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Jacques de Crussol, 13th Duke of Uzès

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Jacques de Crussol
13th Duke of Uzès
BornJacques Marie Géraud de Crussol
(1868-11-19)19 November 1868
Paris, France
Died20 June 1893(1893-06-20) (aged 24)
Cabinda, Portuguese Congo
Cause of deathDysentery
Noble familyCrussol
FatherJacques Emmanuel de Crussol d'Uzès
MotherAnne de Rochechouart de Mortemart

Jacques Marie Géraud de Crussol (19 November 1868 – 20 June 1893), styled Duke of Crussol from 1872 to 1878, was a French nobleman and explorer who kept a diary of his African expedition that was published posthumously by his mother, the renowned Duchess d'Uzès.

Early life

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Crussol was born in the 7th arrondissement of Paris on 19 November 1868. He was the eldest son of Emmanuel de Crussol, 12th Duke of Uzès (1852–1878) and Anne de Rochechouart de Mortemart.[1] His younger brother was Louis Emmanuel de Crussol.[2] His sisters both married Dukes, Simone Louise Laure de Crussol (who married Honoré d'Albert, 10th Duke of Luynes),[3] and Mathilde Renée de Crussol d'Uzès (who married François de Cossé Brissac, 11th Duke of Brissac).[4] His mother inherited the Château de Boursault and a large fortune from her great-grandmother, Madame Clicquot Ponsardin, the founder of the Veuve Clicquot, and his maternal grandparents were Louis de Rochechouart and Marie Clémentine de Chevigné.[5]

His father, who had been elected to the legislature in 1871, died in 1878 and 10 year-old Jacques became the 13th Duke of Uzès and the head of the House of Crussol.[6]

African expedition

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Reportedly to teach the young Duke how to escape an idle life, respect his rank, and accomplish great things, his mother decided to organize an expedition to Africa. The goal was to reach Abyssinia in the Horn of Africa and deliver Khartoum, which had been in the hands of the Madhists since 1884.[7]

The Duchess sent her Jacques, Lt. Émile Julien, Charles Pottier, a journalist from L'Illustration, convoy leader Rogier, and Dr. Jean Hess. Thirty Algerian riflemen accompanied the troops.[7]

The men left Marseille on 26 January 1892, reaching Brazzaville almost six months later on 12 July 1892. In Brazzaville, Albert Dolisie (later the governor of French Congo) convinced the Duke to continue his mission towards Ubangi to reinforce the forces already present there. The intended peaceful mission quickly became a military endeavor and, overwhelmed by the turn, the Duke left his command to Lt. Julien.[7]

On 11 January 1893, they arrived at the Abiras post, joining up with Victor Liotard's forces. A reprisal expedition was organized at the beginning of February to fight the "Boubous" in the Kotto valley, but, at the end of the month, the Duke and Lt. Julien, suffering from fevers, were evacuated to Brazzaville. The young duke died of dysentery in the Portuguese protectorate of Cabinda on 20 June 1893 as he prepared to return to France. After his death, his mother edited and published his journal as My Son's Journey to the Congo (French: Le Voyage de mon fils au Congo).[8][7]

Personal life

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The duke's lover, Émilienne d'Alençon

Crussol was reportedly the lover of the demimonde, Émilienne d'Alençon, whom he wished to marry. Alençon, a dancer and actress, had made her début at the Cirque d'été in 1889.[9] On 26 May 1891, he was present at the ball organized at 25 boulevard des Invalides in the Faubourg Saint-Germain, disguised as a Muscovite lord with Alençon present, which was said to be an impetus for his mother to organize his expedition to Africa.[10]

His body was returned to France, via Lisbon (accompanied by his brother, then styled Count of Crussol, and brother-in-law, the Duke of Luynes), and his funeral was held at the Uzès.[11] After his early death, the dukedom passed to his younger brother, Louis Emmanuel.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "The House of Crussol - Chateau du Duché d'Uzès entre mer et Cévennes. Cité médiévale, le Duché (XIème - XVIIIème siècle) propose une étonnante promenade dans l'Histoire Uzès,Povence,Chateau, Duc de Crussol, Duché, Ducale, Gard, Pont du Gard, vin, cave à vin". www.uzes.com. Le Duché. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  2. ^ Vassor, Bernard (8 July 2008). "Duchess of Uzes, NEE Adrienne Marie-Anne-Clementine Victurnienne ROCHECHOUART-MORTEMART". Retrieved 2015-03-27.
  3. ^ of), Melville Amadeus Henry Douglas Heddle de La Caillemotte de Massue de Ruvigny Ruvigny and Raineval (9th marquis (1914). The Titled Nobility of Europe: An International Peerage, Or "Who's Who", of the Sovereigns, Princes and Nobles of Europe. Harrison & Sons. p. 960. Retrieved 26 June 2020.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ Anne Marie Timoléon François Cossé-Brissac (duc de, 1868-1944), Bibliothèque nationale de France
  5. ^ "DUCHESS D'UZES IS DEAD IS PARIS; Famous Dowager, Long Leader of French Society, Aided Move to-Restore Throne. ACTIVE IN MANY FIELDS A Sculptor, Novelist, Dramatist and Patron of the Arts, She Was Always a Glamorous Figure". The New York Times. 4 February 1933. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  6. ^ a b Vassor, Bernard (2008-07-08). "Duchess of Uzes, NEE Adrienne Marie-Anne-Clementine Victurnienne ROCHECHOUART-MORTEMART". Retrieved 2015-03-27.
  7. ^ a b c d d'Uzès, Duchesse (1894). Le voyage de mon fils au Congo (in French). Paris: Primento. ISBN 978-2-335-03851-4. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  8. ^ Journal of African Languages and Linguistics. Foris Publications for Department of African Linguistics, University of Leiden. 1982. pp. 19, 34–39. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  9. ^ Belmont, Jean-Marcel de (2 February 2023). Le Petit jeu - II: Fantaisie historique (in French). Librinova. p. 18. ISBN 979-10-405-2256-0. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  10. ^ Authier, Catherine (7 October 2015). Femmes d'exception, femmes d'influence: Une histoire des courtisanes au XIXe siècle (in French). Armand Colin. p. 101. ISBN 978-2-200-61292-4. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  11. ^ d'Albiousse, Lionel (1903). Histoire de la ville d'Uzès ... (in French). H. Malige. pp. 346–350. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
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French nobility
Preceded by
Duke of Uzès
1878–1893 		Succeeded by
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