The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-10-07
ARISTOCRACY LOSES
NOTABL e MEMBERS

dukedom OF Thouars was conferred up
on the house in 1853: the dukedom OF
La Tremoiile forty years later. while
Louis XIV. granted the title of Prince
de Tarente for the eldest son of the
duke Tor the time being. and the rank
OF prince and princess to all the other
members OF the family. in return for
the abandonment of their rights to the
succession OF the throne of Naples. ac-
quired b. the marriage of FRANCOIS de
La Tremoille with Anne OF Aragon
The grandfather Of the present duke
was one Of the pages of King Louis
NNl. and of queen Marie Antoinettc in
the closing years of their reign at
Versailles and was twenty years OF
age At the time of their execution
Two of his brothers-grand- uncIes.
therefore, OF the present duke-nameIy.
the Able de La Tremoille and the
Prince lie ramond. were guillotined
during The days OF the Terror. as ari3-
tocrats, the former IN Paris and the
latter a Laval where his head was
stuck Oh a pike on the city gates.
The late duke vas tall, stately
man. a iin4 type Of the French grand
seigneur OF the old school, who held
manned throughout an Interested spec
tator. and was elected member OF ,he
institute of France for his services to
the cause Of history h3 his compila-
ton and publication of many of the
treasures contained among the archives
of his house. How incXhaustible are
these archives. which escaped in
wonderful manner destruction at the
time of the great revolution, will be
do. 81, 10.
them are daily accounts of the De La
Tremoilles from l3i3 To 1890. without
interruption showing how great
French noble lived from day to day,
what were has revenues and what
were his expenses during the changes
that came over France throughout the
whole of the intervening period OF
near five centuries.
The present luke differs in many re-
spects from mis- father. 10 begin with
he takes an active part in public life,
and. "hile in sonle respects his mon
archi"al views of the most reac-
tionary character, he occupies seat
i'll the Chamber of Deputies as a So
cialist. His strange blend OF ultra
royalism and advanced socialism is
very interesting. He is married to the
hcircss Of count Frederic de Pillet-
Will. regent of the Bank of France,
and owner of the vineyard producing
the most royal of all French clarets.
namely the Chateau MarrauX. Ills
daughter married last spring the only
son and heir of the Due de Blacas
The Chateau de Scrrant where the
present dukes mother has just died
and which is his principal home, was
inherited by the late duke from his
uncle. Count Ludovc Walsh dc Scrran:,
last OF his line. the late dukes mother
having beer prior TO her marriage val
entinc Walsh de Scrrant.
The Washes were Irish Jacobites.
and were among those who after the
battle of the Boyne retired with James
II. to France. There Philip Walsh re-
! ceived from his eXiled King an earl
| dom and from Louis XIV. the French
! title OF count; and then secured from
them letters of marquc. emitting him
t. mt out privateers ito attack, assault.
burn. sink or otherwise destroy
whatever British shipping lie could
find. In this way he amassed so enor-
nous fortune that he was able to
purchase the castle and estate of Ser
rant from the Duchess dEstrees.
where he entertained James IL. and
where afterwards the Old and the
Young Pretender spent much OF their
time while in France
His son. Anthony Walsh IVES the real
author of the Jacobitc rising of 1145
in Scotland. For il was he who fur
nished the Young Pretcnder Charles
Edward. with the money needed 70:
the expedition, as we'll as the ship on
which the prince sailed for Loeb ma
Nuagh OH the 18th OF July. l745. The
log of this ship is contained in the
archives of the Due de La Tremoille.
at the Chateau of Scrrant together
with dn immense quantity OF correspon
dence of James H.. and OF the Young
and Old PrctenGer. with the Washes;
also many letters from members of the
DE Ia Trenoile and Walsh family
who took part in the American War of
D.. Independence. dealing with the conflict.
The Chateau o. Serrant is built on the
site and foundations OF a much older
stronghold. by the same architect VINO
. designed the Castle OF ChenonceauN
and the Tuierics and which, Renais
sance in style, with spacious court
yards, towers and wings. all surrounded
/ by moat, dominates the valley OF
the Loire between Anglers and Nantes.
/ The chapel contains the famous tomb
of the Marescal de Naubrun, in black
marble, which is justly regarded as the
masterpiece OF Coysevox. The cha
teau is surrounded by the largest pr,
/ vate park in the west of France, full
Of trees many hundreds OF Sears old.
With regard to the Due de FeZensac.
ne has not long survived his wife.
who died only few months ago. and
with his demise the dukedom of
| feZensac, created by Louis XVIII. III
1921. becomes extinct. the duke having
left no issue and having had no
brothers. 1t will be interesting to see
whether or not the dukedom will be
usurped. without right or warrant by
some other member of the house OF
Montesquieu.
1t was Louis XVI who first au-
thorized Pierre. Marquis de Monies
allieu, who had been his "mcnin,' or
whipping hoy, that is TO say. who had
been brought up with him, to assume
the name of Fezensac. in addition to
his own. on the ground that he was
descended ir the female line from the
otherwise extinct Counts de Eczonsac,
who in olden times had exercised petty
sovereign sway in Gers Ills younger
brother. Francois de Montesqueu. at
tached himself TO the fortunes of Louis
XVIII. in his exile, who on the Restora-