List of French peers
Twelve Peers. They were probably, at the time of the old Frankish monarchy, the great princes and vassals who were called to appoint the successor of the king among the eligible princes to the crown. At the Capetian era, we find that the number is set at twelve, but all throughout the Old Regime, there were 173 fiefs which were erected in peerage. Later Peers. Since 1204, when the duchies of Normandy and Aquitaine were absorbed into the French crown, the roster of the Twelve Peers had never been complete. By 1297, there were only three  lay peers — the duke of Burgundy, the duke of Guyenne, and the count of Flanders (the county of Champagne was held by the king's eldest son and heir). Philip IV decided to restore the number of peers to twelve by granting peerage to three princes of the royal line — the duke of Brittany, the count of Anjou, and the count of Artois. 14th century. Châteauneuf-en-Thymerais Poitou La Marche Évreux Angoulême Mortain Étampes Bourbon Beaumont-le-Roger Clermont-en-Beauvaisis Maine Orléans Valois Nevers Rethel then Rethel-Mazarin Mid-14th century. Mantes-et-Meulan Mâcon Berry Auvergne Touraine Vertus  Alençon Montpellier Forez Roannais Blois Chartres Dunois Fère-en-Tardenois Chateau-Thierry Périgord 15th century. Soissons Coucy Nemours Châtillon-sur-Marne Mortagne-lès-Tournay Évry-le-Châtel Jouy-le-Châtel Coulommiers Ponthieu Saintonge Auxerre Mid-15th century. Foix Eu Beaujeu Villefranche Civray 16th century. Vendôme Châtellerault Guise Montpensier Aumale Mid-16th century. Montmorency Albret Enghien Perche Graville Penthièvre Dreux Mercœur Clermont-Tonnerre Uzès Mayenne Saint-Fargeau Joyeuse Piney-Luxembourg Épernon Elbeuf Retz Brienne Hallwin Montbazon Ventadour Beaufort Thouars Biron Aiguillon 17th century. Rohan Sully Fronsac Damville Brissac Grancey Lesdiguières Chevreuse Châteauroux Luynes Bellegarde Candale Chaulnes La Roche-Guyon La Rochefoucauld La Valette  Frontenay Richelieu Puylaurens Saint-Simon La Force Valentinois Gramont Coligny Châtillon/Loing Estrées Tresmes/Gesvres Mid-17th century. Arpajon Lavedan Mortemart Noirmoutier La Vieuville Rosnay Villemor Villeroy Bournonville Cardone Créquy Orval Roquelaure Verneuil Villars-Brancas Fayel (Le Fayel) La Guiche Montaut Randan La Meilleraye Saint-Aignan Noailles Coislin Montausier Choiseul Aumont La Ferté-Senneterre (Saint-Nectaire) La Vallière Duras Chârost Saint-Cloud Le Lude Aubigny 18th century. Châteauvillain Boufflers Villars Harcourt Fitz-James Antin Rambouillet Rohan-Rohan Hostun Lévis Châtillon Fleury Gisors Taillebourg Mid-18th century. La Vauguyon Praslin Brunoy Louvois Amboise Coigny Peers by birth. A type of personal peerage, instituted  in 1576 for the princes of the blood of France. This practically ensures that any adult prince of the blood is a peer of France. At the age of 15, they are allowed to sit among the other Peers of the Realm. The royal princes who actually sat in respect of this type of peerage, having reached their 15th year, were as follows, at the dates indicated: Bibliography. Christophe Levantal, "Ducs et pairs et duchés-pairies laïques à l'époque moderne (1519-1790)", Paris, 1996