House Choiseul

The House of Choiseul is a Grandelumièrian ducal house and one of the oldest in the Empire of Grandelumière, being founded in the year 1027. Over centuries, the house has developed its prestige, power and influence in the Empire and has become a dominant house in central and eastern Grandelumière in terms of territory.
The house has been known to produce ambitious and skilled members, but from 1653 to 1714, the House was strained under the "Dark Age of House Choiseul", the tenure of Francois Antoine de Choiseul as Duke of Choiseul. However, since then, the house has vastly recovered its prestige and has become influential in the Grandelumièrian court and government once more.
== Arms ==
The Coat of Arms of House Choiseul can be traced back to around 1350, when the first prototype of the current arms appeared as simply a golden cross on a black background, which became blue a few years later. Not much is known about where the design of the house's arms came from.
The arms are a golden cross on a blue background, surrounded by four golden squares in each division. The gold represents the courage and wisdom of its members, and the blue represents the intelligence and the faith of its members. The arms of Choiseul's cadet branch, Choiseul de Sade, encompasses this same design but in the top left division includes a red background with a star design.
== History ==
=== Founding ===
House Choiseul was founded in the year 1267, by Gaston II de Choiseul, Comte de Lanques and Seigneur de Choiseul. Comte de Lanques had been a title held by the early members of House Choiseul before the house was made official. Beforehand, it had simply been a feudal family living on their estate, but Gaston II sought to prove his legitimacy to his subjects in Lanques and to his peers in Lorraine by forming his own noble house, which he named after his secondary Lordship, and the used name for his family, Choiseul. Thus, the House of Choiseul was born.
=== Early Existence ===
House Choiseul proved to be a force to be reckoned with in Lorraine's politics, as they dominated the courts of the Dukes of Lorraine for many years, until the neighbouring Grandelumière, seeking territorial expansions further into the French region, launched an invasion of Lorraine. Lorraine was integrated to Grandelumière, and after Francois, Comte de Lanques swore fealty to the King of Grandelumière, the House of Choiseul was allowed to keep its title and holdings. However, within a larger Kingdom, Choiseul became a relatively minor house in comparison to other Grandelumièrian houses, and became more of a power in the region rather than the state as a whole.
The Lordship of Choiseul was promoted to a County eventually, and Lanques became integrated into the greater County of Choiseul, thus ending the title's use by the heads of House Choiseul. The Counts of Choiseul continued to grow and develop their holdings while developing greater influence in central Grandelumière. The age was feudalistic, where a large amount of autonomy for the nobles of the time to do as they pleased with their holdings. Most states at the time were extremely decentralised, with the nobles holding more authority than the King. Grandelumière was similar to this, but the King held large influence over his feudal vassals. 
=== Later Years and Dark Age of Choiseul ===
Choiseul continued to develop, being promoted into a Duchy in 1562, and as the state began to become more centralised with reforms which limited the power of the nobility and kept them in check, House Choiseul adapted with this and became influential in the court after it became a defined feature of life for the aristocracy. The Dukes of Choiseul continued to develop their influence over time, until the death of Jean de Choiseul, when his son Francois Antoine inherited the house and adopted an isolationist policy like when nobles lived on their own land in their own estates. Francois Antoine relished in feudal independence, but it was considered odd for the age. House Choiseul remained isolated at their chateau for the entirety of his tenure, until the ascension of Charles-Nicolas Matthieu de Choiseul, who reversed this. 
=== Tenure of Charles-Nicolas Matthieu de Choiseul ===
Under the administration of Francois Antoine's grandson, Charles-Nicolas Matthieu de Choiseul, the house experienced tremendous change. Nicolas reversed his grandfather's antiquated policies and became actively engaged at court. He wed Isabelle Germaine de Blois de Penthièvre in 1715, and was appointed Controller-General of Finances in 1737. Through Nicolas' work and example, he was able to re-establish House Choiseul as a truly influential and dominant force within the court and the empire. His sharp wit and unalterable conviction caused many connections and acquaintances between him and the other great and powerful houses of Choiseul. He was relished by Imperial Family and close to many of the senior courtiers. After his death in 1757, the house would never again soar to the progressive heights it saw under the regime of Charles-Nicolas. 
== List of Titles ==
=== Titles ===
* Duchies
Duc de Choiseul, Duc de Richelieu, Duc de Nevers, Duc de Praslin, Duc de Marmier
* Marquisates
Marquis de Beaupré, Marquis de Francières, Marquis de Chaource
* Counties
Comte de Chalons-sur-Marne, Comte de Lanques, Comte de Chevigny, Comte de La Rivière, Comte du Plessis, Comte de Sorcy, Comte de Melun, Comte de Nivernais, Comte d’Hostel
* Baronies
Baron d'Ambonville, Baron de Meuse, Baron d’Esguilly, Baron de Quintin, Baron de La Ferte, Baron de Giry, Baron de Clefmont
* Seigneuries
Seigneur de Varennes-sur-Amance, Seigneur d'Aigremont, Seigneur de Cheilly-lès-Maranges, Seigneur de Sainte-Suzanne, Seigneur de Consigny, Seigneur de Daillecourt, Seigneur de Chavignon, Seigneur de Coiffy-le-Haut, Seigneur de Crissay-sur-Manse, Seigneur d’Isches, Seigneur de Marbéville, Seigneur de Montagney-Servigney, Seigneur de Montgauger, Seigneur d’Ostel, Seigneur de Stainville, Seigneur de Fremestroff, Seigneur de Frémonville, Seigneur de Chevigny-en-Auxois, Seigneur de Maugé, Seigneur de Pargny, Seigneur de Villiers, Seigneur de Merderet, Seigneur de Souligny
== Notable Members ==
* Charles-Nicolas Matthieu de Choiseul, 6ème Duc de Choiseul [deceased]
* Isabelle Germaine de Choiseul de Blois de Penthièvre, Duchesse de Choiseul [deceased]
* Louis-Philippe Henri de Choiseul, 7ème Duc de Choiseul [deceased]
* Cesar-Gabriel Seraphin de Choiseul, Duc de Marmier
* Frederic-Chretien Honore de Choiseul, Duc de Nevers
* Edouard-Clement Dieudonne de Choiseul, Comte de Chalon-sur-Marne [deceased]
* Helene-Athenais Valerie d'Albert de Luynes, Duchesse de Luynes (née de Choiseul)
* Louis Frédéric Theodose de Choiseul, Marquis de Beaupré
== List of Dukes ==
* Charles Francois de Choiseul, 1er Duc de Choiseul (1562 - 1567)
* Baptiste Joachim de Choiseul, 2ème Duc de Choiseul (1567 - 1592)
* Fontaine-Gaston de Choiseul, 3ème Duc de Choiseul (1592 - 1612)
* Jean Leopold de Choiseul, 4ème Duc de Choiseul (1612 - 1653)
* Francois Antoine de Choiseul, 5ème Duc de Choiseul (1653 - 1714)
* Charles-Nicolas Matthieu de Choiseul, 6ème Duc de Choiseul (1714 - 1757)
* Louis-Philippe Henri de Choiseul, 7ème Duc de Choiseul (1757 - 1758)
* Louis Marc Hercule de Choiseul 8ème Duc de Choiseul (1758 - 1762 )
* Frederic-Chretien Honore de Choiseul (Regent appointed during minority of Louis Chetien Auguste de Choiseul, son of Louis Marc Hercule de Choiseul.) (1762 - Présent)
Category:Grandelumierian Nobility
Category:Grandelumierian Dukes
Category:13th Century Houses
Category:House Choiseul
Category:Noble Houses