New-York tribune., 1909-04-12
ROMANCE OF FAMOUS DUCAL HOUSE.

ROMANCE OF 4 FAMOUS DUCAL HOUSE
The Due de Rohan has Just been reelected presi-
dent Of the Union Club. Paris, the most ex-
elusive arfstocratic organization OF the kind in
the French capital. ard of which Henry White, by
virtue of HIS position s Ambassador Of the United
States. is the Only American member. The Due de
Rohan IS not the chief OF the historic Breton house
% Rohan but of a younger branch thereof, founded
by Count Henri de Chabot who in June, 1915, mar
ried Marguerite de Rohan. daughter and heiress of
Henri Due de Rohan. The Duke of Rohan, how
ever in spite of his connection with the family
only through the female line. represents ii in
France and owns much of the old Rohan property
and many OF its ancient dignities, though the other
members Of his family all bear the title Of Counts
De Chabot, some of them prefxing ''Rohan" there
TO. The real head of the Rohans is Alan, Prince de
Rohan who makes his home wholly in Austria, 10
which his grandfather. Jules de Rohan. ernigrated
from France al the close of the eighteenth century
Securing Austrian naturalization in 1905 emigre
de Rohan received from old Emperor Francis the
Austrian title Of furst, or prince, and hered-
ttary scat in the Austrian House of Lords. Prince
Alan Rohan is likewise twelfth Duke of Mont
BACON. Prince OF Cuemenee. OF Rochefort and of
Nontauban, all Of them French honOrs, and also
Duke of Bouillon. title which il may he remem-
bered vas once borne by the first Crusader King
of Jerusalem.
There is A curious romance about this title
which up to the end of the eighteenth century
was in the possession Of the now extinct House of
Ia Tour d'Auvergne. IN those days the duchy
OF Boulon enjoyed the rights Of petty sovereignty,
and the penultnste authentic Prince de la Tour
d'Auvergne, who likewise sovereign Duke OF
Bouillon and q peer of France, Godfrey who,
knowing that his only son, Leopold childless
and. although married, mentally deficient,
extremely anxious about the perpetuation Of his
line Happening to meet Lieutenant Philip d Au-
vergne, Of the English navy whose ancestors had
held grant of lana In the parish of St Ouen,
on the island of Jersey. since the thirteenth
century. he took great fancy TO the young officer.
who Was at the time prisoner of in France.
The duke. after employing the leading genealogical
experts of the day 10 trace the Jersey family of
q Auvergne, acquired absolute proof that it was
descended from Count Thebault d'Auvergne who.
2 cadet OF the petty sovereign House of Auyergne.
nsd been the original grantee of the land at St
ouen, the grant bearing the of 1232. The
ooke. finding that next 10 his son, the father and
ncle Of tho young lieutenant were with the latter,
tne only remaining heirs TO his honors issued in
l'eb under his own seal and signature letters pat
rhc acknowledging the father and uncle of
Fhilip to be descended from the ancient Counts
oAuSergne. confirming TO them the arinorial hear
ihss OF his family, and then, after having obtained
tll= consent of the British Crown formally adopteJ
Lieutenant Philip d'Auvergne as his second heir
resisting al the dukes attempts 10 persuade him
70 exchange the service Of England for that Of
france Fnliip Insisted upon remaining in the Eng