Louis Chretien Hercules de Rochechouart de Mortemart

## Cardinal Louis Chrétien de Mortemart

Abbé de Beaulieu-en-Verdun

Abbé de Cercamp

Abbé de Cluny

Abbé de Froidmont

Abbé d'Ioüy

Abbé de Longpont

Abbé de Molesme

Abbé d'Ourcamp

Abbé de Ribemont

Abbé de Saint-Germain-des-Prés

Abbé de Saint-Just

Abbé de Saint-Medard

Abbé de Saint-Ouen

Abbé de Saint-Remy

Abbé de Saint-Satur

Abbé de Signy

Grand Maître de la Maison

Grand Inquisiteur

Marie Louise Henriette, Mademoiselle de Mortemart

Marie Augustine Thérèse, Abbesse de Fontevraud

Joseph Louis Clement, Baron de Rochebrune

*Cardinal*. **Louis Chrétien Hercules de Rochechouart de Mortemart** (29th August 1693 - 7th January 1760) was a Grandelumièrian clergyman, nobleman, statesman and military man. As an *enfant d'honneur* to Marie IV from a young age, Hercules already had his foot in the door of court power and influence before he reached adulthood. Hercules soon rose in both the Catholic Church and the Grandelumièrian government, being consecrated as an évêque or "co-adjutator" to the Archevêque de Paris in 1709, then becoming himself the Archevêque de Paris and Grand Aumonier de la Maison in 1712. He would be the last Marquis de Mortemart before it was elevated from a Marquisate to Duché.

He went on to inherit the most ancient Grandelumièrian noble house in 1718, "Rochechouart de Mortemart", when his father, Louis-Etienne would pass away suddenly in the same year. As he gained more and more favour with the passing years, it would be unquestionable to say he had his thumb over the court. He had the power to officiate many marriages, funerals and general sermons. He would also be made Supreme Abbot of the Cluniac Order as a further gift from Marie IV, all of which gave him a significant income. If not remembered for this, he'd be remembered as the protector, advisor and *quasi*-adoptive parent to the extensive Mortemarettes, those scandalous women who would go on to further his bloodline and add to his own glory.

Born in 1693 at Le château d'Argenteuil, Louis Chrétien Hercules de Rochechouart de Mortemart was exceedingly proud of his ancient and prestigious ancestry. The Rochechouart-Mortemart of Lussac in Poitou were of ancient lineage and proud of it, the two grand families having been joined together by marriage in the thirteenth century. Hercules lived up to his distinguished heritage. He was a tremendously lavish and exorbitant figure, an intoxicating creature who was larger than life, a man who had the power to dominate a room with just a glare from his sharp and prepossessing violet eyes. He was known for his punctilious piety he displayed at court, but mostly as the "Court Favourite" as a close friend of the Empress, Marie IV de Grandelumérie. Beyond his piety and status, he was an avid collector of clocks and sculpted art, and had a particular love for lapis lazuli in such items. He would leave monuments and status symbols to make sure his glory and image would outlive him and his contemporaries, to be admired for all time. The latter half of his life was marked by a deep depression (then referred to as "melancholia"), and an absence of his usual lust for finery. Ultimately he would die as he had lived, a very rich man. Though it must be questioned if it all meant anything to him at the end, that terrible end hastened by suffering.

## Biography

### **Youth**

The occasion of the birth of Louis Chrétien took place on the 29th of August 1693. He was born at Le château d'Argenteuil, to Louis Etienne and Charlotte Isabelle Augustine de la Tour d'Auvergne. His mother acted as Surintendant de la Maison de l'Imperatrice, while his father was a Gentilhomme de la Chambre, thus his family enjoyed a rather distinguished position at court, his granduncle being the Grand Aumonier de la Maison. He was known as the Comte de Rochechouart at his birth, his father being the Marquis de Mortemart.

Following his birth, he was sent to be cared for by a governess, the Baronne de Malesherbes, who was in her late fifties at the time of her appointment. Nevertheless, it was common for lower ranking nobility to serve under more august houses of such rank. He would rarely ever see his parents, both of whom spent much of their time filling out their occupations. When the visiting Duchesse de Marlbouroug made a visit to the court and asked when the Marquise de Mortemart ever saw her children, she was said to have retorted; "See them? Madame Marlbouroug, this is Argenteuil."

As such it was expected that he should rarely see them, the strict confines of court etiquette helped prevent that. Any family of status was expected to keep a governess for their children, much to the anguish of maternal instinct. Nevertheless, Augustine was said to have no maternal instinct and it mattered not to her. He would spend his early days in the company of his governess and the siblings which followed. In all, he would be joined by Louise Claudine, Henri Cesar, Marie Louise and Marie Augustine Thérèse. During his childhood, he would become an *Enfant d'Honneur,* with the right to play with the young Empress.

### **Baptism**

Shortly after the fifth birthday of the young Louis Chrétien, he would be taken to the imperial chapel in Argenteuil for his Baptism, which was carried out by the Court Almoner, his granduncle, Louis-Constantin. He would be named Louis Chrétien Hercules, chosen to honour the late Emperor Louis XIII Philippe, Christian values and Hercules the demigod of ancient myths. His godparents were the Grand Monsieur and the Empress Dowager, Empress Elisabeth Justine. This came about due to his parent's positions at the court, which had been granted due to their family history and the fact his father had been an *Enfant d'Honneur* to the Dauphin.

### **Education**

As the court etiquette demanded, at the age of 6, he was taken from his governess and had his breeching ceremony, the ceremony in which a young boy no longer dresses in gowns and is placed in breaches for the first time. Originally intended to take his education with the Abbe de la Rue, he was moved to take classes with the Empress, as he was an *Enfant d'Honneur*. He was taught in a variety of subjects that the Empress was taught in, these included theology, writing, reading, Latin, French, English, Italian, mathematics, physics and politics. It was during this time that as a young boy he was arranged to marry Marie Louise de Noailles.

However, it was also at this time that his prior governess, the Baronne de Malesherbes, gave the advice of the boy's interest in theology. She had picked up on it prior, the boy had always shown enthusiasm for religion and piety. She suggested that a clerical lifestyle would be better suited to the boy, and reminded them that it was, after all, beneficial to the family, which had held the position of Aumonier for several decades. The advice fell on deaf ears as far as the Marquis was concerned. But, the advice when related to the boy's mother was significantly more poignant.

She may not have had a maternal bone in her body, as was remarked by the Grande Mademoiselle Marie-Isabelle, but she did care for the family standing. So it came that she would advise her husband on the good prospect that might come of the boy's position. Eventually, by 1700, he was convinced and ended the engagement. He would then be arranged to attend the Sorbonne at the age of 12.

### Sorbonne Education

During his time at the Sorbonne, he became strictly devout, taking communion daily, and regularly attending confession. He endured to carry out his religious duties and remain the image of virtue and piety which he desired. Though, despite this, it was notable that he was extremely arrogant and proud, at once both full of humility before the Lord and pride before man. Naturally, coming from one of the richest families in the Empire, and the oldest at that, he had plenty to be proud of. Possessive of the quick and famed Mortemart wit, he would take no issue rebuking those who insulted him.

By age 14, it was rumoured he was caught up in a homosexual scandal at the Sorbonne. He had, in truth, become infatuated with a similarly aged, and particularly handsome student, the Chevalier de Clermont. Though the whole truth was not known to the public, it was certainly suspected by Sorbonne tutors, and several students were removed from their studies. The Chevalier, who had, as it turned out, many lovers from the school, was banished from Paris with several other young boys by the Regent Auguste Philippe on the pleas of Cardinal Louis Joseph de Polignac, who the head of the theology department. While the truth of the incident deeply hurt Louis, and with the banishment of his lover, he vowed to avoid the occasion of such sin again, the pain was taken as Gods wrath against him.

### **Clerical Service**

By the age of 16, he was made co-adjutator of the Archbishop of Paris, a position also held by his granduncle. Here he would take some interest in his position, attending Notre Dame Paris to give lengthy sermons, of which he became famed for the denunciation of sin.

Within two years, his granduncle would pass from a riding accident in which a vein was pierced near his stomach by his riding saddle. He was to inherit both his offices from then, as Archbishop of Paris and Grand Aumonier de la Maison. He was only too pleased to receive the position, though he would mourn the passing of his granduncle who had been an inspiration to him. It was from this time he would rarely visit his diocese, leaving it to the auxiliary bishops to attend to.

## Service at Court

### **Becoming Marquis de Mortemart**

While serving at the court diligently, his father, the Marquis de Mortemart, would die from sudden stroke, aged 52, while Louis himself was now 25. This would mean that as the eldest son, he would take on the titles of his father, as the Marquis de Mortemart and its various other holdings, and taking full account of the family finances. He would again mourn the loss to his house, decorating his rooms in portraits of various saints, his father, and the patron saint of his House, Saint Francois of Assisi.

### **Cardinalate**

This death was only considerably made lighter when he was gifted a Cardinals hat, at the expense of the Imperial Treasury, by Marie IV. He was made Cardinal in 1718 and would go on to serve again in a most diligent manner, grateful for his position and the kindness shown. He would officiate many marriages, funerals and general sermons at the court during his position. He would also be made Supreme Abbot of the Cluniac Order as a further gift, all of which gave him a significant income. Though, unlike many, a great deal of his wealth was spent on charities and the church, though this did not stop him spending a great deal of it too on his family and residences. One notable expense was the perfume known as the Cardinal Rouge, a heavy, thick scent of imposing flora, such as roses. It was so strong that several courtiers were said to smell him from 15 feet away.

 File:Louis Chretien Hercules aged 26.jpg
His brother, the Marquis de Vivonne, would pass away in 1719. He had lived a rather lavish lifestyle himself, gaining himself large debts as he spent money on parties and mistresses, much to Hercules ire. Nevertheless, when he died from venereal disease, he left his wife his substantial debts and many children to care for. Hercules would offer to care for the nieces and nephews, as well as repay her debts, and offer to also pay her entrance into a convent of her choosing. She would leave to Fontevraud Abbey. From here, he would begin his movement to ensure the best upbringing of his family, as well as the most senior marriages he could.

His return to court also helped rekindle the friendship with Marie IV, who had paid for his Cardinalship. This was helpful in his position as he rose through the position with plenty of court favour. This benefited his family greatly as they were granted several offices and succeeded in high marriages.

### **Court Intrigue**

In the mid-1730's, he would be made aware of the rumour surrounding Gabrielle and the Duc de Choiseul's intimate relations. This would frustrate him but he had little to act on. However, he would keep an eye on Gabrielle's flourishing circle. He himself would form his own Cabal at court, the so-called *Absolutistes.* It was suggested that this party opposed the more whimsical and carefree circle, which championed the enlightenment, known as the *Philosophes*.

The *Absolutistes* would be well known as those against the Salons of Paris, suspecting them as places of the Enlightenment. This would go so far as to see to the closure of the salon held by the Baronne de Preuilly. This gained them the scorn of the *Philosophes* who would champion the Enlightenment and salons as a method of discussing Enlightenment ideas without the watch of the court.

 File:Signature of Cardinal de Mortemart.jpg
On returning to the Chateau d'Argenteuil, Louis Chretien would be awarded a luxurious suite of rooms overlooking gardens. This suite consisted of six rooms in all, complete with a large marble bath. He would swiftly have the rooms redecorated into beige colours, picked for their association with grace and royalty, alongside the Cardinal rouge scent he kept. He was renowned for his array of exotic pets, afforded to his vast wealth from his ancient family. This set of pets included a monkey named Seraphin, two great parrots, both female, named Eve and Soumise, goldfish, three in all, named Barbara, Babette and Beatrice (all three of which gave him great amusement), and finally two dogs, both Spaniels named Mounard and Thisbe, a male and female respectively.

As the favourite courtier, there were people who claimed his corruption was evident, but, he was a particularly pious man in his private life, and was more concerned with the Empress's immortal soul than her favour. Though, it didn't hurt that they were both highly pious and the strong bond over this had strengthened their personal connection. His personal wealth went to the use of expanding his property as much as possible and profited greatly from the added territory he had gained to his titles and fiefdoms.

It was also around this time that he arranged the marriage between his eldest niece Marie-Augustine Laurene, to the future Monsieur le Prince.

### **Increasing Conflict**

Increasingly with the rise of Gabrielle's own position, much of the court was seemingly seen to enjoy her company compared to the Cardinal's own. This would only antagonise the Cardinal as his niece continued to ignore what orders her uncle would give her, especially in regard to her deathbed. Having had to remind his niece that she was taking residence in a room other than her own, to his great disapproval, he ordered her move. Though courtiers spread rumours that he himself had dragged her, the truth was much closer to the fact that servants had raised her from the bed and carried her, as dragging would be quite beside the Cardinal. Furthermore, claims that he has berated her were much exaggerated. He had adopted a more joking tone when speaking to her shortly before her death, discussing her choice of friends. But nevertheless, he remained obsessed with her need for a pious death, despite what he considered sinful courtiers opinions.

This act, both of his bloated pride and dignity, resounded at a bad rate with the court, marking a period of conflict between him and the court. He would state that he had misjudged the sensitivity of his peers and left himself embittered. He was angry at the fact that he, who had been following God by having his niece moved to her husband's bed, and protocol which forbade her to have a room besides that of her husband, was blamed for anything other than following protocol. Not to mention the fact that he, a Cardinal, and the head of House was not even told of the situation on arrival.

It was during this time that he began on his most well-known piece of literature, *A Memorandum on Religion and Court.* The piece detailed the difficulty of working to the requirements of etiquette and religion in one time, and how strict adherence to either offended the 'sensibilities' of the less religiously inclined court. While the book was very popular with the well-read and religious courtiers, it was a thinly veiled attack on the courtiers for their sinfulness in supporting adultery.

### **The Arrival of Madame la Dauphiné**

On the arrival of the Dauphiné from Spain, Hercules originally considered her a rather dull and uninteresting woman though this was not from her own fault, even if he assumed it to be. Spanish Princess's were brought up to be amused, not to amuse others. This was part of the strict etiquette of the Spanish court, which was almost prison-like in its overbearing nature. Originally, he commonly gossiped about her, having little interest in the Dauphiné but they kept an otherwise friendly appearance to the other.

Despite this, Hercules was inclined to take the role as her spiritual advisor in all things relating to religion and morality, something he had been an expert at for many years. He was the spiritual advisor to the Empress herself for many years, as well as members of the royal family due to his distinguished position. This would bring the pair into a more accepting relationship with relative warmth between them. This extended to the Dauphiné offering the Cardinal two of her dwarfs from Spain, a customary attendant for Spanish Princesses.

### **The Pavillon**

In mid-1737, the Cardinal would be gifted an expanse of land, namely the Seigneurie de Montmorency, north of Paris. This land was to make the basis of his new residence, the Pavillon Lapis-Lazuli, more frequently referred to as the Lapis Pavillon. This residence was to be one of the finest in the state, a testament to the Cardinals wealth. True to its name, the Pavillon was decorated with a vast array of lapis lazuli materials. For example, the walls were decorated with slabs of Lapis, outlined in gilt, while tables were built with quantities of lapis lazuli. The columns and fireplaces were similarly designed, while all the fabrics were Chinese silk, dyed using ground lapis lazuli. Furthermore, all the vases were designed with lapis lazuli as the primary material.

Following the construction of his grand pavillon, the gardens of La Motte de Baucay were restored to glory, and it was on this backdrop, that he held a great fete for the court, inviting the Empress and her court. Such was the event that the Emperor, Empress and the King of Prussia were in attendance, though this latter guest would be a disgust to him later.

### **The Ten Year War**

The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was invaded by the Prussian army under King Friedrich II following his declaration of war upon the Austrian Empress Maria Theresia in 1740. In Warsaw, the royal residence Pałac Koniecpolskich was besieged and captured by the Prussians. Following the occupation of Warsaw, the Polish royal family fled to their posession; the Electorate of Saxony and made court in Dresden. Dresden would later fall under Prussian siege, and the Polish royal family were in household arrest at the Dresdner Residenzschloss. Both were an affront to the court, as Poland was an ally of the Grandelumierian Empire, having served on the same field several times. After the succession of devastating blows, Marie IV did not hesitate to declare war upon her Lutheran opponent, Friedrich II of Prussia.

Empress Marie IV announced that the court was to travel to the Grandelumierian border to settle at Fort Louis le Grande in Strasbourg, across from the frontier with Prussia. Hercules took a large tent outside the fort, alongside many other members of the high nobility. The fort would be subject to several invasions, however, the troops would be secure in the knowledge that the alliance against the Lutherans would be crushed by the armies proceeding across Europe.

After several weeks of siege, the Prussian army broke through at Fort Louis le Grande in Strasbourg, assaulting the Imperial forces en-masse with Swiss, Swedish and Dutch aide. After hours of fighting with the losss of several cannons and banners; Empress Marie IV agreed to an armistice in person, as she herself was at near death against a group of Prussian guardsmen. The Treaty of Strasbourg was signed by all foreign powers who took an active part in the bloodshed in 1747. The treaty stipulated that Prussia would gain Saxony, and Grandelumiere would recognise their claims to Silesia. Poland would cede West Prussia to Prussia, and Grandelumiere would remove troops from the Rhein. History would call the War of the Rheinlands one of the deadliest chapers of the War of Austrian Succession.

### **Return to Peace**

With the return to court, everything seemingly returned back to normal. He would settle into a regular, everyday routine with the Empress Marie IV. This routine would take form in rising at 6 a.m. to dress and have a small breakfast with Her Majesty, sitting beside the bed as the two ate fresh fruit, pastries and drank hot chocolate. It was during this time the two would read the papers, or talk, or sit quietly in the company of the other. This would be followed by the usual grand ceremonies of court. After dinner, he would retire to her chambers with her, where they would drink, tea, or hot chocolate, with more pastries served and they would casually talk. They would then be joined by the Imperial Family, and then retire for the coucher. The two may have eaten supper together, or, if too tired, he would retire to his room immediately after.

This routine was how the two spent the next ten years. Though this was also interspersed with trips to other residences and the regular charity works of the Empress which now occupied much of her time. Though himself a very pious man, and one who enjoyed giving to charity, he was not keen on the idea of himself giving the charity, in the form of physically feeding the poor, something the Empress took on passionately. Nevertheless, he grew to admire the act and stood steadfast in support. These years would pass by in much appreciated quiet and contentedness until 1757.

## The Death of the Empress

Having gone out on a hunting trip on the 24th of November 1757, Hercules would be accompanying the Empress when she injured herself against a thicket of bramble hedges. The pair thought little else of it and continued to hunt and the usual picnic was served. He would send for a lotion to be prepared following their return but no further arrangements were made.

Over the following days, it would be noted that where the Empress had cut herself would begin to scab, and her leg became sore to the touch. He himself would nothing more of it than a result of old age. On the evening of the 29th, following her grand dinner ceremony, and dismissing the court to have their dinners, the pair would follow their nightly routine of returning to her chambers where they would have hot chocolate and talk. However, Sophie would cry out and collapse in pain.

Rushing to have her brought to the bedside, altar candles were brought and Hercules, in tears, would find himself providing Extreme Unction. Though not known at the time, her autopsy would reveal a death caused by blood poisoning, deemed to have occurred as a result of her riding accident. It was said a thousand masses were held in Paris that night. Hercules himself, noted for his general reign on his emotions, openly broke down before the court twice on the night, unable to control himself as he wept violently over her body.

### **Aftermath**

Hercules would go from the proud, if not slightly arrogant, courtier he had once been to the husk of his former self. Overwhelmed with melancholy and distaste for material objects, even disliking his food, he would remark to his nephew Jules, *"I am not hungry, everything disgusts me. It leaves a putrid taste in my mouth."* Having once loved his food, this change was not taken well by most of his family. He would have his apartments decorated in deep violet, being a cardinal and permitted to mourn in violet.

This change of personality, with a permanent melancholy taking hold over him, was not an easy change by any means for the court to take. He was increasingly grumpy and irritable to the point of snapping on several occasions. This was not a fact that changed in the presence of any company regardless of status.

### **Illness**

As time went on, the health of the Cardinal started to deteriorate to the point of noticeable thinning. A more substantial reason for the Cardinal's unwillingness to eat his food was offered once his physicians caught the early signs of the spread of gangrene across his right leg. Early treatments for this included washing the leg in water with a variety of herbs. He was bled several times over by his personal physician in his bed at court. All of this came to no avail and with the gangrene spreading, the cardinal was becoming ever grumpier in the presence of the court, complaining he could not sleep, nor eat, nor walk. This was not helped by the fact that at this point, many of his nieces had left, including Olympe, Gabrielle, Anne, and Marguerite, with Raphaelle planning to leave for a convent.

This irritability was on full display when, during breakfast, the Dauphine Sophie insinuated that the Cardinal kept the Empress under a tight grip. At this remark, the cardinal moved across and struck the Dauphine with the handle of his cane. Many such problems arose, with the Cardinal increasingly angry and in pain as time moved along.

### **Move to Rueil**

Eventually, after the death of the Grand Monsieur who had been the Cardinal's only real surviving rival at court, the Cardinal left for Rueil. It was said he had only remained to ensure the Monsieur's body was truly buried for good. Either way, as he left, the Emperor would permit to have the court reside at Rueil for the duration of the Cardinals life, which would not prove to be very long.

In a state of near constant pain, the Cardinal was cared for by his physician, Jean-Pierre La Poignard, who would provide several remedies in attempts to ease his suffering. This included providing opium to rub on his gums and drink in water. He was bathed in absynthe and bled. Towards the end of his life, he was described as having a right leg that was as black as coal. As a result of his nearing death, the Cardinal started to drink greater quantities of gold water, with the belief that gold had medical properties. However, this had quite the opposite effect.

Going yellow about the skin, developing chronic vomiting, and constant headaches, the cardinal was left stuck in his bed within the last few days of his life. Too heavy to lift himself from his bed, the sight made for a complete change from the old vision of the powerful cardinal. Wrapped up in his furs, and riddled with pain, Madame la Princesse was quoted as saying, "A frightfully terrible sight, that of human greatness weighed down by human weakness." As it was, on his deathbed, the entire senior court, many of which directly related to him due to the numerous marriages with his nieces, would now surround his bed. After kind words from his sister in law, the Cardinal started to violently choke and died shortly thereafter.

Many people stood to directly benefit from his passing, with a large will drafted to pass on his many objects and vast fortune. Having a fortune of almost 105 million livres he was the single richest man after the Emperor in the entire state, and most of this was passed directly to his heir, a total of 78 million, while the rest was parcelled between his family, burial arrangements, and charities. It was said on the night of his death, that bells all across Paris, and his various estates rang out, and he received the uniquely high honour of seeing the Imperial family dress in a day of mourning. He was laid to rest at the Lapis Lazuli Pavilion after a funeral ceremony at the Sainte-Chapelle.

## Personality and Appearance

### **Personality**

Though often assumed as a corrupt man, Hercules had no interest in genuinely taking power for himself. An ultra-conservative monarchist, he believed in the Divine right of the sovereign above all things. With his position as the court favourite came influence about the court which was something he did enjoy. Though this can be said to be the same for all the court as few individuals desired to be of lowly rank. But this power was not manifested in a way to better himself but in a desire to keep order. Law and order were his key beliefs besides his religion.

A proud man, he would take the slightest snub as an insult to his standing and be unlikely to let those who carried out such action forget it. That being said, he did not go out of his way to create an argument and frequently only made enemies of those who openly disagreed and denounced him. Despite this, he was a keenly religious man, forming part of a small group with the Empress, Emperor and Madame, in which the four shared their devout sentiments.

### **Appearance**

While young, the Cardinal was a relatively healthy, due to his lifestyle and studying at the Sorbonne as a Priest. However, once he became Archbishop of Paris, and subsequently moved from Paris to the Grandelumierian court, due to his popularity in delivering sermons and Mass, he put on a great deal of weight. Known to be partial to pastry and sweet food, his waistline vastly expanded. Monsieur le Prince was well known as a lover of food, but the Cardinal was a well-known lover of pastry. This was exemplified in his tea habit, in which he took 5 sugars at least, sometimes amounting to 6.

The cardinal did have some good points, notedly he had rather vibrant violet eyes, an unusual and rare eye colour which brought him some attention. Alongside this, he was also rather tall compared to others, standing at 5 foot 9 inches (the average being 5 foot 4 inches). However, this did come with some drawbacks bar his weight. He was slightly hunched due to an imperfection in his spine, and by his late 30's and early 40's, has begun to seriously impact his dental health to the point that the majority of his teeth were in a state of decay. By 1737, he was suffering severe toothache.

Beyond that, he had notedly pale skin, and naturally brown hair, which had once been blond when a young boy. Overall, he was not regarded as ugly, and possibly handsome without the weight, though not quite to a degree which might cause infamy. As Marie Raphaelle de Rohan, his niece, would say, *"A friendly face, someone whom one would bestow the embrace rather than receiving it."*

## Publications

As a well-known orator and writer, Hercules would publish several books over his lifetime regarding politics, religion and the state. This is an incomplete list of his published works:

* Treaty of Free Will, 1718: This work regarded why humans were granted free will and their ability to choose to sin.
* Logic, 1719: Work on the design of human understanding and the gift of logical thought, how it proves God.
* Explanation of the Apocalypse, 1723: Describes how it shall come about, the meaning of it for mankind.
* History of the Protestant Churches, 1725: An analysis of the various churches and criticisms of each.
* Meditation on the brevity of life, 1727: Reflection on the shortness of life, in relation to piety and death.
* Knowledge of God and the Self, 1728: Discussion on how we can know God's existence through ourselves.
* Instruction for Protestant Converts, 1730: A manual for those converting to Catholicism on the major points.
* Sermon on the Unity of Church, 1731: Speech on the need for unity by all the church followers, and the other Christian churches.
* Warnings to the Protestants (I-IV), 1732-1736: A series of arguments against Protestantism in relation to the Church and God, and the need to convert.
* Speech of Universal History, 1734: Suggests that all of history is a history of the war between God and the Devil, with countries aligned with the Catholic Church opposing those aligned with the Devil.
* Defence of Tradition, 1735: Regarding traditions of the Catholic church which were criticised by the Protestants.
* A Memorandum on Religion and the Court, 1737: Regarding the difficulty of being a strict Catholic in court life.
* Funeral Oration for the Emperor Consort, 1737: The words spoken for the Emperor at his funeral.
* Politics Drawn from Words of Holy Scripture, 1741: Regarding the divine right of Kings, and examples of leadership shown in the Scripture, and how to be a good sovereign.
* Catechism of the Archdiocese of Paris, 1742: Comprised the official catechism with regional traditions that were the norm of the Parisian public and clerical life.
* Reflections on Comedy, 1746: Discussion on theatre comedies and similar comical publications, with their implications for general life.
* Exhibition of the Catholic Doctrine on Matters of Controversy, 1749: Regarding controversial topics within secular and clerical life, and the views that should be held about them from a Catholic Doctrinal position.
* Meditation on the Gospel, 1751: Reflection on the Gospel, and major points for Catholics to follow.
* Defence of the History of Protestant Churches, 1752: Responding to criticisms of his publication by fellow clerics.
* Christian Perfection, 1753: Referring to the need for perfection of all Catholics in particular, and how to act as a perfect Christian, reflecting largely on the life of the Virgin Mary.
* Treatise on the Education of Daughters, 1755: Regarding the proper education, what they should be educated, what they will need and concerns for ensuring good wives.
* Concerning the Loss of Family, 1756: Lengthy discussion on the fear of loneliness, isolation, and melancholy. Primary aims were to offer consolation.

## Honours, Titles and Styles

### **Titles and Styles**

* **29th August 1693 - 5th October 1709** Sa Seigneurie, Monsieur le Comte de Rochechouart
* **5th October 1709 - 23rd September 1711** Sa Sainte Grâce, Monsieur l'Évêque Auxiliaire de Paris
* **23rd September 1711 - 11th November 1718** Sa Sainte Grâce, Monsieur l'Archevêque de Paris
* **11th November 1718 - 7th January 1760** Son Éminence, Monseigneur le Cardinal de Mortemart

### **Honours**

* Knight of the Order of Saint-Benignus
* Knight of the Order of the Seraphs