Count of Longueville is a French noble title, whose
holder had the fiefdom of the County of Longueville. The County was
erected into a Duchy in 1505.
The Lordship of Longueville was a fief that belonged to the Giffard
family. William Marshal received half of this honour by right of his
wife, Isabel de Clare, daughter of Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of
Pembroke in 1191. The heir of the other half was Richard de Clare,
3rd Earl of Hertford. After 1204, William Marshal managed to keep his
part, which in 1219 still belonged to his widow Isabel de Clare (Apr.
1172-1220) and her children in 1219. On the death of Isabelle de
Clare, his son William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke gave his brother
Richard his land in Normandy or the honours of Longueville and Orbec.
Richard died childless, and Louis IX of France seized the lands.
In 1305, it was given by Philip IV his minister Enguerrand de Marigny
only for him to be forfeited in 1314. It belonged to the family of the
Counts of Evreux until the death of Philip of Navarre, brother of
Charles the Bad in 1363. On 27 May 1364, Charles V offered the county of
Longueville to Bertrand du Guesclin. The title of Comte de Longueville
was awarded to Archibald Douglas,
Earl of Wigtown (d.1438), and his son
William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas (d.1440) in gratitude for the
assistance to the future Charles VII of France by the Scottish army
rescue led by Archibald Douglas, 4th
Earl of Douglas, killed at the
Battle of Verneuil in 1424. Upon the death of
James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas
and 3rd Earl of Avondale in 1488, all his titles were forfeited and
subsequently the title was bestowed upon Jean de Dunois. The title
remained in the hands of the Orléans-Longueville family until the death
of Jean Louis Charles d'Orléans in 1694.
In 1364, following the death of John II of France, the County of
Tancarville was separated from the County of Longueville, while the city
of Montivilliers was attached to the royal demesne. In 1505, the barony
of Auffay was united to the county and subsequently, the Duchy of
Longueville was created by King Louis XII of France for his first cousin
once removed François d'Orléans, Count of Dunois, son of François
d'Orléans, Count of Dunois, son of Jean d'Orléans, himself an
illegitimate son of the Duke of Orléans. The title became extinct in
1694 following the death of Marie de Nemours. From 1648, Longueville was
also Sovereign Prince of Neuchâtel, a Swiss territory. In 1654 the
eighth duke was created a peer as Duke of Coulommiers but the peerage
was never registered and so became extinct at his death.
See also:
• The Douglas family in France
• Château de Longueville |
