Duke of Fronsac

The seigneurie of Fronsac was promoted to a duchy twice during the 17th century.

First promotion : 1608

The title of duke of Fronsac was first created in 1608 for the Orléans-Longueville family, a bastard branch of the house of Valois. It became extinct in this line in the 1631.

• 1608-1622 : Léonor d'Orléans-Longueville (1605-1622) - his mother, Anne de Caumont (1574-1642), was marquise of Fronsac. Having no children, he was succeeded by his father:
• 1622-1631 : François d'Orléans-Longueville (1570-1631), comte de Saint-Pol and duc de Château-Thierry. He was the second son of Léonor d'Orléans, duc de Longueville. He succeeded his son, but had no other children and the title became extinct with him.

Second promotion : 1634

In 1634, the title of duke of Fronsac was again made a duchy, for cardinal Richelieu, already duke of Richelieu. The title of duke of Fronsac was often used by the dukes of Richelieu as a 'titre d'attente' or courtesy title for the heir of the duke of Richelieu.

• 1634-1642 : Armand Jean du Plessis, cardinal de Richelieu, 1st duc de Richelieu (1585-1642)
• 1642-1646 : Jean Armand de Maillé-Brézé, marquis de Brézé (1613-1646), nephew of the cardinal.
• 1646-1674 : Claire-Clémence de Maillé-Brézé, Princesse de Condé (1628-1694), sister of the former. She married the famous soldier Louis II de Bourbon, Prince de Condé, also known as Le Grand Condé. She ceded the duchy of Fronsac in 1674 to her cousin Armand Jean de Vignerot du Plessis, 2nd duc de Richelieu.
• 1674-1696 (1674-1715) : Armand Jean de Vignerot du Plessis, 2nd duc de Richelieu (1629-1715)
• 1696-1736 (1715-1788) : Louis François Armand de Vignerot du Plessis, 3rd duc de Richelieu (1696-1788). He did not inherit the duchy until 1715, but bore the title of duc de Fronsac as a courtesy title from his birth onwards.
• 1736-1788 (1788-1822) : Louis Antoine Sophie de Vignerot du Plessis, 4th duc de Richelieu (1736-1791). He did not inherit the duchy until 1788, but bore the title of duc de Fronsac as a courtesy title from his birth onwards.
• 1788-1822 (1791-1822) : Armand Emmanuel de Vignerot du Plessis, 5th duc de Richelieu (1766-1822). He only inherited the duchy in 1791, but bore the courtesy title of comte de Chinon from his birth in 1766 until the death of his grandfather, the 3rd duke, in 1788. On the succession of his father to the dukedom of Richelieu in 1788, he became known as the duc de Fronsac. In 1791, he inherited the Richelieu title. He was the Prime Minister of France from 1815 to 1818 and from 1820 to 1821.