand-Louis. However, when Armand-Louis was guillotined in 1793, the 85-year old once again became both the Duc de Gontaut and de Biron.

Duc de Laval

Creation: 1758
For: Guy-André-Pierre de Montmorency-Laval

Family: Montmorency-Laval

Status: extinct in 1851
Anecdote:

Primarily a military man, the first Duc de Laval also held the rank of Maréchal de France - it would be these martial exploits that would eventually result in his dukedom. By then, he had been actively involved in military life for 17 years.

Duc de Laval

Duc de La Vauguyon

Creation: 1758
For: Antoine de Quélen de La Vauguyon

Family: Caussade

Anecdote:

Appointed as the governor of the young Louis XVI, he was extremely harsh towards his clumsy and shy royal ward. It would later be said that Louis XVI himself had uttered that he hated no man except for the Duc de La Vauguyon

Duc de Villequier

Creation: 1759
For: Louis-Alexandre-Céleste d'Aumont

Family: Aumont

Status: extant
Anecdote:

He also held the position of one of the four Premier Gentilhommes de la Chambre to the king; he would remain loyal during the revolution - he came dangerously close to being lynched by an angry mob for the crime of wearing a black court suit

Duc de Praslin

Creation: 1762
For: César Gabriel de Choiseul-Praslin

Family: Choiseul
Anecdote:

Not to be confused with his more well-known relative, the Duc de Choiseul, César was a diligent politician who spent time as both diplomatic and military envoy during the wars in Canada and Louisiana of the 1760's.

Duc de Beaumont

Creation: 1765
For: Charles François Christian de Montmorency-Luxembourg

Family: Montmorency-Luxembourg
Anecdote:

Charles inherited the title through his mother, Louise Madeleine d'Harlay, as it would otherwise have gone extinct. However, due to the laws on inheritance, the title had to be "created" again since a woman could not inherit it. Thus, when Charles was born, Louis XV bestowed it on him as if the title had simply "skipped" a step in the lineage.

Duc de Poix

Creation: 1767
For: Philippe de Noailles

Family: Noailles

Status: extinct in 1794 
Anecdote:

Had originally been created for Louis XIV's ambassador to England, Rome, Spain and Bavaria: Charles de Créquy. Sadly, Charles died without male issue which left the king's great-grandson free to bestow it on the Noailles-family. Philippe already held the titles of Prince de Poix, Duc de Mouchy and Comte de Noailles - he was guillotined at the age of 78.

Duc de Poix

Duc de La Vrillière

Creation: 1770
For: Louis III Phélypeaux

Family: Phélypeaux

Status: extinct in 1777
Anecdote:

The family of Phélypeaux had long served the French kings as Secretaries of State - when Louis Phélypeaux was born his father served as the sinister-sounding Secretary of State for Protestant Affairs - a post that Louis inherited. Thus, he was one of a line of statesmen who had made their mark through political office

Duc de La Vrillière

Duc d'Anjou

Creation: 1771
For: Louis Stanislas Xavier de Bourbon 

Family: Royal Family 

Status: merged with the crown in 1795
Anecdote:

Louis received the title from his grandfather upon his graduation from his formative education; he was fifteen years old at the time.

Duc d'Angoulême

Creation: 1773
For: Charles Philippe de Bourbon

Family: Royal Family 

Status: merged with the crown in 1824
Anecdote:

Created for the first male heir of the new generation, it was bestowed on the son of the Comte and Comtesse d'Artois. The then-infant would later go on to marry his first-cousin, Marie Therese, daughter of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

Duc d'Angoulême

Duc d'Auvergne

Creation: 1773
For: Charles Philippe de Bourbon

Family: Royal Family

Status: exchanged in 1778
Anecdote:

A very old title, the dukedom of Auvergne dated back to the 8th century and was bestowed on the youngest son of the late-Dauphin, Louis Ferdinand. Given that he was about 16 years old, it is likely that it was given as a present by the king upon his finishing formal education - as had been done for his elder brother, the Comte de Provence.

Charles Philippe de Bourbon

Duc de Mercœur

Creation: 1773
For: Charles Philippe de Bourbon

Family: Royal Family

Status: exhanged for the dukedom of Poitou in 1778
Anecdote: 

This was the fourth time this particular title had been "erected"; the first had been in the 16th century for the house of Lorraine. When the last holder - Philippe Emmanuel - died without a male heir, the title was passed on to his daughter, Françoise, who had married the Duc de Vendôme. Thus, it had to be officially created for the Duc de Vendôme whose heirs held it until their extinction in 1712. Following that, it was created for the Prince de Conti (see above) and finally for the Comte d'Artois.

Duc de Croÿ d'Havré

Creation: 1773
For: Joseph Anne Auguste Maximilien de Croÿ

Family: Croÿ

Status: extinct in 1839
Anecdote:

Created as a particular mark of favour in 1773 but not made hereditary.

Duc de Croÿ d'Havré